This year’s Spotify Wrapped hit different, and not in a good way. Users were left scratching their heads, wondering where all the fun bits went. No quirky personality assessments, no Sound Towns, and no music aura readings. Instead, we got a half-baked round-up that definitely sounded like AI (derogatory).
So, we decided to ask Spotify why they made so many changes.
Spotify responds to 2024 Wrapped backlash
In an email to PEDESTRIAN.TV Spotify said, “We’ve been working in this space for more than a decade. Since 2011, our investment in AI and, in particular, Machine Learning has made Spotify what it is today: a personalised experience for every user that drives discovery and connection through the power of recommendations.”
Nothing says “personalised experience” like having a robot tell you about your music taste.
For those of us wondering why our beloved top genre feature went MIA, Spotify had this to say:
“Every year we look to bring a new and exciting experience to Wrapped for listeners, artists, and creators. It’s part of the secret sauce of Wrapped.
“This year, we’ve refreshed the personalised user experience to include a few new things, including: A new Music Evolution data story that reveals the musical phases that uniquely defined your year, multiple easter eggs on Platform for fans to discover about this year’s global top artist, personalised stats around your top listening day and longest listening streak, and an AI podcast about your 2024 Spotify Wrapped, built with Google’s NotebookLM to name a few.”
I will admit, I did love figuring out my mental state throughout the year by looking at how much sad girl pop I listened to in certain months. However, I did miss figuring out if I was a true sad girl pop diva as a whole, genre wise.
Spotify’s relationship with AI
Spotify’s CEO, Daniel Ek, has been banging on about AI for a while now. In January, he told Norges Bank: “We’re going to become that trusted friend where we’re going to introduce you to things that you probably thought ‘No way in hell am I going to be interested in this’, and you’re going to be totally open to it.”
But, if this year’s Wrapped is anything to go by, that “trusted friend” might need to go back to algorithm school.
Daniel has been criticised for not banning AI-developed music on the platform and he also formally criticised Europe’s AI regulations with his bestie Mark Zuckerberg. A joint statement said that the regulations were “hampering innovation and holding back developers”.
Back in December 2023, Daniel Ek made a brutal call. In his own words, they had “too many people dedicated to supporting work and even doing work around the work, rather than contributing to opportunities with real impact”. The result? 1,500 employees shown the door.
Many have speculated that employees were laid off partially to lean into AI within the company and the platform.
It seems like firing off a chunk of your workforce and replacing them with AI wasn’t the recipe for success Ek thought it would be.
Ek recently confessed: “Although there’s no question that it was the right strategic decision, it did disrupt our day-to-day operations more than we anticipated,” per Forbes. Apparently the company took four months to find its feet again.
Although this setback didn’t affect their stock value dramatically, I’d be interested to see how this latest snafu will affect the company. Especially since so many users have promised to switch to Apple Music after this year’s flopped Spotify Wrapped.
So, there you have it. Spotify’s grand plan to become a “trusted friend” has resulted in a Wrapped that’s got everyone disappointed. Maybe next year, they’ll remember that when it comes to music, it’s the human touch that really matters.
Until then, we’ll be here, trying to figure out what the heck an AI thinks our music taste says about us. No seriously, why is my Daylist called People Pleaser Campfire Afternoon today?
The post We Asked Spotify Why This Year’s Wrapped Felt So Off, Here’s What They Said appeared first on PEDESTRIAN.TV .
