Ah, Spotify Wrapped 2024 has finally arrived, and it’s safe to say that the hype train has derailed spectacularly. After not-so patiently waiting for our annual musical recap, many have been left scratching their heads, wondering why Wrapped just didn’t hit this year.
Thankfully the pink pilates princess strut pop divas of the world refuse to let our age-old tradition fall off without an explanation. So, let’s dive into all conspiracy theories that try to explain why this year’s Wrapped has been met with such disappointment.
All the Spotify Wrapped conspiracy theories
Spotify Wrapped was obsessed with AI
First off, we have the AI apocalypse theory. Following last year’s mass layoffs — where Spotify cut 17 per cent of its workforce — many are speculating that the new features are less about enhancing user experience and more about saving a few bucks.
This year’s Wrapped includes an AI-generated podcast where virtual hosts dissect your musical journey. Sounds fancy, right? But users are crying foul, suggesting it feels like a cheap substitute for the personal touch we’ve come to expect.
One user on X wrote, “Spotify Wrapped is underwhelming and reeks of AI… there seems to be real lack of effort this year”. If this is what happens when you let robots take over, I might have to return my robo-vacuum.
Spotify lay-offs did not pay off
Speaking of the lay-offs, some users think this is the reason Spotify Wrapped cut out so many features and didn’t give the normal cunty creative energy it usually does. We were stripped of beloved elements like music cities, top genres or listening auras. How will I know what colour my energy is when listening to Chappell? (It’s obviously pink, but that’s not the point?!)
Instead, users feel that they are being left with a shorter experience that feels rushed and incomplete.
“It’s almost as if they were running late to finish it so they just served it uncooked. Embarrassing!” said a disgruntled user on X.
The Spotify Wrapped cutoff conspiracy
Now let’s chat about the Spotify Wrapped cutoff dates. Spotify confirmed this year that it does not stop counting its user’s streams after October 31 each year. But this year’s rollout has users questioning its accuracy.
Many have noted discrepancies between their Last.fm stats (music streaming platform and tracker) and Spotify Wrapped results, some users think that Spotify used last year’s data for this year’s Wrapped.
“I just want to know why my Spotify wrapped was literally IDENTICAL to last year’s (same top artists, top songs, minutes listening, etc.) when I didn’t even listen to one of those artists this year and I definitely listened to new ones more than the others???” said one Reddit user.
Artists paying for placements?
There’s been chatter for some time that artists might be paying for spots in playlists this year. This includes accusations of algorithm manipulation from Sabrina Carpenter with “Espresso” popping up in every playlist known to man despite your music tastes.
However, similar accusations have come up for Spotify Wrapped this year. “Need to do a deep dive into how the Spotify algorithm works. It’s not a fair system if every year the same top five artists sneak into your wrapped,” said a user on X.
“How much are these people’s labels paying Spotify to boost their artist’s streams?”
Where was Beyoncé in Spotify Wrapped 2024?
Okay, so this is just a personal gripe that I think is important — we need to talk about the lack of Beyoncé in this year’s Spotify Wrapped. How did the Queen not crack any of the top streaming lists this year? With multiple Grammy nominations and being named Billboard‘s Pop Artist of the Year, it’s baffling that she wasn’t in everyone’s top five. Did Spotify forget to include her in the calculations, or are we witnessing a case of sabotage? WHO DO I NEED TO YELL AT?
It’s not the first time fans (other than me) have wondered about Beyonce’s lack of presence on Spotify compared to Apple Music. Some have pointed to her connection to competing music streaming platform TIDAL, founded by her hubby Jay-Z, although he doesn’t own it anymore.
Whether it’s AI takeovers or Beyoncé snubs, one thing is clear: we expect better from our streaming overlords next year!
Lead image: Getty Images/Supplied/@greatestselena on X
The post What Happened To Spotify Wrapped This Year? All The Internet Theories Explaining Why It Felt Off appeared first on PEDESTRIAN.TV .
