How ‘spotify Wrapped’ Has Become A Beloved Annual Source Of Self-deprecating Internet Humor

It's that time again, folks! Every year between Thanksgiving and the December holidays, Spotify listeners eagerly anticipate opening their favorite music streaming service to see an amusing round-up of the top artists, songs, and genres they consumed over the past 12 months. This year, of course, was no exception, with the 2024 edition of Spotify Wrapped unveiling this past Wednesday. As always, the internet reactions were everywhere as Spotify listeners posted their lists online and satirized their lack of surprise at their own musical tastes.

The feigned shock that happens when Spotify Wrapped drops annually is amusing from a sociological perspective. It begs us to consider why we care so much about what our favorite music is when we already have some sense of which musical artists we return to again and again. Perhaps it's about the formal presentation of our musical profiles, as if the people at Spotify are giving us a personalized shout-out. Perhaps it's the validation and satisfaction we gain from being told what we like from a data-driven perspective. 

Recently, however, if we assess the posts and videos about Spotify Wrapped that have gone viral, it seems that what has really taken off is the memeification of the annual roundup and its potential for playful, self-deprecating mockery. This kind of humor is, of course, a key fixture of internet culture and meme virality, but it is also a natural extension of how we as individuals cope with our own flaws and find commonality with others. Spotify Wrapped doesn't matter because it summarizes the music we listen to. We know what we consume. Instead, Spotify Wrapped matters because it gives us the opportunity to poke fun at ourselves, our personal relationship to popular culture, and even our mental health.