It’s that time of year again — everyone’s Snapchat and Instagram stories are alternative album covers or obscure singles from that one band in one of your sad playlists. It’s Spotify Wrapped Season.
Typically, I’m ashamed of my Spotify Wrapped statistics. How do I easily break it to people I spent 10,000 minutes listening to the Tony-Award-winning pop-rock musical “Spring Awakening?” Or that my most listened to song was the “Glee” cover of “Like a Virgin.”
It seems to me people generally aren’t ashamed of who they listen to. Instead, they’re proud. Like your friend who just swears by French rap (she’s in their top 1% of listeners!). Her Spotify is cool. She’s real indie and thinks “Cage the Elephant is good,” but they “were on her Wrapped when she was 16.”
The same goes for that acquaintance who’s PROUD to listen exclusively to Grimes. Like, that’s fun and funky, but you should probably see a specialist … in anything. I’m worried.
Then there’s the people who aren’t ashamed … when they should be. A prime example are the hooligans who post screenshots of their Taylor Swift or Drake statistics. The brave, brave folks who carry so much baggage in their hearts. And their ears.
This year, it’s different. Being one of the worst years on record, shitty music taste is … acceptable and almost laughable. Bingeing half a season of a low-quality pop-culture podcast is expected! Listening to the same song for a whole month? What’s new?
If you’re like me, you spent half of the year in quarantine, refusing to leave the house, and your Spotify Wrapped likely reflects that.
So, take it from someone who is embarrassed of their music taste — it’s OK Frank Ocean was one of your top artists. And yes, 100 Gecs made a debut in your Top Songs of 2020. You’re only human! So what if some Lana snuck in there? “How to Disappear” warrants 27 streams on a random day in May.
Frankly, I don’t trust the people who maintained their regular music taste in 2020. If your liked songs from March to July didn’t go through the five stages of grief, wyd? I want this Wrapped to show your character! Your downfalls! Your mental illnesses?
If you’re embarrassed of your Spotify Wrapped, you should be. And that’s OK! 2020 forced you to make some questionable decisions, use the little green app as a crutch, start listening to music you found on TikTok. Oof. It’s been a hard year in every aspect, and this is just one more statistic rubbing that in your face (especially if you don’t have Premium).
Be brave, take a nasty little screenshot and flaunt your bad music taste. Everyone else is. Happy listening!
