You’ve seen it everywhere — Spotify Wrapped is out. This year’s wrapped has been extra controversial, but that is what makes the annual event so enticing. Everyone is posting their top songs, artists, and albums. It’s the one time of year when music taste becomes a personality trait, and I personally love seeing the variety of what people spent their year listening to.
To make sense of it all, I’ve categorized the most common types of Spotify Wrapped into distinct (and sometimes hilarious) groups.
The “Please Don’t Judge Me” Wrapped
First, we have the “Please Don’t Judge Me” Spotify Wrapped – the category for those whose music choice may raise a few eyebrows. Whether it is a strange amount of Jojo Siwa or Mozart, this Wrapped reveals the songs people swear they only played “once or twice.” These usually pop up on social media, often paired with a caption attempting to justify it (which, to be honest, I never fully believe), but the song or artist choices often speak for themselves.Â
The “Musical Theater Fan” Wrapped
Next is the Musical theater fan. This one doesn’t need too much of an explanation. It is simply the category for people with Hamilton, Wicked, or another Broadway show at the top of their list. What sets people apart in this category is whether they are proud if their title or ashamed.
The “Underground Aficionado” Wrapped
This is the playlist of people who pride themselves on being ahead of the curve. Their top artists are ones you’ve never heard of, and that’s exactly how they like it. Obscure indie bands, experimental lo-fi producers, and niche international artists fill their Wrapped, making them feel like music tastemakers. They’re the type to say, “I knew them before they blew up,” and their Wrapped is proof.
The “I never go on Spotify” Wrapped
This next category is inspired by my mom, with a total of 1,247 minutes of listening this past year. The “I never go on Spotify” wrapped is for someone whose top artists and songs consist of maybe one playlist that they listen to maybe once a week. Their Wrapped looks more like a “Weekly Top 5” than a year-long summary, and somehow, their top song was probably played no more than five times. It’s minimal effort, maximum mystery.
The “Guilty Pleasure” Wrapped
I would classify myself as someone with a guilty pleasure wrapped. I say this because Viva La Vida by Coldplay has remained as a top 5 song in my Spotify Wrapped for the past three years. No matter how much new music I discover, somehow that one always finds its way back into rotation. This category is for people with a similar niche – the ones who have that one song or artist they just can’t let go of, no matter how many times they’ve heard it.
The “Accidental All-Nighter” Wrapped
This category is dedicated to those who forgot to turn off Spotify before going to sleep. Their top artist? White Noise. Their most-played song? Rain Sounds for Deep Sleep on a 10-hour loop. It’s a classic case of sleep-induced streaming sabotage, and the stats never fail to expose it.
The “Ride-or-Die Fan” Wrapped
This is the ultimate display of loyalty. These are the people who proudly land in the top 0.01% of listeners for their favorite artist and make sure everyone knows it.
Commonly seen artists in this category would be Taylor Swift, Beyonce, and Billie Eilish. There is no shame in this, as this was me for the past two years, but I do believe in the importance of diversifying your music (especially artists!).
At the end of the day, Spotify Wrapped puts all of our listening habits on full display — the good, the bad, and the questionable. Whether you’re proudly sharing your top artists or quietly cringing at your most-played song, there’s a category for everyone.