One of the greatest ever personalised marketing strategies-turned-cultural-event.
It's the one day of the year Spotify users feel extra special, and extra emboldened in thinking anyone cares that their top artist was Drake, and their niche was 'Pilates Princess Bubblegum Pop B*tch.'
For a campaign that's usually about celebrating personal listening journeys, 2024's Wrapped felt...impersonal.
And when Reddit threads, X posts and TikTok ignite with complaints faster than you can say 'unskippable ad,' you know something has gone very, very wrong.
Generative AI. That's what. And a cautionary tale of what happens when you lean a little too hard on the tool.
I'm sure, on paper, the upgrades sounded innovative. AI-generated visuals and hyper-personalised narratives that promised to make your listening year feel like the blockbuster movie of your dreams.
Hell yeah, sign me up.
The execution, though? Let's just say the reviews were more 'skip track' than 'instant repeat.'
Users took to X, TikTok and Reddit to express their disdain with the 'boring, uninspiring, ai slop.'
Others spoke on the bizarre AI podcast feature created to explain this year's Wrapped to users:
'My coworker listened to hers and had her highest listening day on September 11th and it kept going "let's not forget September 11th! What an epic day! What were you up to on September 11th?" Insanity lol.'
Users took to Reddit to point out glaring errors. Some were credited with listening to artists they'd never heard of. Others found their 'most-played song' mysteriously absent.
It's hard to take pride in your 'Top Genre' when it's labelled something generic like 'vibecore' or something strange asf like 'heist strut dirty rock.'
The AI-written blurbs lacked the charm of past Wrapped campaigns. Instead of quirky, human-like insights, they felt like...well, AI trying (and failing) to sound human.
Wrapped has always been a celebration of individuality. This year, the heavy-handed AI approach felt more like a tech demo than a personalised gift.
Feedback, according to Reddit, included:
Sucks, is lame, so ass, is boring, is disappointing, is the worst ever
Is worse than last year
Is inaccurate, wrong, lying, a conspiracy
Didn't have 'where listeners are from' this year
Didn't include genres
Didn't describe my personality this year
Has no podcast related data this year.
Accused me of listening to [AI generated genre] this year.
Because here's the thing: Spotify is so much more than a streaming platform. It's a cultural powerhouse. A way of connecting and empowering users.
Wrapped has transcended marketing to become a moment, the kind of campaign other brands dream about. So, when something this iconic stumbles so damn badly, it's worth dissecting why.
Wrapped works because it feels like your story. People trust Spotify to get the details right and present them with personality. But 2024's Wrapped felt like AI took the wheel-and drove into uncanny valley territory.
We know it's everywhere. We know it's the shiny new toy. And while tech enthusiasts might love it, most consumers are becoming wary of AI's growing presence, especially in personal spaces.
Spotify Wrapped should be a moment of joy and nostalgia-not another reminder of our increasingly automated world.
Wrapped isn't about Spotify showing off its tech prowess. It's about making users feel seen. By leaning too heavily on AI, Spotify made it more about them and less about us.
And when the cultural conversation shifts from 'This is so me!' to 'Why is Spotify trying so hard?' you know the connection is lost.
