My 2025 Spotify Wrapped

 

Spoiler Alert: I really fell down on the job in 2025.

While I love Spotify for many reasons, primarily the ability to create playlists so I don't have to listen to crap, but instead hear songs I actually like, I rarely seem to be in the mood to listen to music nowadays. Maybe there are too many other distractions. (I'm talkin' to you, internet!)  

And, in my defense, during the first quarter of the year, I was finishing my novel and then editing it, and I can't listen to music at the same time, because I'm like a cat who's distracted by a shiny object.

Thus, here are my woeful stats:

I listened for a total of 550 minutes, which equates to 0.4 days. Am I supposed to feel guilty about that? If not, then why do I? It's like I've let music down, which is akin to worrying that I've hurt AI's feelings by disputing something it said.

I'm also becoming suspicious about Spotify's recaps. Are they sure they haven't confused me with someone else? It tells me, first of all, that I listened to 66 genres. I didn't even know there were 66 genres. Boy, they must really drill down to multiple subcategories and sub-subcategories.

My top genres were:

1. Yacht rock (which must mean anything that doesn't suck)

2. Acoustic country (ahem; I don't like acoustic music)

3. Classic rock (I hate classic rock)

4. Singer-songwriter (that's pretty broad)

5. Soul (no recollection of this)

Spotify was nice enough to inform me that my listening age is 79 ("since you were into music from the early 60's." I was not! "You're an old soul.")

Okay, look, Spotify; you're not winning any fans by telling people how ancient they are. I could get on board with maybe 59. And really, according to you, I should be a lover of Big Band Music--you know, Glenn Miller-type swing. (I actually do love Glenn Miller, but we'll keep it to ourselves while I'm busy upbraiding Spotify.) To be fair, I've read of Millennials being accused of being old geezers because they listen to The Beatles.  

"You listened to 181 songs this year."

I was going to say that's impossible, seeing as how I only listened for 550 minutes, but that does come out to about three minutes per song, so okay.

Let me preface my top five songs by explaining that I created a playlist for my novel, and the songs weren't necessarily my faves, but were ones that "fit". I don't hate any of them, but nor would a couple make my all-time hit list.

Top 5 songs:

5. Dream Baby

 

4. It's Over

3. One Way Ticket

2. Believe Me Baby (I Lied)

(Is it supposed to be blurry like this?) 

1. Born to Fly (top song: listened 3 times)

 

(I listened three times. This is because it was originally the first song on my novel playlist until I moved it further down, because I don't really like it.)

 

Thus, this whole list is bogus. Granted, Spotify thinks I like the #1 song, but they don't take into account that I was doing research, baby!

Okay, I'll get over it. On a more accurate note, I listened to 129 artists, with Roy Orbison being my top artist. In fact, I'm a top 8% global fan. Naturally, Roy (in heaven) is quite flattered. 

My top five artists listened to:

1. Roy Orbison

2. Sara Evans

3. The Young Rascals

4. Gordon Lightfoot

5. LeAnn Rimes

You will note that none of them are from the early sixties, except for Roy Orbison....ohh! Okay, I get it now. Maybe I really am 79 years old!

Overall, as scientists would say, this is too small of a sampling to form an accurate picture. Again, my fault for not listening for more than half a day. Sorry, Spotify. (Now I'm apologizing to both music and to Spotify. As well as to AI for arguing and to any other inanimate object within close proximity.) 

Every Wrapped ends with a "personal" video message from the listener's top artist. Last year I got a nice "thank you" from Diamond Rio, telling me how much they appreciate me. This time around, I got Sara Evans telling me where to buy tickets for her upcoming tour. Uh, you're welcome?

My New Year's resolution is to listen to music for at least for one full day in the coming year. But resolutions are made to be broken. Still...I don't want to have to embark on another apology tour next year. I'm stingy with my mea culpas.