LOS ALAMITOS, Calif. — As the winter season kicks off, music enthusiasts worldwide have awaited the arrival of Spotify Wrapped. Spotify Wrapped allows users to look back on their listening history over the past year. It reveals the user’s top tracks, artists and genres that defined their previous 12 months. 

New features

This year’s Spotify Wrapped brought many new features, such as the AI Podcast, AI DJ and the AI playlist, along with many beloved features seen in previous years like Your Artists’ Clips and Top Listeners.

Although these new features are meant to bring more personalization, many users believe that these new features don’t affect the listening experience at all.

“I thought the AI DJ was going to be cool, but it really just does the same thing as a regular shuffle. I was really disappointed that it didn’t really adapt to your music taste and just played popular songs or songs you’ve listened to before,” Los Alamitos High School junior Charley Nelson said.

Others believe that these new features will be a positive addition and make the listening experience more enjoyable.

“I think that AI playlist will definitely improve my listening experience because I can find the vibe of anything I want to listen to just by searching it up,” LAHS freshman Abbi Caddell said.

Compared to 2023

Spotify Wrapped 2023 and 2024 have many similarities and differences. In 2023, Spotify had a surge of indie and alternative listeners; artists such as Fleet Foxes, Tame Impala and Fleetwood Mac dominated playlists.

This year, there is a far more diverse influence on popular music. Hip-hop, pop, indie and alternative are on the rise. Influences from global artists like Bad Bunny, BTS and Rosé have indicated a broader acceptance of music styles from all over the world.

2024 has also brought a resurgence of genre-blending sounds such as Phoebe Bridgers, Arctic Monkeys and King Gizzard & the Lizard.

What are LAHS students listening to?

According to Spotify, this year the top 10 most listened-to artists were:

1. Taylor Swift
2. The Weeknd
3. Bad Bunny
4. Drake
5. Billie Eilish
6. Travis Scott
7. Peso Pluma
8. Kanye West
9. Ariana Grande
10.  Feid

The most streamed songs were:

1. “Espresso” — Sabrina Carpenter
2. “Beautiful Things” — Benson Boone 
3. “BIRDS OF A FEATHER” — Billie Eilish
4. “Gata Only” — Cris MJ and FloyyMenor
5. “Lose Control” — Teddy Swims
6. “End of Beginning” — Joe Keery
7. “Too Sweet” — Hozier
8. “ONE OF THE GIRLS” — Jennie Kim, Lily-Rose Depp and The Weeknd
9. “Cruel Summer” — Taylor Swift
10. “Die With a Smile” — Bruno Mars and Lady Gaga

“I had a lot of these artists and songs on my Spotify Wrapped; it is really awesome that a lot of other people did too,” Bailey Conley, LAHS freshman, said. 

Spotify Wrapped brings people from all over the world and diverse backgrounds together with music. Although this feature may seem small and insignificant, it shows that we all are connected through songs and similar favorite artists, no matter our differences and lifestyles.