

Spotify creates an experience, telling a story with music data. Whether it’s the feigned embarrassment around sharing their guilty pleasure songs or the confirmation that Spotify has recognized their favorite artist, the emotional validation from seeing this data neatly packaged and presented feels gratifying. Put simply, Spotify gives its data right back to its users-but the way the data is presented is what gets people excited in a similar way that a personality test might. At the end of the year, users will get a report that tells them they’re in the top 1% of a band’s most loyal followers or that they are among the bold, non-mainstream music listeners.

Spotify has tailored its listening platform to include built-in ego-boosters for users. The use of data behind Spotify Wrapped goes beyond just simple analytics. In this post, we break down how Spotify Wrapped works, why it’s so effective, and how Spotify is leading the charge in creating an emotional connection with its consumers through data. At the end of each year, Spotify provides users with a summary of their music history, top artists, favorite genres, and total minutes of music, and more-all wrapped up in an interactive, colorful, elaborately-designed display. It’s a fun and intuitive way to use big data. Spotify listeners are likely familiar with the annual buzz that surrounds Spotify Wrapped.
