Spotify Wrapped dropping this week? fans brace after last year’s backlash

Spotify Wrapped is expected to land any day now, but excitement is mixed with frustration as listeners continue to reflect on the backlash that followed last year’s rollout.

Over the weekend, Spotify teased the 2025 edition with a TikTok clip featuring versions of the Spotify logo styled after artists such as Justin Bieber, Lady Gaga, Katseye and PinkPantheress. The platform has not confirmed a release time. Spotify usually drops Wrapped on the first Wednesday of December, so today could very well be release day.

Why last year’s Wrapped disappointed fans

When Wrapped launched in 2024, social media users widely criticised it for offering fewer insights than previous years. Spotify removed popular statistics, including top genres, and fans compared the stripped-back format with Apple Music and YouTube Music, both of which provide more detailed breakdowns.

New AI-driven features also proved unpopular. The personalised podcasts and the “music evolution” tool were mocked for using confusing genre labels such as “Pink Pilates Princess Strut Pop” and “Surf Crush Beach Reggae”.

Many listeners said the experience lacked the charm of earlier additions like the 2023 “sound town” feature, which matched users to cities based on their taste.

What listeners are saying this year

The quieter lead-up has not gone unnoticed. A post on X claiming “no one is making any noise about Spotify Wrapped this year” earned more than 120,000 likes, while replies blamed last year’s AI-heavy features for dampening anticipation.

Critical comments also flooded Spotify’s TikTok teaser, with users asking for clearer stats, fewer gimmicks and the return of more detailed insights.

A yearly phenomenon that still dominates

Wrapped launched in 2016 as a simple playlist before evolving into one of Spotify’s biggest marketing moments. In 2019, the platform introduced shareable Instagram graphics, setting a trend that other apps, including YouTube Music, Tidal, Duolingo and Reddit, have since tried to replicate.

Despite last year’s mixed reception, Wrapped remains a major cultural moment. Now, fans are watching closely to see whether the 2025 edition can restore the excitement the feature once commanded.