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‘Spotify Wrapped’ is a year-long project for the music streaming platform’s in-house team, eagerly anticipated by millions. This year, however, the event carries extra significance as it marks its 10th anniversary, adding a layer of pressure for the team to deliver it in an interesting and significant way.
Going into its 10th year is “wild,” says Lucy Edwards, Spotify UK’s marketing lead for ‘Wrapped.’ She explains that it began as a campaign to reflect culture but has transformed into a cultural moment in itself.
“That’s the biggest but most exciting challenge – how can we make it new and interesting? And how can our marketing campaigns reflect that? So, this year, the whole celebration is around the fans that made those big moments.”
2024 has been a massive celebration of fandom. According to Forbes, Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour shattered records, becoming the highest-grossing tour in history with an estimated gross of $1.93bn so far. Meanwhile, Charli XCX captivated pop culture with her ‘Brat Summer,’ solidifying her influence in music and beyond. Artists have managed to bring fans together in unprecedented ways, creating a sense of collective energy that feels more visible and impactful than ever before.
No surprise then that the most-streamed artist of 2024 was Taylor Swift, with more than 26.6bn streams globally on the platform. “The girls are winning the numbers,” says Edwards.
In a nice touch, Spotify is putting its focus on the fans that got artists such as Swift to where they are today. “We’re thinking about fans that were there first. That’s the data that we’ll be celebrating, an example being Charli XCX. The brats that were brats before brat summer.”
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The global creative marketing campaign is running across out-of-home, digital, social and on-platform across 31 markets. Known for its cheeky copywriting, Spotify’s outdoor billboards have lines such as, “Because we need each other. Manchester, 897,000+ of you streamed Oasis before they announced Oasis Live ‘25” and “You couldn’t get away. Sophie’s hit still hits. You streamed Murder on the Dancefloor 385m+ times in 2024.”
But this year, it’s not just about the music. Spotify users will also be able to unveil their audiobook and podcast listening habits. For the first time, Spotify is launching an AI-powered podcast for the ‘Wrapped’ experience, created in collaboration with Google’s NotebookLM. This personalized ‘Audio Overview’ uses generative AI to guide fans through their top songs, artists and genres of the year.
2024’s ‘Wrapped’ design has been refreshed to reflect Spotify’s updated branding. Earlier in the year, the platform introduced a custom typeface called ‘Spotify Mix.’ This bespoke sans-serif font blends elements from various styles, creating a distinctive and modern look.
With a decade under its belt, ‘Wrapped’ is now firmly in the zeitgeist, which means other brands want a piece of the pie. Burger King, Monzo and Duolingo have released their own versions of the annual event.
“It’s a great compliment to everyone’s hard work,” says Edwards. “It is its own cultural moment now, which you don’t get in marketing often.”
Duolingo cosplays Taylor Swift for their 2024 year-end review. pic.twitter.com/AmisDZfT94
— Pop Base (@PopBase) December 2, 2024
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The success of ‘Wrapped’ lies in its ability to tap into people’s curiosity about their own habits. Users enjoy reflecting on how their year in music unfolded and often take pride in sharing their listening trends with friends or online – provided they aren’t too ashamed of their top artist or song.
“The definite secret sauce is obviously how we’re able to use the listening data and listening habits. People want it. They’re not against that.” Edwards attributes the success of ‘Wrapped’ to its consistent concept, while its evolving marketing tactics keep it feeling fresh and engaging.
Edwards also highlights the importance of balance, noting the risk of going too niche with the data when it speaks to only one individual. “We’re utilizing the data but also not taking it too far.” This careful approach ensures ‘Wrapped’ remains broadly appealing while still feeling personal.
Currently, Spotify has 640 million monthly active users, many of whom are expected to engage with ‘Wrapped’ in some way. Today in London, for the first time, the team is bringing the experience to people in real life with an activation at Outernet, the UK’s most visited cultural attraction, which will see the project unfold in a big way. Also, for the first time, people will be able to buy Spotify merchandise.
“We will be bringing ‘Wrapped’ to life. The Outernet itself is obviously a very iconic London location and we’re going to be taking it over for two whole days. We’ll be celebrating the listening stories of London this year.”
