ⓒ 7NEWS
The much-anticipated Spotify Wrapped, the annual personalized playlist summarizing users’ listening habits, is notably late this year. Music fans are eagerly awaiting their yearly musical recap, which typically drops at the end of November or the beginning of December.
This year’s delay has sparked considerable online chatter, with users expressing their frustration on social media. While Spotify has offered no official explanation for the delay, the timing coincides with a period of significant change for the company.
In the past year, Spotify has undertaken several rounds of layoffs, impacting approximately 2300 employees globally. These cost-cutting measures, implemented to address slowing growth, may be indirectly related to the delay. It’s possible that internal restructuring has impacted the development and release of Spotify Wrapped.
The delay also comes amidst criticism of Spotify’s algorithm. Users have complained about the excessive promotion of certain artists, suggesting potential biases in the platform’s recommendation system. Concerns have been raised regarding the over-representation of US and UK artists, potentially at the expense of Australian and other international acts. An investigation into the Australian music charts supported these claims, revealing a significant decline in local artist representation.
Despite user frustration, Spotify has remained tight-lipped about the specific reasons behind the delay. The company has only hinted at the release with a cryptic tweet, further fueling speculation among its users. While the official release date remains unknown, the delay underscores the complexities of managing a large-scale music streaming service and the balancing act between user experience and internal operational challenges.
