Michelle ThompsonEvery December, Instagram is filled with photos of Christmas trees, festive work parties, and screenshots of users’ most-played songs of the year.
This annual trend is driven by Spotify Wrapped, a feature introduced in 2016 that highlights users’ top songs, artists, and genres from the past year. According to Dr. Gillian Brooks, a senior lecturer in strategic marketing at King’s College London, Wrapped resonates because music is deeply personal, and people enjoy reliving moments tied to their favorite tracks.
Wrapped’s viral success has inspired other brands like Duolingo and Monzo, as well as music services like Apple Music and Amazon Music, to create their own “year in review” summaries.
Professor Jonathan Wilson of Regent’s University London suggests that sharing these summaries fulfills a deeper motive: it’s “bragging without the selfie.” He notes that while selfies may feel narcissistic, sharing achievements like fitness milestones or language learning progress portrays a positive, curated self-image.
Platforms such as Strava, Duolingo, and Goodreads tap into this by offering shareable stats, from miles run to books read. Prof Wilson explains that data-driven sharing feels less boastful and more factual, while Prof Caroline Wiertz of City, University of London adds that it offers evidence-based self-promotion.
Spotify Wrapped has become a staple of the holiday season.
According to Prof. Caroline Wiertz, the yearly release of Spotify Wrapped has integrated itself into our festive traditions.
“This has become a fixture in the calendar,” says Prof. Caroline Wiertz. “We look forward to the John Lewis Christmas ad, and now, we also eagerly await Spotify Wrapped.”
Other brands have embraced this trend, including Tesco and Sainsbury’s for groceries, Trainline and Uber for travel stats, Monzo and Lloyds for spending patterns, and gaming platforms like Xbox and Nintendo.
Prof. Jonathan Wilson tells the BBC that this wave of imitation was inevitable, as brands see the potential for users to promote their products for free. Dr. Gillian Brooks agrees, describing it as “free advertising.”
Some year-in-review features are crafted with humor to boost their appeal and shareability. For instance, while financial details are rarely shared online, Monzo frames spending habits playfully, like highlighting if a user is a top spender at Greggs.
Reddit uses quirky metrics, like showing the distance users have scrolled in bananas, while Sainsbury’s identifies top buyers of specific products in their area. This has led people to proudly share quirky stats online, such as being the leading purchaser of paprika, toilet cleaner, or pickled gherkins.
Tesco informs Clubcard holders about their most-purchased items, including their favorite meal deal selections.
Year-in-review features often spark concerns about the extent of data companies collect. While it’s well-known that most apps and websites gather large amounts of user data for marketing, many users appear unbothered by this practice.
Dr. Gillian Brooks notes that people often “blindly accept privacy preferences online” to quickly access what they need. She adds that privacy concerns are “not as significant as they once were,” with many users accepting targeted ads as a trade-off.
Although individuals prefer to keep certain personal details private, they are generally more open to sharing information about their hobbies and activities online.
Prof. Jonathan Wilson highlights a paradox: sharing a selfie actually reveals far less than data about one’s habits and behaviors. Yet, people seem more at ease sharing their activity data than a personal photo.
Emily Martinez
