Julian Schaap on Spotify Wrapped and the popularity of music in your own language

Why would we want to see our musical preferences expressed in numbers? In an interview with NPO Radio 1, Schaap says that people still enjoy looking back on their listening year, but he compares it to a step tracker on your phone. That also quantifies how active you are. Spotify Wrapped says something about your taste in music, but also about certain memories in a particular month or emotions you associate with a musical moment. But above all, it's fun to share on social media. For example, to let others know that you are one of Taylor Swift's top one percent of fans.

Dominated by algorithms

Nevertheless, Spotify has attracted considerable criticism for its data lists. Artists in particular feel that they are not being heard and are being treated unfairly. Spotify is increasingly pushing AI-generated music, and listeners are allegedly being pushed toward certain music genres by AI without consciously choosing them themselves. So instead of you, Spotify's algorithms determine that you play Drake every day and not a new local band, and many artists are financially disadvantaged as a result.

Departure of the data alchemist

“Criticism of Wrapped began to increase last year,” Schaap said on the radio. "Many people were disappointed with the insights it provided. Previously, the data was used to create really fun things, such as ‘Your musical town’ and ‘listening auras’. Spotify laid off many people who were involved in these user experiences, such as chief ‘data alchemist’ Glenn McDonald. Wrapped changed after that, and for a certain type of music lover, they really missed the mark. You can see that Spotify is slowly choosing to be a kind of audio platform rather than a music platform."

Europeans love their locals

However, according to Schaap, there are other factors that have influenced the data in our Spotify lists in recent years, he says in Trouw. The Wrapped overviews of Dutch listeners feature a lot of music from their own country and in their own language at the top of the charts. This is similar to other European countries, such as France, Spain, and Poland. Another factor is that during the coronavirus pandemic, we mainly attended Dutch concerts because international travel was not an option. As a result, Dutch artists were able to perform more often, for example at large festivals, and we have come to appreciate them more. Spotify has also provided greater access to genres, mainly hip hop, that were previously less played on traditional platforms such as radio and TV. And that's where those algorithms come into play again: if more people listen to Dutch-language music, someone else will be ‘more likely to come across’ that music, says Schaap.

Mental health and localism

There are also a number of cultural factors that may play a role, says Schaap. For example, young listeners prefer to identify with the music they listen to. Research shows that Dutch young people find music from their own country less uncomfortable and more direct than before, partly because artists rap and sing about love and mental health. The latter is a particularly important theme. Moreover, music resonates when artists refer to their place of origin in their lyrics. Schaap: “In my own city of Rotterdam, you see this with Broederliefde or Winne, for example. That localism is appealing. You want to hear something that fits your experience and not that of someone from Los Angeles.”