Blog #24 - Spotify Wrapped… Time to unpack my year of music

I’m sure like me your instagram has been flodded with people posting their Spotify wrapped these past few days. The yearly look back at our listening habits has become such a traditon that competitors like Apple Music and Deezer have jumped on board with their own versions. Even though we all like to meme on it, Spotify Wrapped is a big deal. For many people it’s an interesting look into their personal listening habits and like anything on social media a powerful metric of comparison. Whether it is about not having Drake on your top 5 after the Kendrick beef or having x amount of listening minutes; people work hard to cultivate an accpetable wrapped that they feel proud to post. Given that it is the time of year and I already love talking abour music on here I wanted to unpack my wrapped and share my year 2024 in music.

Minutes Listened

Starting with the stat that is a point of pride for me… Minutes listened. I’m pretty happy with my minutes, I cannot remember or access the stats for previous years but I know this is my best yet. Each year I have had more and more minutes on each Wrapped. This is due to me firstly, becoming a larger music fan with a more diverse library and more time dedicated to listening. Secondly me purposefully trying to get more hours than the previous years. I remember the first wrapped back in 2017 I had something like 17,000 minutes. I’m proud that I have come a long way and proud that I beat my sister for listen minutes by a good 10k or so. 76,669 minutes is a lot of time, it is equal to 1277 hours or over 53 straight days of music listening. On one hand I think it’s insane that I listened to that much music but on the other hand, I’m always listening to Spotify so it makes sense.

Top Artists

Starting With Jay Z, as my top artist, I’m surprised but also not at the same time. I really got into HOV last year through close collaborators like Kanye, Of course, I knew the big hits but was not a big fan. Last year I became a fan and this year I guess I became a mega fan? I listened to A LOT of Jay-Z this year; clearly. I discovered a lot of classics I had never heard and many of his songs or features were consistent parts of my playlists. I knew he would have to be on my Wrapped simply due to how much I listened to him but did not expect no 1. I’m not mad though, I wish he was not as connected to this Diddy stuff but Jay-Z has so many hits.
Here are some of my favourite Jay-Z songs:

1. 1. Lucifer - The Black Album: In my opinion, this song is a top 3 Kanye production and never gets old

2. 2. My 1st Song - The Black Album: The best way to end this album such an incredible beat and song

3. 3. Lost One - Kingdom Come: A great slower more thoughtful song from HOV. Definitely a change from the luxurious brags of his normal raps but a welcome one

4. 4.Big Pimpin - Vol. 3... Life and Times of S. Carter: An absolute banger and another reason to LOVE Timbaland

5. Secondly the Beatles. I absolutely LOVE The Beatles. The band has been somewhere on my wrapped for at least 4 years or so now. I can understand how a band going back to 1964 can be intimidating to a modern audience but if you have not yet given The Beatles the time they deserve I highly recommend. I did not necessarily expect the second spot on the list from them but I did go on a big acoustic Beatles deep dive a couple months ago so it is understandable.

Here are some of my favourite Beatles songs:

1. I Want You (She’s So Heavy)- Abbey Road: A big dark, awesome john track and a reason Abby road is one of most praised albums in history… MUST LISTEN

2. Sexy Sadie - The White Album: A simple but awesome song by John, I really recommend the more stripped backed acoustic demos of this song

3. I Me Mine - Let It Be: I had to include a George track he was an underrated talent. This is a catchy banger from the tail end of the bands catalogue

4.Rocky Raccoon - The White Album: This song is definitely not repersentive of some of the incredible love songs and ballads written by paul but I can never seem to get this catchy western out of my head

Oasis for a long time occupied the first spot and they are still my favourite band but this is the lowest spot I have ever had them at. I simply have been diving deeper into artists and genres I have not before. Oasis is the band that inspired my intense love for Music so they will always have a place on this list. I have written quite a bit about my love for Oasis so feel free to check out those posts.

Here are some of my favourite Oasis songs:

1. 1. Slide Away- Definitely Maybe: My favourite song of all time, a passionate love song that as far as I’m concerned is a definitive Oasis track MUST LISTEN

2. 2. Headshrinker- What’s The Story (Morning Glory) B SIDE: This like many of Oasis’ early B sides could have been a single. This track is possibly the hardest and fastest the band ever rocked and has never gotten old

3. 3. Stand By Me - Be Here Now: An absolute classic from their third album, easy to memorise hard to forget

4. 4. Let There Be Love - Don’t Believe The Truth: An awesome Liam/Noel song from their underrated amazing 5th album

Coming in at number 4 is the one and only Kanye West or YE. Kanye has so many hits its hard not to end up on this list. I did not listen to him as much as I did last year where I completely deep dived his albums and fell in love. Your not gonna find any vultures on this list I was somewhat disappointed by that whole era but excited for new Kanye in 2025.

Here are some of my favourite Kanye songs:

1. 1. Father Strech My Hands Pt. 1 - Life of Pablo: The vibes and atmosphere make this an absolute classic there is a reason this is one of his top tracks

2. 2. Hell Of A Life - My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy: I have been addicted to this song since I first heard it and it’s still not old.

3. 3. White Dress - Man With Iron FIsts Soundtrack: I consider this track to be a sequel or successor to Devil In A New Dress. MUST LISTEN if you love that classic

4. 4. Life Of The Party - Donda: Probaby the best Kanye in the past 5 years no notes the song is worth listening to just for the Andre 3000 verse

Lastly Jamiroquai. Like Oasis and The Beatles Jamiroquai have been a consistent top 5 artist for the past few years now. There is a reason for this, I keep going back to Jamiroquai there songs have such good energy and are so damn catchy. I’m so excited to get to see them play in London next December.

Here are some of my favourite Jamiroqai songs:

1. 1. Seven Days In Sunny June - Dynamite: This upbeat summer hit has always been a favourite and never gotten old

2. 2. Soul Education - Synkronised: I have become obsessed with this song recently after for some reason sleeping on it for so long. The strings are addicitng

3. 3. Little L - A Funk Odyssey: An essential Jamiroquai track, good vibes, dance grooves and catchy lyrics. Does not get old.

4. 4. Feels Just Like It Should Mark Ronson Remix 2: I was stoked when I found out one of my favourite producer/DJs remixed a song from one of my favourite bands. I was even more impressed to find that I preferred it over the original A LOT.

Top Songs

I was pretty surprised how none of my top 5 are from my favourite artists but its largely some great songs.

1. 1. Come Around - MIA: this has to be my favourite MIA song, I love the eastern sounds incorporated into the beat, Timbaland is a nice addition as well.

2. 2. Definition - Black Star: I love this song, it sounds amazing and got me into Black Star one of the coolest Hip - Hop groups that do not get enough love.

3. 3. Fire In The Hole - Steely Dan. If you have not listened to Steely Dan you must. This is one of if not their best track. I’m still waiting for this to be turned into an awesome Hip-Hop beat

4. 4. So Anxious - Ginuwine: This song is simply an incredible sounding track and more proof of Timbalands talent

5. 5. Million Dollar Baby - Tommy Richman: Possibly the only thing on this list I’m not too huge on anymore. I still think the song sounds amazing it’s just really overplayed and Tommy Richman kinda fell off after the hype died.

Conclusion

Thanks for joining me on this exploration of my Spotify Wrapped. I love writing about music so don’t be too surprised if you see more posts from me talking about similar topics. I would love to know your thoughts on my Wrapped and know more about yours, tell me below.