Spotify (SPOT) recently released the popular “Spotify Wrapped” for 2024, giving users the opportunity to dive into their listening habits, favorite artists, top songs—and, for the first time, an AI-powered podcast. in partnership with Google (GOOGL). Launched nearly a decade ago, Spotify Wrapped has become a highly anticipated annual tradition for the company's more than 640 million users. Each year typically brings new features to the annual compilation, such as introducing personalized videos from top artists and last year's “Cities of Sound,” which pairs users with a city that matches their favorite music. This year, Spotify users can also engage with a three-minute AI podcast that provides commentary on their Spotify usage by two AI-generated hosts.
Podcasts are powered by the Google NotebookLM AI tool. Using the same technology behind Google's recently released Audio Overviews feature, the tool turns documents or text into a conversation between hosts who appear to be sarcastic and analyze the material.
English-speaking users in the US, UK, Australia, Canada, New Zealand, Ireland and Sweden will be able to listen to a fun recap of their favorite music in mid-2024—though AI podcast hosts may sometimes mispronounce words or fail to deliver. a complete overview, warned Google.
“At Spotify, of course, we love audio, we love podcasts, and we're always looking to be where our users are listening,” said Molly Holder, Spotify's senior director of personalization, during a press conference. “This partnership with Google seemed like an exciting combination and it's our way of doing that.”
Other features in this year's Spotify Wrapped
This isn't the first time Spotify has rolled out an AI-powered Wrapped feature. Last year, the streaming giant launched “DJ: Wraped,” an AI guide that provides commentary on the most listened to music of top subscribers. This feature is also included in this year's Fold, with the new addition of “AI playlists,” which allow users to create custom playlists using detailed commands.
In keeping with Spotify's tendency to reveal sharp snapshots of listening habits, this year's collection includes “Your Music Evolution,” which offers users up to three different music categories throughout the year. Based on hundreds of thousands of different definitions and genres assigned to songs through a combination of human editing and machine learning, possible music categories range from “Wild West Slow Dance Country” to “Surf Crush Beach Reggae.”
According to Spotify, Taylor Swift was the top artist of 2024 in the world, also recently released Ministry of Victimized Poets becoming the most streamed album. Sabrina Carpenter topped the 2024 song category with her hit single Espresso, while The Joe Rogan Experience topped the list of most listened to podcasts.
