The new year is a time for reflection and resolution. One thing that the vast majority of people tend to look forward to is Spotify’s release of its end-of-the-year recap: “Wrapped.” As of 2023, however, a new concept was introduced: Playlist in a Bottle. This unique idea rolled out to the platform but has since been forgotten. Despite people’s skepticism, it turned out to be a massive success for the company. It created a feeling of nostalgia for everyone once they opened their playlist. After a whole year, some people find it hard to remember what songs they locked away. DHS Junior Addison Wikoff says, “It’s only been a week, and I can’t remember what songs I put in.”
Playlist in a Bottle is a sort of time capsule for music. At the beginning of 2023, Spotify users were prompted to create a playlist containing three of their current favorite songs or something that they wanted to take into the next year with them. This playlist would then be stored in a digital time capsule to be rediscovered the following year. Spotify even added an additional layer of customization by having its users choose what they would like to store their songs in. Some options included an actual bottle, a teddy bear, a little acorn, a lunch box, a snow globe, a rice cooker, a flip phone, a tiny bird’s nest, and countless more.
On January 4th, 2024, the first round of playlists were released. In no time at all, Playlist in a Bottle participants were anxiously unlocking their memories of the past, one song at a time. Reactions were mixed, as they often are when reflecting on the past. Some people were happy to be reminded of their past selves, while others cringed at their music choices. Either way, every participant had an enjoyable time unearthing their past.
My name is Dylan. Emerson and I went around asking people their opinions on Playlist in a Bottle and if they prefer it over Spotify Wrapped, especially after this year’s letdown due to AI creating the 2024 Wrapped. We concluded with a lot of mixed emotions about whether this feature is enough or not quite sufficient to satisfy the need to continue every year. Do people like this more than Spotify Wrapped?
The first person we asked was Haley Swartzwelder, a Junior at DHS. This is what she had to say about this, “I would prefer Spotify Wrapped over Playlist in a Bottle because I would rather see the number of minutes I listened to Spotify and my top songs. I don’t see the appeal to Playlist in a Bottle and my perspective is that it is lacking something to be on the platform.” Our second interviewee was DHS Sophomore Alexis Bolton, and this was her input, “Spotify Wrapped is arguably better because it shows your listening over time. Playlist in a Bottle should not be a thing.”
Playlist in a Bottle clearly did not take well to every participant, but it was an interesting concept nonetheless. Although it will not take the place of Wrapped anytime soon, it is still a fun and interactive experience that makes Spotify more fun.
