As the year winds down on Spotify, I find myself nostalgically pining for the good old days of radio.

Despite never being particularly fond of the radio. For years, I’ve been forced to tune out commercials and cringe-worthy humor just to start my day – a cruel irony, considering the mediocrity that pervades most podcasts.

While reflecting on the 2024 iteration of that, I must admit that something about it triggered a wistful longing for the tactile experience of tuning into the radio – a nostalgic craving that left me pining for those bygone times. The experience unexpectedly reintroduced a level of uncertainty I had carefully curated away through playlists, prompting reflection on Spotify’s reliance on AI. Right here’s why.

Don’t panic; there’s no need to assume that everything has been rebuilt overnight. Everything you’re accustomed to remains unchanged, featuring your beloved songs, artists, and podcasts presented in a lively array of colorful lists. Here are a few examples of how you might describe Spotify’s new playlist features, even if you’re not thrilled with their trendy vibe:

Spotify wisely preserves its core DNA, eschewing drastic changes in favour of refining its winning formula. Despite my natural tendency to compete when listening to music with friends, I’m always intrigued to spot who among them might be a fellow Taylor Swift fan – just joking, die-hard Swifties are quite conspicuous. Although I appreciate that Spotify is finally exploring new features, the gradual rollout feels more like a preview of what’s to come over the next 12 months?

In 2023, Spotify introduced its AI-powered DJ and editorial playlists. This year, though, marks a significant shift as you delve into your Wrapped recap with a fresh approach.

As many amateur music enthusiasts might attempt, Spotify set out to create a. Utilizing its existing collaboration with Google, the company decided to capitalize on Pocketbook LM’s capabilities by developing an AI-powered podcast that reimagines its past year’s jams in a unique format. Instead of meandering through irrelevant topics, Spotify’s Wrapped AI podcast focuses squarely on your listening habits, offering a dash of engaging insights about artists and tracks along the way?

As the familiar routine unfolded, I anticipated each moment with eager anticipation – a sense of nostalgia akin to unwrapping gifts on Christmas morning. As I had a clear understanding of my most successful artists and tracks, all that remained was for me to patiently await the insights provided by Spotify’s anonymous users.

Initially, they seem surprisingly lifelike. Indeed, the dual host voices, available in both female and male variants, exhibit a remarkable similarity to those of Google’s AI-powered speaking system, which prides itself on its uncanny ability to mimic human speech with unnerving accuracy. The conversational dynamic is as expected, with engaging banter that keeps the five-minute discussion flowing smoothly and avoids getting bogged down in minute details. The presentation seamlessly transitioned between artists, tracks, and styles, taking slightly more time than the slide-driven Wrapped summary but never dwelling excessively on any one aspect.

Notwithstanding my findings, I detected only minor instances where AI-generated hosts fell short – particularly in handling repetitive topics. Despite the apparent connection between my musical tastes and those of The Ballroom Thieves and The Killers, the hosts struggled to discuss my transformed behavior over the course of the year.

In January, I indulged in a significant amount of western-inspired music by artists such as Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit. Later that year, my musical tastes progressed to include cowboy-inspired sounds from familiar names like Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit once again, this time around April.

While a variety of artists are featured across both sections, it’s surprising that the podcast doesn’t highlight consistency despite these differences. It would be reasonable to expect that human hosts would provide informational content and offer insights regarding the artistic evolution and consistency of your favorite artists throughout the years, rather than presenting a one-dimensional overview of their work in isolation from any broader context?

There is no explicit content warning associated with the Wrapped AI Podcast. When a track with a specific title appears in your top 5, the hosts may reference it by name, solely because that’s how they were trained. While I can’t claim the thought never crossed my mind (it didn’t), neither do I feel affronted by its absence. Regardless of circumstances, the primary consideration is understanding individual listeners’ preferences, implying that if explicit content is input, a similar response can be expected.

While Spotify’s latest innovation in their annual Wrapped feature may have stolen the spotlight, I found myself rediscovering a previous gem: the AI-driven podcast. Spotify introduced its playlist-hosting companion at the end of 2023, but I never really gave it the attention it deserved. As I honed in on the sounds I loved, I took control of discovering new music by curating playlists with eclectic flair, allowing fresh tunes to seamlessly flow into my daily routine.

Although my curiosity is piqued regarding Spotify’s approach to AI-powered music recommendations, I’ve recently been exploring the discography of DJ X through a contemporary lens. Here’s a revised version:

In a departure from his usual practice, DJ X typically delivers listeners a mix of fresh tracks and select favorites to keep them engaged. However, this time of year presents an exception. Wrapped Up, DJ X delves into the most iconic tracks of the year, offering incisive commentary alongside the new podcast’s hosts, fostering a deeper appreciation for the music that resonates with you. Unlike a typical radio host, he focuses his attention on an older demographic rather than the younger crowd that typically tunes in to top 40 hits.

Curiously, DJ X provides real-time feedback on the amount of time spent engaging with his recommendations and insights, prompting me to reflect on my lack of utilization of his services in 2024, serving as a gentle nudge to revisit his offerings. Despite having unlimited options, there’s always time to refresh your playlist, especially now that you can easily swap out recommendations by tapping the small blue DJ button in the corner of the Spotify interface at any moment you desire to mix things up. Despite the inability to view a track queue on the radio, it seems counterintuitive that listeners can’t inform their preferred DJ about specific tracks they’d like to hear.

The nostalgia for radio’s curation might have been lost amidst the algorithmic recommendations, sparking a craving for human intervention in music discovery. After spending a significant amount of time throughout the entire year trying to fine-tune my Spotify algorithm to play exactly what I want to listen to, I’ve inadvertently neglected discovering new music that probably aligns perfectly with my preferred tastes. I’ve been consumed by advocating for musicians (hello, Music to), As pleasure and Maggie Rogers push their way into my mind, I find myself forgetting the importance of believing in the power of discovery through Spotify, allowing the platform to continuously introduce me to a wide range of new music.

As I reflect on my listening habits, maybe it’s high time to reassess and redefine them for the new year.