Brace yourself: It's that time of year again, when music streaming platforms reveal our top (and most embarrassing) listening habits.
Both Apple Music Replay and Spotify Wrapped results have arrived, and everyone is about to be sharing them on social media. Although the two generally provide the same information, one streaming platform's offerings outshine the other.
Also: Spotify Wrapped arrives – now with an AI podcast all about your year in music
On Tuesday, Apple Music unveiled Apple Music Replay, through which users can access their top songs, albums, artists, playlists, genres, and stations. They can also access a year-end highlight reel and see if they are among the top listeners for their favorite artist or genre. Spotify, however, offers its users so much more — and I say that as an Apple Music user.
On Wednesday, just a day later, Spotify unveiled its Spotify Wrapped, which also shows users their top listening insights. However, this year, the company added a plethora of new features, including a new "My Wrapped AI Podcast," featuring two NotebookLM hosts discussing — or "unwrapping" — your music listening results from the previous year.
This is particularly noteworthy because Google's NotebookLM Audio Overviews have repeatedly gone viral this year for transforming text into engaging podcasts. Some use cases include making dull information more engaging, such as class notes, textbook passages, articles, or research papers.
Also: Amazon Music unveils 'Delivered,' a Spotify Wrapped-style summary of your listening
Other new features include a new Music Evolution data story, which showcases up to three musical phases that define your year in music, accompanied by a Music Evolution Playlist on the Wrapped feed and a new "longest listening streak" feature that shows how many days in a row you listened to an artist.
The subscription costs for both are very similar, with Apple Music costing $10.99 per month and Spotify $11.99 per month. However, Spotify does have a free version with some limitations, such as ads.
How to access Apple Music Replay
To access Apple Music Replay, go to your Apple Music app, click on the Search tab in the bottom right-hand corner, and tap Replay 2024. You can also visit the Replay website and sign into your Apple Music account.
How to access Spotify Wrapped
To access your Spotify Wrapped, go to your Spotify app and tap the "Wrapped" tab on the home page, which will bring you to the experience. If it isn't there, you may need to update your app to the latest version.