We Love To Read About Ourselves

I first downloaded Spotify in Fall of 2015, I had just gone away to college and needed something to fill the silence of everyday life. Drawn to the personalized features Spotify offered, I was quick to check out the recommendations I received via "Discovery Weekly" and to follow the playlists my friends created. It's interesting that an online streaming service was able to make me feel like I was part of a community, but it did and at a time in my life when I craved connection.

Every December, when Spotify releases the Top Song of Whatever Year It Is, I am reminded of that initial feeling of care. Having a curated playlist made up of the songs I've listened to most makes me feel special; just like reading my Astro Poets weekly horoscope makes me feel special. We love to learn about ourselves, even if it's information we vaguely know. I know I listened to Phoebe Bridgers every day since her album came out, but seeing "Motion Sickness" as my most played song was still exciting. The other day I was at the 14th Street subway station, and couldn't help but notice the number of Spotify ads plastering the tile walls. It was the tagline of their playlist campaign that stuck with me, "Because no one else listens just like you." While I suppose that might be true, it is satisfying to hear. My music taste is something I take pride in, and I doubt I'm alone in this feeling based on the number of boys on Tinder I've encountered who love to recommend bands to me, often bragging about, "Knowing them before they got big." Spotify is reassuring this feeling, confirming for its listeners that they, along with their music taste, are unique.

As I listen to my just-for-me playlist, recalling all the songs I loved in 2018, I can't help but think about my life before Spotify. Many of the songs I now know all the words to, I heard first on friend's playlist, or one of the many specialized Spotify mixes. Streaming services, particularly this one, have changed the way I find and consume music. By simultaneously making me feel special, and recommended me new content, Spotify broadens the range of artists I listen to while congratulating me on the ones I already stream. In doing so, it creates a sense of trust between the service and the consumer, which leads me, the consumer, to see the suggestions as personal, and therefore actually listen to them. Through this method, new artists become more accessible to new listeners.

This year along with my Year-End playlist I received, "Tastebreakers" a playlist made up of songs to, as Spotify put it, "Broaden my horizons." I didn't recognize a single song on the mix, but because of past recommendations, I gave it a listen. I heard a song called, "The Rock Doc" by Fruit Bats, a folk-pop band from Chicago, that I fell in love with, a song I would never have otherwise heard. In making each of its listeners feel cared about, Spotify can promote unknown artists and build a relationship with its customers that makes them feel appreciated. This, in turn, encourages individuals to continue to use the service, stream new music, and be proud of their unique listening choices.