Spotify Wrapped 2024 has finally landed, and while many are reveling in their personalized playlists and music recaps, desktop users are left out in the cold. This year, Spotify made a baffling choice to exclude its Wrapped feature from the desktop app and browser version on PCs.
If you’re trying to access Wrapped through your computer, brace yourself for disappointment. Heading to the official Wrapped page from a desktop browser greets you with a splashy message: “Wrapped is in the app. Your year in audio is waiting. Head to the mobile app to join the celebration.” A QR code is offered for seamless access to the mobile app, but this does nothing to help those who prefer — or depend on — desktop platforms.
For those savvy enough to try the mobile browser on their phone, there’s a small reprieve: you can view the Wrapped slideshow via the Spotify web player. However, this workaround doesn’t extend to PCs. For now, if you’re on desktop, all you get is your Top 100 Songs of the Year. The rest? It’s mobile or bust.
Social media platforms like X and Reddit communities are buzzing with frustration, and so is the Spotify forum. Desktop users are understandably upset that Spotify’s once-inclusive Wrapped experience now feels like a mobile-first party. Accessibility advocates have also raised concerns, pointing out that the mobile app’s lack of scalability and small text size makes it difficult for some users to engage with Wrapped content. It’s a baffling restriction, especially given that last year’s Wrapped was accessible via the mobile app and web browsers, making this year’s desktop omission feel like a significant step backward.
What went wrong this year?
This year’s Wrapped doesn’t just suffer from platform exclusivity; it’s also catching heat for what it lacks. Unlike past years — or even competitors like Apple Music and YouTube Music — Spotify Wrapped 2024 skips over key stats like top genres and most-played albums. For music lovers who thrive on granular insights, this omission feels like a glaring oversight.
The newly introduced features, like “music evolution” and an AI podcast summarizing listening habits, are underwhelming for many. These features replace user favorites like “listening personality” and last year’s quirky “sound town” map. Instead of offering deep or meaningful insights, the new “music evolution” feature slaps users with oddly specific labels like “Pink Pilates Princess Strut Pop” — phrases that some have criticized for sounding more like AI-generated gibberish than thoughtful descriptors.
Adding to the frustration is the timing. Wrapped 2024 dropped on December 4, nearly a week later than its late-November predecessors. The delay set high expectations that the final product failed to meet, leaving many questioning why Spotify didn’t stick to the features that made Wrapped so beloved in the first place.
Spotify’s decision to prioritize mobile platforms for Wrapped is especially baffling given the desktop app’s active user base. This isn’t just a matter of convenience — many users rely on desktops for better accessibility or because they simply don’t enjoy streaming on a small screen. By sidelining these users, Spotify has alienated a chunk of its audience and sparked a wave of frustration that shows no sign of fading.
As Spotify Wrapped 2024 continues to face backlash, it raises an important question: Is Spotify losing touch with its audience? Wrapped has always been a celebration of personal listening habits, but with missing features, accessibility barriers, and platform restrictions, this year’s iteration feels more like a misstep than a milestone.
For a company that prides itself on being the leader in music streaming, Spotify’s Wrapped 2024 leaves us wondering: Who is this really for? As users continue to vent online, i’s increasingly becoming clear that Wrapped 2024 might go down as Spotify’s most controversial recap yet.
If you’re among those unable to access your Wrapped or unimpressed by this year’s offering, don’t worry — you’re not alone. But luckily, there’s something cool you may want to check out.