The 2023 Spotify Wrapped is finally out – and well, it’s more interesting than what you could have probably imagined. The Swedish streaming giant, which has been accused of privacy violations in the past for its annual musical throwback, has added quite a few exciting features to the latest roundup, including ‘Sound Town’ and ‘Me in 2023.’
Like the past years, the Spotify app is once again bringing you face-to-face with your most-played hits and favorite artists. Whether you listened to Taylor Swift’s Midnights on repeat or grooved to Jung Kook’s songs without missing a beat, the streaming service will not only give your musical choices their well-deserved spotlight but also give you a chance to reflect on your year through the lens of your top tunes.
Spotify Wrapped is not just a playlist, it’s like a musical photo album of your year that you can share with your friends and family for fun. So, let’s take a closer look at the 2023 Spotify Wrapped as well as discuss some tips on how to make your music sessions a little bit more private and secure.
When does Spotify Wrapped come out?
Your Wrapped features Spotify stats collected between January and an unspecified date prior to its release. So, even if you developed an obsession with a certain artist in the last couple of months, it would most likely be reflected in this year’s roundup, which was launched on November 29 for all users of Spotify Premium.
How to see Spotify Wrapped?
Ever since its release, Spotify Wrapped was only available on the mobile app. However, this time around, you can see your yearly recap by going to spotify.com/wrapped on Spotify Web as well.
What are the features of 2023 Spotify Wrapped?
Here are the data stories that have been pulled from your Spotify stats this year.
1. Me in 2023: This feature takes a deep dive into the streaming style that defined your musical choices this year. You’ll get one of the 12 personalized cards detailing a character tailored to your Spotify listening habits.
2. Sound Town: Have you ever wondered which city matches your music taste and artist preferences? Well, you don’t have to wonder anymore because Spotify Wrapped has introduced Sound Town – a musical adventure that connects you to a city based on your unique Spotify choices.
3. Top 5 Genres: Check out the fun sandwich-inspired design that showcases how your top five music genres stacked up this year.
4. Top 5 Artists: Peek into the months when your favorite artists took center stage in your playlist. It’s like a calendar painting the colorful picture of your year on Spotify and the artists that made it memorable.
5. Your Artist Messages: This year, you can get a shoutout from one of your top artists in your personalized Wrapped. Moreover, take a look at the Wrapped feed for video messages from a bunch of top artists, including Taylor Swift, Bad Bunny, Peso Pluma, Dolly Parton, NewJeans, SZA, and Jung Kook.
Read more: How to delete your Spotify account in 2023
How to protect your privacy while jamming to 2023 Spotify Wrapped?
When you skim through the Spotify Privacy Policy, you can’t miss the fact that the streaming service is gathering a lot of user information that goes beyond just running the app.
So, the big question is, why are they collecting so much? Well, the real deal lies in how they share this data. Even if you’re using the Spotify Premium, it turns out the free, ad-supported one is still a bit of a data red flag. Moreover, the streaming giant appears to be collecting data on premium users too.
Now, when a service is free, it’s fair to wonder how they’re making ends meet. Spotify doesn’t just use your data for necessary things like payment, it shares your information with their advertising and marketing partners. This includes what you do on the app, the third-party apps you use to connect to Spotify, and even your IP address and cookies. All of this helps them create a super-detailed profile of their users for targeted ads.
But here’s the twist: Spotify also gets data from other places. The app uses information you’ve provided to other apps for their own ads. They’re also sharing your details with third parties and using old data for targeted advertising. It is also worth mentioning that Spotify faced a fine of around $5.4 million in Sweden earlier this year for reportedly breaching the data access rights of users in the European Union.
That’s why our Spotify privacy tips are a must – to safeguard your privacy while delighting in your favorite tunes on Spotify Wrapped.
Create a strong password
Whether you use Spotify Web or have the app downloaded on your smartphone, it is imperative to protect the privacy of your account by creating a strong password. If you want to outsmart potential hackers, consider adding a mix of letters, capitals, numbers, and special characters to your password.
In addition, please remember that each online service deserves its unique password. Regularly updating your password also adds an extra layer of security to your Spotify account.
Update the device software
Always ensure your device’s firmware, operating system, and anti-virus software is up-to-date. For guidance, you can head over to your device’s support site. It will help you keep your online security in check.
Remove access to third-party apps
In case someone gets unauthorized access to your Spotify account, swiftly remove any third-party apps that are connected to the app. Also, you may want to avoid connecting your Spotify account to Facebook to further safeguard your online privacy.
Be smart while logging out
Whether it’s a borrowed device or a public computer, always hit the log-out button after your Spotify session. For a thorough exit from all devices and web pages, log in to your account page and choose ‘Sign out everywhere’ under ‘Security and privacy.’
Manage your personal data
Spotify also gives you an option to stop the company from processing your personal data for tailored ads. You can also stop the app from processing your Facebook data if you’re using it to connect to the music streaming service. To do so, please visit your account’s privacy settings and scroll down to ‘Manage your data.’ Next, toggle off the switches under ‘Tailored ads’ and ‘Facebook data.’
Use a Virtual Private Network (VPN)
Using a premium VPN service such as PureVPN can allow Spotify users to experience enhanced privacy and security.
By encrypting internet traffic and masking your IP address, a VPN can help safeguard your personal information and make it more challenging for third parties to track your online activities, including your top Spotify artists and most-played songs. Additionally, PureVPN will allow you to access Spotify content that might be region-restricted, thus expanding your music library.
To wrap it up
As you enjoy your 2023 Spotify Wrapped, make sure to take the measures to protect your online identity – and that includes keeping your music moments private. Using simple tricks, like using a reliable VPN and tweaking your privacy settings, you can make sure your music and personal information remain yours and yours alone.
So, while you’re diving into your Spotify Wrapped, let’s keep the good vibes going with a touch of privacy.
Stay connected to PureVPN Blog to learn more about how to maintain your privacy on various social media platforms. You can also share your thoughts and queries with us in the comments below.
Read more: How to change your location on Spotify
