Spotify's annual Wrapped feature has once again captivated users across the UK, but a growing number are questioning the accuracy of their personalised music summaries. The viral end-of-year campaign, which launched this week, compiles a user's top artists, songs, and genres into a shareable presentation. However, consistent claims that the data feels "off" have been substantiated by a clear explanation involving a strict tracking deadline.
The Tracking Gap: Why a Month of Music Disappears
The core issue, as highlighted by TikTok user Sean and confirmed by music experts, is Spotify's data collection window. Spotify stops counting plays for the Wrapped compilation in late October to mid-November, despite the feature not launching until early December. This means up to six weeks of listening history from the end of the year are excluded.
Sean demonstrated this flaw by comparing his Spotify data with stats from Last FM, a third-party tracking service. He cited the song 'Fire' by Waxahatchee, which Last FM recorded as played 47 times in a year. His Spotify Wrapped, however, showed only 22 listens for the same track. Furthermore, a song released on November 14th, which he played 40 times before Wrapped's release, was entirely absent from his 2025 summary.
"It's still a fun summary, but it's incomplete," Sean remarked. "I just don't fully understand why the tracking period couldn't be from November to November." The consequence is double-edged: late-year plays miss the current year's Wrapped and are also too old to be counted in the following year's compilation, which resets on January 1st.
More Reasons Your Wrapped Might Seem Skewed
Experts at SeatPick have outlined several other factors that can make your Wrapped data feel inaccurate. A key technical rule is that a stream must be at least 30 seconds long to count. This inherently favours shorter songs; playing a two-minute track five times registers as more streams than a single listen to an eight-minute epic, potentially distorting your "most played" lists.
Listening habits also play a significant role. Using Spotify for ambient sounds or sleep playlists, or having music on in the background while working, can massively inflate the play counts for certain artists or genres, making your summary less reflective of your active listening choices.
Wrapped: Marketing Fun, Not Scientific Data
Ultimately, it's crucial to view Spotify Wrapped through the correct lens. The experts emphasise that Wrapped is primarily a marketing and social sharing tool, designed to create engaging, shareable content among friends. Its goal is to craft "the most fun narrative" from your listening data, not to provide a perfectly precise, forensic audit.
While the cut-off period and other quirks explain the discrepancies with apps like Last FM, the feature's intention remains rooted in celebration and social interaction. Therefore, while your top artist might technically be a lofi beats playlist you sleep to, Spotify's algorithm might prioritise a more conversation-worthy pop act for your highlight reel. The advice from observers is simple: enjoy the colourful recap and the social trend, but take its absolute accuracy with a pinch of salt.
