By the beginning of December, Spotify released its annual Wrapped feature, showing users everything they listened to through 2021. Once this feature launched, social networks were overwhelmed with screenshots from Spotify users. On the other hand, Apple Music users had to settle down with the same Replay feature that isn’t shareable at all and has been around for a few years.
Since sharing experiences is one of the most important parts of listening to music, would you consider switching to Spotify just for the Wrapped feature?
Early this year, 9to5Mac conducted a poll with our readers asking whether they had plans to switch from Apple Music to Spotify. Although the majority of them were satisfied with their current music streaming service, more Apple Music users (12.5%) said they’re willing to switch to Spotify than the other way around (8%).
Also during 2021, I did try to switch from Apple Music to Spotify – which was a fun experiment – but I decided to go back to Apple’s own music platform. Since then, Apple added the well-praised but at the same time controversial Dolby Atmos with Spatial Audio feature and Lossless and Hi-Res Lossless quality.
While Spatial Audio is very noticeable – and sometimes just sounds like an echo – Lossless has become more of a gimmick to me as it doesn’t seem to be mastered differently than the other songs. If you compare to Tidal, for example, it’s very noticeable when you’re listening to a song in HiFi because it’s mastered differently.
Additionally, iOS 15 brought a new life to Apple Music, making it easier to share songs with friends as long as they are in your iMessage bubble. With the new “Shared with You” section, it’s possible to discover everything your friends send you to listen to, but you forgot for a few days.
Spotify, on the other hand, made changes that I personally don’t like, such as combining podcasts and songs in the same place and sometimes even in the same playlist! While its long-anticipated Lossless subscription plan is nowhere to be found, I found myself toying even more with Apple Music, as I own more AirPods and HomePods than ever.
The problem is: once again, as the end of the year arrives, I just feel very frustrated by the fact that once again Apple Music did nothing to improve its Replay feature. OK, cool, it’s nice to know that I listened to Taylor Swift for more than 120 hours and that Folklore should be my most listened-to album of the year but Apple Music decided to divide it in two, with an Explicit version and another one that it’s not.
But would it be so terrible for Apple to create a few Stories templates with my “achievements” of the year? Because, really, I spent almost 900 hours listening to my personal favorite artists during 2021.
Even though I like a lot of what Apple Music offers, I truly think about switching again to Spotify just to have a proper Wrapped in 2022 – and I heard from a lot of colleagues and people over Twitter that would do the same.
So I ask you, dear 9to5Mac reader, would you consider switching to Spotify just for a decent Wrapped feature? Vote in the poll and share your thoughts in the comment section below.
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