Spotify Wrapped, a report of people’s most-listened-to artists and songs of 2024, came out December 4, and many Carrollton students were eager to see their results.
“I was so excited. I look forward to it every year,” said Maya Flint ‘27.
Music tells us a lot about ourselves, which may account for some of the anticipation.
“Music shows who we are and how we’re feeling, so it’s cool to see it all in one place,” said Flint.
But some students were surprised by their personal preferences.
“It’s super interesting to see which songs and types of music end up on my list because half the time you don’t even realize it,” said Monica Secada ‘27.
At the top of Carrollton’s song charts was Taylor Swift. Swift has a powerful influence over high school students through her relatable lyrics about love, friendship, self expression and resilience. Among Carrollton students, her top songs included “Right Where You Left Me” and “Ivy”.
Gracie Abrams is also loved by young listeners for her emotional and honest music. Her 2024 album “Shadows and Daylight” features songs like “I Love You, I’m Sorry” and “That’s So True,” which were frequently played by Carrollton students.
This year, Billie Eilish came in a close third as most-listened-to artist at Carrollton with top songs like “Wildflower” and “Birds of a Feather.”
Among Upper School students, Bad Bunny tied with Eilish. His most popular song was “Mónaco.” The strong Latin heritage at Carrollton plays a significant role in his popularity as his music connects with the culture and language that many students resonate with.
Sabrina Carpenter came in fifth with songs like “Feather” and “Espresso.” Her catchy lyrics resonate strongly with high schoolers as they capture their experiences and emotions
For many, these results did not come as a shock. “I wasn’t surprised,” said Carolina Torres ‘27. “Those are really popular artists, and some were even on my Spotify Wrapped.”
Carrollton’s top artists also reflect global popularity with some notable differences.
Globally, Bad Bunny was ranked third among the most streamed artists of 2024, and Eilish was right after Bunny, making her the fourth most-streamed artist of 2024
Other artists like The Weeknd and Drake were also popular globally, while they were not included in Carrollton’s top artists list.
In the past, people have loved looking at their Spotify Wrapped. However, this year was disappointing for many.
Online users complained about a “bland and uninspired” presentation lacking genre or album highlights. A potential reason for this could be Spotify’s recent layoffs, which affected 17% of its workforce, including employees in data and user experience roles.
Despite some bad press, there is much excitement for next year’s Spotify Wrapped. As Josephine Salazar stated ‘27 stated: “I expect next year to be a banging Wrapped with loads of new features and surprises.”
