Music and data collide in an experience so powerful that it’s been running for nine years.
When Spotify launched in the US in 2014, they had a clear business problem: they were one of many music platforms that people were using, but users weren’t consolidating their listening there with any loyalty. They needed a way to attract people to the platform and give them a reason to stick with it as opposed to dabbling with Apple, Tidal, Pandora, and other competitors, and it needed to genuinely earn media attention.
We introduced Spotify Wrapped (initially called Year in Music) as an elegant solution that made use of the brand’s vast quantity of previously unmined user data, and gave users the opportunity to view their year through the lens of the music they and their friends listened to. All they had to do was use Spotify as the source of all of their music, or their listening would go uncataloged. The initial launch generated 5 million immediate views, and nine years later, the experience still attracts users in the hundreds of millions annually.
Best of all, TikTok proves that the idea continues to resonate just as strongly today as it first did in 2014.
Awards
Cannes Lions - Use of Social Data & Insight - Shortlist
Cannes Lions Innovation - Creative Data, Storytelling - Shortlist
The One Show - Data & Human Experience - Gold
The One Show - Interactive Merit Award
The Clio Awards - Music, Digital/Social - Silver
The Clio Awards - Music, Innovative - Bronze
Mashies - Best Global Campaign - Winner
London International Awards - Digital, Sites - Silver
The Webby Awards - Media & Entertainment - Winner
The Webby Awards - Best Visual Design Aesthetic - Nominee
OMMA Awards - Online Advertising Creativity: Viral Campaign
OMMA Awards - Web Site Excellence: Entertainment
Creative Review Annual 2015 - Featured Project
New York Festivals - Digital Design - Finalist Award
The FWA - Site of the Day 3/1/15
aWWWards - Site of the Day 2/12/15
CSS Awards - Site of the Day 2/6/15
The Shorty Awards - Best in Music - Honorable Mention
Press
"The work that has inspired me and made me think I better get back on my game, includes... Spotify Year in Music [and a bunch of other great work]."
-Gerry Graf, Founder of BFG9000 in Campaign
Creativity, Gizmodo, Vice/Noisey, FastCompany, NME, TechCrunch, Billboard, Time #1, Time #2, Nylon, Huffington Post, Buzzfeed, Mic, Salon, Complex, Forbes, The Verge, Hypebot, Business Insider, Virgin, GeekWire, Revolt, StyleCaster, Music Times, The Music, Refinery29, Uproxx