Is Your Spotify Wrapped Evolution Music Evolution As Unhinged Ours?

Ah, Spotify Wrapped season. It’s the most humbling time of year, as you slowly come to terms with what you *actually* listen to. Maybe your taste in music isn’t as cool as you thought, maybe you’re in the top 0.005% of listeners for a downright bad song, and maybe yes, you were really going through it at some point this year. But this year, there’s a brand new feature within the recap that’ll serve you a reality check: Your Music Evolution.

Your Music Evolution shares the three musical phases you went through in 2024, based on the artists and genres you listened to during your three peak listening months, along with the artists you listened to then. But it also spotlights genres that stand out from your usual preferences, so naturally, there are some interesting findings.

The Elite Daily staff noticed some unhinged eras in our evolutions as we were described as “mallgoth” and discovered we’d apparently been listening to a lot of Elvis. Below, find our staff writers’ and editors’ wildest musical phases in 2024.

January 2024: Mulled Cider Metropopolis Indie Pop

Artists: Muna, Beabadoobee, Holly Humberstone

What was I dealing with in January?! I love all three of these artists, but they definitely have sad girl indie vibes. Muna’s “Stayaway” makes my top songs list every year because it’s my perennial favorite track to scream-sing when I’m feeling emo. (I’m a Cancer moon, so that’s my state of being 24/7.) I had a hard pivot in May when I listened to the Challengers soundtrack on repeat in my Indie Sleaze Strut Soundtrack phase. — Sarah Ellis, senior editor

March 2024: Vintage Hollywood Slow Dance Oldies

Artists: Elvis Presley, The Beatles, Billy Joel

March was admittedly my worst month of the year, but I didn’t realize I was out here three months postpartum listening to Elvis?! Honestly, I expected this month to be full of baby lullabies and the occasional Taylor Swift song. It’s definitely a different vibe compared to my Indie Sleaze Strut pop moment in August. — Michelle Toglia, executive editor

April 2024: Pink Pilates Princess Strut Pop

Artists: Taylor Swift, Gracie Abrams, Chappell Roan

April is my birthday month, so I’m happy that the vibes were high enough to reflect that. Plus, it was finally warm enough in NYC for a return to my regularly scheduled hot girl walks, set to the tune of my favorite pop girlies. This was definitely the most bop-heavy period for me. Later in the year, my vibe got way more emotional with a lot of country artists like Kelsea Ballerini and Tyler Childers. — Hannah Kerns, staff writer

May 2024: Mallgoth Old School Emo Pop Punk

Artists: All Time Low, Yellowcard, All-American Rejects

I must have been going through something in the spring that made me nostalgic for my pop-punk phase. I’ve never been called a mallgoth before, but I guess it’s true what TikTok says: It was never a phase; it’s a lifestyle. — Rachel Chapman, staff writer

August 2024: Romantic Slow Dance Love Song

Artists: Céline Dion, Linda Ronstadt, George Michael

My parents would be so proud of this roundup. While my lifelong love for Céline Dion will go on and on, it was particularly prominent after she performed at the Paris Olympics. Miss Ronstadt is courtesy of the sweet tune I sing to my son every night (“Somewhere Out There” from An American Tail), and from what I can remember, George Michael’s “Careless Whisper” made its way into rotation because I needed a song to belt out to during my end-of-summer road trip. — Kaitlin Cubria, deputy editor

October 2024: Indie Sleaze Metropopolis Art Pop

Artists: Charli XCX, Billie Eilish, Lorde

I wouldn’t consider these mainstream pop stars to be indie in the slightest? But I guess they do kind of lean into the “indie sleaze” trend a little bit. Still, it just feels like a lot of words to say “pop,” which was basically all my other months as well. — Dylan Kickham, associate editor