My Spotify Wrapped up for 2023

Don't we just love Spotify?

It has been the best thing for me, these past few years. I remember the days of little earbud headphones connected to my old Nokia, listening the the radio. After a couple of cheap Mp3 players died, I got an Ipod for Christmas. Yay, I could really choose my own music.

My day job involves a lot of yard work, mowing and such. I can be on my ride-on mower for hours a day during summer and the rest of the time I'm Whipper-snipping the edges (weed-wacker for those in the States).

I have a set of Bluetooth, noise cancelling headphones, whose ear protection advantage is nullified as I blast my favourites, loud as is comfortable, (pretty loud).

I was unexpectedly excited when my Wrapped 2023 popped up and though there were no surprises as to what music I listened to, mostly, because I picked it, mostly. It was interesting to see the break up and the different statistics for me.

I was happy to see that my favourites were mostly Australian, it's always good to support local talent, but I listen to a wide variety of artists from around the world also.

We have been to a few concerts this last couple of years as acts decide it's worth the long trip down, and to be honest it's hard to pick a fave.

Phil Collins, Shania Twain, Nathaniel Rateliff and the Night Sweats, Gang of Youths, Ball Park Music. There were more, but I forget. Just recently, my wife and I saw Aussie band, Birds of Tokyo, accompanied by the Sydney Symphony Orchestra at the Sydney Opera House. It was an amazingly immersive experience where a rock band was getting the crowd to sing along; and they had an orchestra. Coincidentally, it was the 50th anniversary of the first performance ever at that iconic venue.

Anyway, without further ado, here are my stats for 2023.

56 genres, though I have to ask. How many genres can there be? Classic rock, Aussie rock, Singer Songwriter, Aussie Indie and Rock. It's not like I was listening to Opera. They're all very similar. Anyway, I shouldn't complain.

3242 songs played in 2023. I know it sounds like a lot, but I have opportunity.

Top song: Ball Park Music, Sunscreen. My daughter got me onto them years ago and we see them when they tour, which is a lot. They had put out a new album too, so I was getting that into my memory banks.

All but one of my top 5 were Aussies. 3 from Ball Park Music, 1 from Middle Kids and the outsider was Nathaniel Rateliff and the Night Sweats, who toured their new album, I think early this year.

23,320 minutes, or 16 days of listening. It sounds a little nuts, but it helps me keep my sanity. If I wasn't listening to music, I would have to listen to the voices in my head, and that can't be good. Too much weird shit going on in there. It's getting Weirder and Weirder, you know what I mean.

No surprises who my top artist was this year, last year it was The Moody Blues.

Through the year I go through my list of artists, pick one I haven't heard for a while, and listen to everything they put out. I tend to listen to albums front to back, and artists, from their first release to their last. In January, I decided I hadn't ever really listened to the Beatles, so I did, every record. I often go back to favourite artists, like ELO and Florence and the Machine.

Top podcast, Take 5 with Zan Rowe. I don't listen to a lot of podcasts, they have to be either funny, Steven Fry, or about music. I have spoken of her in other stories, but Zan Rowe was a radio DJ for our national youth radio station Triple J. If I ever listen to radio, it is this station. Zan Rowe did mornings and is very knowledgeable about music, new and old.

She started interviewing visiting artists, personalities, writers, activists, whomever (I hope that's the right time to use 'whom'), she thought interesting. When she left that position, she continued it as a podcast and has spoken with many famous and not so well known but still very interesting people. She has a very easy way about her and you can sense her enthusiasm, but she doesn't make it about her.

As much as I rely on music to get me through the day, and I use Spotify a lot, I have issues with it. The least of these is, some of the tracks on my favourites list, were suggestions from Spotify, which played after I'd finished with an artist. Not really my choice, though sometimes I'm pleasantly surprised.

The other, and more important thing that worries me, is that the artists are paid properly for their music. It is their living after all. This gets balanced out a little when you consider the audience exposure they get when someone shares their newest Spotify find. There are at least two artists and a podcast, that most of you would not have heard of if I hadn't mentioned them here.

Oh well, I think I've said enough. I hope whoever reads this clicks the links, or finds the podcast. All very worthwhile. Thanks for listening.