Promotions like Wrapped would have you believe that streaming is the be-all-and-end-all when it comes to music, but this couldn’t be further from the truth. Live gigs exist as a last refuge for the music traditionalist, a place to enjoy music in the moment, and to support smaller musicians financially, something Spotify has been accused of not doing adequately. The tangible rituals of it all – seeking out a record or CD, taking it home, listening to it for the first time – have been lost. The fact is, the era of streaming has actually diminished the experience of listening to music in pretty much every aspect except convenience. And it ought to be shunned by music fans everywhere.

But don’t be fooled by ingenuity: as far as I’m concerned, Spotify Wrapped is the devil. As a means of generating free advertising, it’s ingenious for a few days every year, social media is awash with mentions of Spotify, as everyone takes the opportunity to brandish digital evidence of their great taste, or trashy taste, or make fun of other people ballyhooing their great or trashy tastes. Your most-played tracks, most-played artists, most-played podcasts, etc. The premise of Wrapped is simple: it’s a sort of year-in-review for Spotify customers, breaking down everyone’s yearly listening habits (well, technically their January-to-October listening habits) into a series of easily digestible superlatives. The gift takes the form of Spotify Wrapped, an emergent fixture of any modern music lover’s calendar. Christmas is here, and though the day itself is still weeks away, Spotify is bestowing an early present upon its nearly 200 million subscribers.

crisp, white snow might be a stretch, but you get the picture.

Real name no gimmicks