Spotify Wrapped , the compilation with the most listened to songs and artists of the year, is one of the most popular features of the streaming music service. The Swedish company has managed to create a trend that every December occupies a large part of the publications on social networks. It is, without a doubt, a huge and completely free marketing campaign. But who had the idea to offer this experience in a music player app?
Spotify has always ensured that its annual compilation has been made possible by a great team of employees who have contributed “creative ideas and concepts.” But the person who came up with the well-known stories of the Spotify Wrapped has a name and surname, even though the company prefers to hide them.
The independent artist Jewel Ham assured and proved to be responsible for inventing the function that allows you to interactively see which songs, artists, genres or albums have been most listened to throughout the year. Spotify, however, never recognized his work.
Ham, was an intern at Spotify for three months and her main job was to redesign what was then a simple playlist with the most listened to songs. Spotify Wrapped, remember, began to appear on the platform in 2015. It was not until 2019, however, when the company redesigned its annual compilation with interactive stories in the purest Instagram style. Curiously, with the same appearance that the artist proposed.
Ham told Refinery29 that the idea was well received among the members of the company, that allegation of it. However, never got a simple recognition , a mention, much less, remuneration for coming up with what is today the most popular feature of Spotify. “The things that I enjoyed the most about Spotify were very much related to the advantage: they have a lot of snacks, they have nap rooms. But I feel like I have to distance myself a little from all those benefits because that does not translate into any compensation for such an idea. big, “he says.
The company ensures that no contribution to Spotify Wrapped was derived from its scholarship program
Spotify was quick to respond to the allegations for not recognizing the work the freelance artist did during her time with the company. The firm confirmed to the aforementioned medium that in recent years hundreds of people have contributed to improving Spotify Wrapped, but that Ham was not part of it.
“Since the launch of Spotify Wrapped in 2013, hundreds of employees have contributed creative ideas and concepts that have made the experience what it is today. Although the ideas generated during the Spotify internship program have, at times, served as a base for campaigns and products, according to our internal review, this is not the case with Spotify Wrapped. It is a pity that things have been characterized differently, “said Spotify. The tests of the American artist, however, prove otherwise.
Jewel Ham maintains its version and in its digital portfolio continues to show the concept that could serve Spotify as an idea to create the Wrapped we know today. The function, extremely demanded by users, makes anyone with a Spotify account, both premium and free, share the musicians and songs they have listened to the most through their social networks. Ham, to this day, claims to have learned from his mistakes and currently works as a freelance artist.
