Source: Alexander Shatov/Unsplash Each December, Spotify releases a customized review for each of its listeners of their most-played songs, albums, and genres. The feature is called Spotify Wrapped. This review can help users reflect on months past. Most of us don't need research to tell us that music has curative qualities, yet we may often overlook opportunities to use music, or features such as Spotify Wrapped, to benefit our mental health. Here are some reflection prompts to pair with your Wrapped list:
- Watch Your 2021 Year in Review. Notice what emotions arise in the process. Does anything catch you by surprise? Would a certain track, artist, or genre surprise a version of you from the past? Is there something in this review that would surprise others in your life?
- Top tracks. Listen to your top five songs. How does each track align with a piece of you from this year? Notice if specific memories, people, events, or topics come to mind. Would you say these are actually your five favorite songs from the year? Would any make your all-time list? Forget the new stats for a second. What is your favorite song of all time?
- Top genres. What do your top genres say about your experiences from this past year? How does this list look compared to selections of the past?
- Top artist. Which artist did you listen to the most? How does their music influence you?
- Top podcasts. How do your top podcasts align with your interests? What are some takeaways from your most-listened-to episodes that you want to take with you into the new year?
- A little time travel. Think of the times in your life when you were the most mentally well. What songs were you listening to at that time? Try to make a playlist with these blasts from the past and notice how it affects you.
- The year 2022. Thinking ahead to next year, what do you hope that the new year holds? What are some intentions that you have for 2022? What would you like to listen to more? How do you imagine your Wrapped will look at this time next year?
These prompts are intended to be used for reflection. You can simply consider these points, or perhaps deepen your dive by using them as journal prompts, conversation starters, or therapy topics.
Want to make a mental health playlist of your own? Start by reading this post.