Wrapped Up: A Millennial Confession

Every eldest daughter was the first lamb to the slaughter...

It’s that time of year again! The moment when we all collectively hold our breath, click the icon, and confront the brutal, beautiful, and sometimes embarrassingly nostalgic truth about our listening habits. That’s right—Spotify Wrapped has landed!

As a Millennial, my year was a mix of nostalgia (punk rock.... 90s throwbacks, etc.) and, let’s be honest, a lot of Taylor Swift. The data analysts at Spotify have once again confirmed what I knew I knew. In true millennial fashion, I am polyjamorous. Just check out all the genres I listened to...

🔢 The Raw Numbers: 8 Days of Pure Sound

First, let's get the big stats out of the way. My ears were certainly busy!

I logged a grand total of 11,821 minutes of music this year. That’s approximately 8 full days of non-stop listening. Clearly, silence is not my thing, but what isn't factored into this is my love of/refusal to let go of CDs. Of which I listen to often in my older vehicle. Although I did FINALLY figure out how to stream Spotify in there so I imagine this # will double in 2026.

• Total Minutes Listened: 11,821

• Total Genres Explored: 209

👑 The Headliner: Yes... I am A Swiftie

This is where the year’s obsession becomes crystal clear. My Top 5 felt like a festival line-up specifically designed for a Millennial who grew up on Warped Tour but still loves a good ballad.

1. Taylor Swift: The reigning champion, once again. I listened to Taylor for 1,541 minutes and landed in the Top 3% of her global fans! It's clear that The Life of a Showgirl (and maybe a little Eras Tour recap) dominated my speakers this year.

2. blink-182: Nothing gets the job done like some classic Pop Punk. Proof that the Late 90s still run deep in my DNA.

3. Simple Plan: Keeping the Pop Punk energy high. Yes, I was probably screaming "I'm Just a Kid and life is a nightmare" a few times this year.

4. Avril Lavigne: The queen of combining Pop and Punk, a true Millennial icon.

5. Lewis Capaldi: For when I needed to slow down and have a really good cry. Everyone needs balance! His voice is golden and the man cannot write a bad song. He's inspirational and amazing. All the feels. 10/10 would recommend.

🎸 The Vibe Check: Pop Punk Meets Country Roads

My Top Genres paint the perfect picture of my internal conflict this year and every year: trying to placate my inner moody emo self while still enjoying a modern, radio-friendly beat (which could include anything from Eminem to ABBA to Elton John to Toby Keith to musical soundtracks).My playlist is essentially a journey from a classic rock show to the melancholy acoustic set.

Speaking of "classic," Spotify calculated my "Listening Age" as 42, since I was so into music from the Late 90s. It's probably best that all of my 50s, 60s, 70s, & 80s genres are usually enjoyed via CDs or YouTube music contests with my mom... otherwise that # may have really hurt me.

💿 The Tracks & Albums That Defined My Year

My most-streamed album, which accounted for 491 minutes of listening, was Taylor Swift's The Life of a Showgirl. This is no surprised given the mid-fall release and the innate desire to learn every word of every upbeat yet complex song.

My Top 5 Songs may be proof that when I find a track I like, I learn it... or maybe I wear it out:

1. "The Fate of Ophelia" by Taylor Swift (streamed 23 times!)

2. "Eldest Daughter" by Taylor Swift

3. "Opalite" by Taylor Swift

4. "Ruin The Friendship" by Taylor Swift

5. "Loser" by Sueco (The sole break from Taylor)

🤩 My Ultimate Festival

Although Spotify Wrapped is fun - the truth is that your true listening taste is not usually reflected just in the top 5 genres, artists and songs. Plus, every time you ask Alexa to play some music, you're going to get repeats. So I always love to evaluate my history through Instafest.

So finally, if my year in music was a festival, this is what the lineup would look like. It’s a perfect mix of my favorite nostalgic artists, my top streams, and some truly unexpected throwbacks.

🎧 In Conclusion... a Millennial Life = A Mix Tape Life

As I close the chapter on my 2025 Spotify Wrapped, it really just confirms one thing -- Millennials love it all. That festival might give you whiplash - but that's how music is supposed to be enjoyed. Millennials grew up on everything from old records & our parents cassette tapes to the radio, MTV and our first CD players. What can I say? That perfectly chaotic taste remains.

I guess you can take the millennial out of the 90s, but you can't take the 90s out of the millennial. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

...so we all dressed up as wolves and we looked fire