When does Spotify Wrapped start counting? How they calculate the song data, explained

Spotify Wrapped is here again, and the reviews have been… well, mixed. Besides the overwhelming use of AI, some users have complained about the streamer’s method of collating data. 

All this begs the question of when Spotify begins gathering information about our favorite songs, albums, and artists. Today, Spotify Wrapped has evolved past the usual formula, and besides the usual statistics like top songs and artists, the yearly data shows all kinds of information about your listening activity. 

When does Spotify Wrapped start counting?

Usually, Spotify Wrapped typically includes listening data from Jan. 1 to Oct. 31. Afterwards, the month of November is used to collate this data so that your Wrapped can be ready to go by the last week of November, or the first week of December. Last year, the streamer did things a little differently and included listening data past Oct. 31, so it’s safe to assume they did the same this year. 

According to research from Hudson Griffith and Adam Zarak, Spotify stopped collecting song data around November 15. What we know for sure is that counting ends sometime in November, so ahead of next year, it’s best to get your ducks in a row long before then. Well, if you care about what your Wrapped looks like that is. 

For many, Wrapped is not just a collection of stats, but a way of flaunting your music tastes and passions. This has led to many people attempting to curate their Wrapped to feature artists and songs that they believe best represent them. If you fall into this category, December is your cheat month because Spotify doesn’t start counting user data for next year’s Wrapped until January 1. 

How Spotify calculates your music data 

This year, they introduced the “music evolution” feature, which shows the phases of listening activity you went through in the last year. Spotify Wrapped also shows your busiest day of listening in the last year, as well as how much time you spent listening to your top song, and more. 

So, how does Spotify know what songs you’re listening to and how long you spend on the app? For statistics like top artists and songs, Spotify doesn’t use total play time, but total play count. Play count is registered for every song you listen to for more than 30 seconds. Even if you don’t play a song to the end, it will be registered as long as you listen for more than 30 seconds. Your total listening time is much more straightforward and includes every minute you spend listening to audio on the app, including songs, podcasts, and audio books. From this, your Wrapped also shows your total time spent listening to podcasts.

There are, however, a few common questions that pop up around this time when it comes to user data. For example, what happens when you use Spotify in a private session? Well, your listening activity isn’t only hidden from your friends on Spotify, but it also isn’t counted as part of your history for Wrapped.

Nonetheless, the time you spend in private sessions does contribute to your total listening time for the year. Another common question is whether or not offline listening counts for Wrapped, and the answer is yes. Once you reconnect to the internet, Spotify registers all your offline listening activities. Systems like these allow Spotify to give you the most accurate data it can for your Wrapped by the end of the year.