Graphic by Christine Watridge

Well, folks, we did it. We survived 2020. It’s December, and that means it’s time to look back on this year. If this had been a normal year, we would do so fondly, with a nod to how much we’ve grown and nostalgia for the good memories gained along the way. Since it’s 2020, what we’ll do instead is ask: What was that? Last week, Spotify kicked off our reflections on this year with the Dec. 2 release of Spotify Wrapped, a look at our years through music. It told us some things we expected about our listening habits, top songs and genres, and some things we were very embarrassed to be reminded of. Without further ado, here is StudLife Wrapped: our best, worst and weirdest music from 2020.

Fifteen Student Life staffers submitted the number of minutes they spent listening to music (13 on Spotify, two on Apple Music) in 2020 along with their top five songs, genres and artists. They also responded to the following prompt: “How do you feel about your Spotify Wrapped this year?”

Graphic by Christine Watridge

Their responses are below. You can find a playlist of the staff’s most-played songs here.

“Excellent. Despite having some shockingly embarrassing things on here, this was much less awful than I expected. I dread to think what it would have been if my work/parent-approved playlist hadn’t been on there.” —Isabella Neubauer, Senior Cadenza Editor and Copy Chief

“I should not have been surprised by how basic my music was this year—numerous friends have long described me as someone who likes to listen to ‘dad rock’—yet Wrapped still found ways to let me down. I think that’s what it ought to do: motivate change and growth through shame. If only Wrapped could also help me actually learn the lyrics to any of the songs I played on repeat.” —Matthew Friedman, Associate Editor

“Everything but my top song was very much expected—apparently I listened to Candy by Doja Cat 25 TIMES? …I guess I got too into TikTok” — Christine Watridge, Multimedia Editor

“I streamed Savage 102 times in a day to help a friend get it to the top of the charts. I think that act of kindness deserves a Medal of Honor. It should be noted that I did not hear Savage until around a month after I streamed it 102 times.” —Dorian Debose, Senior Sports Editor

Graphic by Mia Goldberg

“Female pop icons dominated my Spotify Wrapped this year, just the way I like it. Carly Rae Jepsen’s ‘Dedicated Side B’ lifted my spirits during quarantine, and then Taylor Swift’s ‘Folklore’ brought them crashing down in the best way possible. I’m just left with one question: When are we getting a new Lorde album? Until then, I’ll keep lying on my floor in my prom dress listening to ‘Melodrama.'” — Jaden Satenstein, Multimedia Editor

“Skeptical, considering I switched Spotify accounts three times to get a new free trial each time.” —Jamila Dawkins, Forum Editor

“I’m not a huge fan of my Spotify Wrapped—I feel like it’s only representative of the first half of 2020. For instance,  I only ever listened to my top song, Run, when I played a random Spotify playlist while running in March. I don’t even think I’ve listened to it since then. Again, I listened to QUINXCII on repeat in March, but since then I’ve only listened occasionally and they weren’t my go-to. At least, Ben Rector, Tom Petty and Taylor Swift are pretty reflective of my listening habits. You know the music that plays as you click through your Spotify wrapped results? That was a more accurate representation than my actual results.” —Kathleen White, Director of Engagement

“Feeling conflicted about sharing this information with the public.” —Ted Moskal, Senior News Editor

“I’m pleasantly surprised by my Spotify Wrapped this year. It’s different than it has been in previous years but I guess that’s what makes it so exciting—you get to see how your music taste has changed and the ways in which it stays the same. As for my top song being from a musical, I feel like that makes so much sense for me. However, I am ashamed at the listening patterns that put T*ry L*nez on my Spotify Wrapped because of what he did to Megan Thee Stallion. It is inexcusable and I hate having to admit to this; I am deeply ashamed.” —Sabrina Spence, Senior Cadenza Editor and Social Media Director

Graphic by Christine Watridge

“Honestly, I’m disappointed in myself. I have nothing against the Beatles, but really? I don’t have any of their songs on my playlists. I feel rather unoriginal. I think I listen to a lot of different things in small amounts, and that’s reflected in the report.” —Nathan Springman, Webmaster

“I’m happy with it! It was very predictable, but interesting to see. Quarantine definitely gave me a lot of time to listen to tons of new music, which was really cool. I can’t wait for new album releases in 2021!” —Mia Goldberg, Design Chief

“I classically conditioned myself in June to get work done faster by blasting certain subtypes of vocaloid music through noise-canceling headphones until it gave me a tension-induced headache, so my top 100 songs playlist has a lot of ear-grating Len Kagamine songs. Full regression to my fifth grade self! Peter Gabriel made it into my third top artist spot purely because I have spent the last seven months playing PASSION: MUSIC FROM THE LAST TEMPTATION OF CHRIST on loop. I am not religious. I would just sit in the office with airpods in and listen to the Last Temptation of Christ soundtrack while doing graphics. I forcibly put the soundtrack on in the car for my friends. I tack songs from the soundtrack onto my Instagram story posts. 2020 gave me a Jesus-shaped earworm.” —HN Hoffmann, Multimedia Editor

Graphic by Mia Goldberg

“It wasn’t a big surprise. Listened way too much to one album and too much rap music lol. I’d like to get a wider range of music in my top artists and songs.” —Benjamin Simon, Senior Scene Editor

“The most interesting thing for me was how distinctly I could remember each song as being pre-March or post-March. And it was fun to rediscover some of the songs I listened to a lot earlier in the year.” —Em McPhie, Senior News Editor

“I think it is accurate and I hate it for that. I have some self reflecting to do.” —Kya Vaughn, Managing Editor and Senior Forum Editor