Spotify Wrapped Expands Its Reach to Advertisers
Each year, Spotify Wrapped has become a cultural phenomenon, giving users a personalized recap of their listening habits. But it’s not just the listeners who benefit—advertisers now get their own version too. Spotify has launched Wrapped for Advertisers, a comprehensive year-end data report designed to give brands deeper insights into their ad performance and audience engagement.
This initiative, which complements the consumer-focused Spotify Wrapped, provides metrics like total impressions, unique users, attention metrics, and total ad streaming minutes. Available through Spotify Ads Manager, this tailored report is accessible to all advertisers using the platform. However, select advertisers also receive an in-app version for a more immersive experience.
Personalized Reports and Behavioral Insights
Spotify’s global head of advertising business marketing, Bridget Evans, explained that the goal of Wrapped for Advertisers is to enhance accessibility and engagement for brands. “Last year, only select advertisers had access to Wrapped insights. Now, we’re expanding that access to help more businesses understand their impact,” Evans said.
This marks the second year of personalized reports for individual advertisers and the fourth year of general advertising trend reports. These reports offer a unique window into the behaviors of target audiences, such as preferred music and podcast genres across demographics.
Evans emphasized that with the massive amount of listener data Spotify collects, marketers often ask for distilled insights to fuel their creative planning. “We’re offering these insights at scale to help brands brainstorm and strategize for their 2026 campaigns,” she noted.
Streaming Locations Influence Engagement
One of the standout findings from this year’s Wrapped for Advertisers involves the context in which users stream content. According to Spotify, U.S. users were 67% more likely to stream in cars, with in-car podcast streaming up 186% compared to the global average. Additionally, at-home streaming surged, with U.S. users 53% more likely to stream on gaming consoles and 203% more likely to watch podcasts on those devices.
Evans highlighted the importance of understanding these settings. “When users are in a car, for example, they’re immersed in the content. They’re not scrolling past ads like on a phone. That creates a stronger emotional connection and higher engagement,” she said.
Genre Trends and Emotional Resonance
Another key insight relates to genre preferences. This year, 40% of the global listenership for the emo genre came from the U.S., suggesting a wave of nostalgia that brands might want to harness. “If brands are considering artist collaborations or themed campaigns, they should consider how nostalgia is influencing listeners,” Evans recommended.
Brands that align with this emotional trend may find more resonance with audiences. “People are looking back fondly, and that mindset can be powerful for storytelling,” she added.
Educational Podcasts on the Rise
Podcast consumption continues to grow, especially in the educational space. Spotify reported that science podcasts saw a 32% year-over-year increase, while business and tech podcasts rose by 27%. These numbers indicate a strong appetite for informative content among users.
Evans pointed out that advertisers with an educational or informative component to their brand could benefit from targeting these genres. “I personally listen to Mark Hyman’s podcast a lot. Brands offering learning value should consider aligning with these shows,” she said.
Data-Driven Creativity for 2026
With Wrapped for Advertisers, Spotify aims to empower brands with actionable insights for the year ahead. The platform’s rich data pool not only helps advertisers measure past performance but also informs strategic planning and creative directions.
As brands prepare for 2026, these insights offer a clearer picture of audience preferences, behaviors, and emotional states. From in-car engagement to nostalgia-driven music trends and the rise of educational podcasts, Spotify’s data provides a roadmap for meaningful and effective advertising experiences.
This article is inspired by content from Original Source. It has been rephrased for originality. Images are credited to the original source.