This article was written by The Zillennial Zine’s summer editorial intern Maggie Lardie. Find her on Instagram at @maggielardie If you would like to share an article with The Zillennial, send us an email at thezillennialzine@gmail.com.
As we enter the last couple weeks of July, it’s crazy to think that we’re over halfway through 2023 already. I always get weirdly nostalgic whenever a year comes and goes, but I can say with certainty that there is one thing that makes me dread the end of the year a little less: my Spotify Wrapped. I love getting the chance to look back on my music stats from the year and compare them with the people around me, and I’m sure you do too! Since their creation in the late 2010s, both Spotify Wrapped and Apple Replay have been increasing in popularity, and it’s not a secret as to why. Getting the chance to see your music taste organized and put together for you is always entertaining, but the only obvious downside to all of this is that Wrapped and Replay only come once a year. At least, they did. Social music apps are currently on the rise and two of them give you the chance to look at your stats far more frequently.
Superfan
In March of this year, my cousins introduced me to the Superfan app. Created by an Ohio State student in late 2022, Superfan’s sole purpose is to allow users to both view and compare their music stats. To get started, create a group of whoever you want (assuming they have Spotify) and you’re done! The app will do the rest. Each week, Superfan will let you know your top three artists and songs, the number of total tracks and unique artists you’ve listened to and the total minutes you spent listening that week. Additionally, an AI-generated “vibe” will be assigned to your weekly recap. They will also be saved in the app for you to look back on in the following weeks. This is honestly my favorite part about the app because I love laughing at what it says about me and my friends. To give you a sample of these assigned “vibes,” mine for this week is “locking yourself in your room and writing angsty poetry.” The best part is that everyone in your group can also view your vibe along with the rest of your recap. A friend of mine was given “transforming from a rebellious rockstar to a country-loving sweetheart in 0.2 seconds,” so the vibes can be anything and everything according to what you listen to.
Along with your weekly stats, Superfan gives out awards consisting of “most mainstream,” “least mainstream” and “saddest songs.” It also lists the three people from your group that listened for the most minutes. If you become curious about a song or artist while looking at a friend’s recap, click on it! Superfan will direct you straight to their Spotify profile. The app updates every Friday night, allowing you to have a Spotify wrapped to kick off your weekend!
Airbuds.fm
For those of you who are Apple Music users, no need to worry! There’s another app you can use. Airbuds.fm is a little different from Superfan in the sense that it’s a widget you can add to your home screen, rather than just an app. Again, the fun lies in the social aspect, as the widget will change depending on what your friends are listening to at that very moment! Your top songs and artists will also be shown to you weekly, but you won’t even have to open an app to see them. If this interests you, but you’re a Spotify user, no need to worry. Airbuds.fm works just the same, regardless of whether you prefer Apple Music or Spotify.
Do you prefer Spotify or Apple Music? What’s your favorite social music app? Let us know in the comments below!
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