Employee bristles at workplace's demand for entire team's Spotify Wrapped data as a form of corporate team-building: 'What if someone just has unorthodox tastes that they'd rather not share'

Author image for JR Atkinson
JR Atkinson • Writer and Editor
Dec 18, 2024 6:00 PM EST

Music can be incredibly personal. We use music to get us through hard times, reinforce our senses of identity, and explore parts of ourselves that can only be accessed through a good song. If you're a certain kind of music listener, your music history is just as much an expression of yourself as a diary would be. For obvious reasons, you wouldn't want your employer to have access to your diary. So how does Spotify Wrapped (how the music streaming app relays your listening habits at the end of the year) figure into that equation? 

This was put to the test in one company, where a manager asked a 30-person team to each submit their data so it could be used in a team-building game. However, one of the employees saw this as a breach of privacy. Read on for the story and reactions, and decide what you think about this practice. 

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    Cheezburger Image 10442982144
    via Unsplash+ (Nappy)

    This image is for illustration only, and the subjects are models; the image does not depict the actual subjects of the story.

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    Entire team made to submit their 'Spotify wrapped' screenshots for a team- building exercise
    via u/halentecks
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    Why do workplaces always insist on prying into employees private lives? My entire work team (30 people approx) have been asked to submit screenshots of their spotify/streaming equivalent wrapped, showing their most listened to music and podcasts for the year, with no clear way of opting out given the game depends on everyone submitting theirs.
    via u/halentecks
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    I'm aware this is fairly minor compared to some of what gets posted on this sub but it just strikes me as so emblematic of something I dislike about work culture.
    via u/halentecks
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    People feel differently about the subject but I view someone's Spotify wrapped as actually fairly personal information. Feel free to call me out for overreacting. Ok, it's not exactly their medical records, but it also kinda is. Imagine a situation where someone has been struggling with
    via u/halentecks
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    a physical/mental health issue over the last year that they would rather not disclose to 30 colleagues (strangers) and has been listening to a podcast related to that. What if someone just has unorthodox tastes that they'd rather not share with all of their managers and colleagues.
    via u/halentecks
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    I just wish modern corporate environments could at least have the decency to treat employees as what they are - workers, rather than cosplaying as intimate friends.
    via u/halentecks
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    Deep-Money7364 • 3h ago I agree, it's invasive. Just say that you do not have Spotify.
    via u/Deep-Money7364
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    neogreenlantern . 3h ago. Yeah that seems like the easiest out. "I don't use Spotify. I just listen to the radio."
    via u/neogreenlantern
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    Obtuse-Angel • 2h ago. That's the easiest answer. In addition to this being an invasive ask, it's weird for a workplace to assume that everyone has Spotify. I know a lot of people who don't use Spotify. Lots do YouTube and/or Apple Music. Surely some still use Pandora, or Amazon music, or
    via u/Obtuse-Angel
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    the I Heart Radio app. I work with some people who only listen to podcasts or audiobooks. Personally I listen to YouTube and Band Camp, in addition to my personal music library. There are so many choices for listening besides Spotify. It's completely reasonable to get out of this.
    via u/Obtuse-Angel
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    Phoebebee323 • 3h ago Photoshop one and put Weird Al in every spot and then make it say you listened for 525601 minutes
    via u/Phoebebee323
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    NumbSurprise · 3h ago "Sorry, I don't use Spotify." Or just do a quick google search and submit some random screenshot.
    via u/NumbSurprise
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    Commercial_Tou... 3h ago . What, miss out on creating an account filled with nothing but Speed Metal, Polka tunes, and Mongolian Throat- singing? This is a prime opportunity to game the system, man.
    via u/Commercial_Tough160
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    . skywarka • 3h ago "Sorry, I canceled my spotify subscription and deleted my account last week"
    via u/skywarka
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    darlin133 3h ago • The assumption that everyone streams is silly. Sorry work boss I don't have streaming I can't participate I thx bai
    via u/darlin133
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    iamdadmin · 3h ago "Sorry, I can't take part. I don't get paid enough for a luxury item like a Spotify subscription."
    via u/iamdadmin
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    arrowtron • 3h ago Photoshop a list of boring "Corporate Skills" podcast. Make it sound like you're working even when you're not. Get promoted. Be in charge of these team building exercises next year. Cancel this stupid game. Profit.
    via u/arrowtron
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    Jazzkidscoins ⚫ • 3h ago . William Shatner had a talk show, probably more than 10 years ago now. One of the things he asked his guests to bring their iPods so he could look at their music library. He said looking at their music library was looking at one of the most intimate parts of a person.
    via u/Jazzkidscoins
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    Optimal_Collecti... 3h ago Have mine. Most of its my kids music and songs that are shouty or sweary
    via u/Optimal_Collection77
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    alexanderpas • 3h ago • Ask HR how the process of reimbursement for a spotify subscription works, and when they ask why, explain what is asked from you, and you're now asking how reimbursement works, since it's clearly a business expense if it's required from you. Play dumb and inform HR.
    via u/alexanderpas
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    xenedra0 3h ago Music is very personal to me, so this would be a very hard no. So hard, I'd be in HR's office saying
    via u/xenedra0
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    Pitch-forker 3h ago • . Don't you love corporate team building exercises! I swear it will be some management rando having a shower thought then going to work and trying to build team morale around their ideas. Nothing builds team morale like a raise!!!
    via u/Pitch-forker
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    BPDSadist • 2h ago My coworkers don't need to know that I like Katy Perry just as much as I like Metallica.
    via u/BPDSadist

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Tags

boss Music antiwork workplace-stories toxic-workplace job spotify bosses spotify wrapped work coworkers working reddit story toxic-boss workplace reddit thread bad bosses Reddit toxic-work-environment
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