With the start of the holiday season, popular music streaming app Spotify has released its yearly music wrapped. This year, there have been some new additions to the wrapped that have some people surprised about what they listen to. The most popular of these new statistics is the listening age. Spotify calculates the listeners’ average listening age using a mixture of their music interests over the past year and compares that to their age, leaving some avid listeners shocked to discover their listening age.

Old Souls

For some listeners, Spotify Wrapped revealed a listening age far older than their real one, hinting at a deep nostalgia for classic sounds and timeless artists. Their gravitation towards the older waves of music represents dedication and pays respect to the sounds of generations before them. Still, for some, the reveal can be a shock—as seen by Amador Valley Senior, Andrew Lewis (’26)

“My listening age was 75… I expected to be in the 30s, but never 75,” said Lewis.

Although surprised by the number, his reaction highlights how music taste doesn’t always align with actual age. Their higher listening age aligns with a Wrapped filled with artists spanning multiple decades. Alongside modern pop superstar Sabrina Carpenter, their top songs included classic rock staples from bands like Queen and The Clash.

“I like to listen to a lot of older classic rock from the ‘60s and ‘70s, but I also listen to modern stuff,” said Lewis (26’).

Rather than leaning fully into one era, his playlist moves comfortably between generations. Spotify’s listening age captures that pattern, showing how consistent returns to older music can shape a listener’s profile, even when new releases are still part of the mix.

Young at Heart

Others discovered that their listening age was a little closer to home, driven by the pull of current hits and rising artists. Some took inspiration from up-and-coming artists, but most enjoyed listening to popular songs from this year, like Arun Reyes (’28,) Amador Sophomore and Spotify user. 

“Most of the people I listen to are around my age, 16, 17, 1,8, and I listen to a lot of new music, so I wasn’t really surprised,” said Reyes.

This listening age reflects his music taste, built around emerging artists and fast-moving trends rather than long-established names. With a top artist like NetSpend and a top song by Xavier Sobased, his Wrapped highlights how closely listeners’ habits align with what’s new and rising.

“I was on TikTok a lot, and I produce music, so I knew about new music really early on,” added Reyes. 

Discovering music through social media has not only shaped his taste but also motivated him to make music himself. Seeing the younger artists gain attention for the type of music they want to make gave Reyes inspiration for his own music projects. 

Am I Turning into my Parents!?

Perhaps the most shocking result for many was realizing that their listening age mirrors almost exactly the age and taste of their parents. Often, parents’ music taste inspires listeners, shaping their story to what they listen to.

“I thought it was a little bit funny because I get a lot of my music inspiration from my mom… I was surprised to find out that the music was a little older than she was, but I suppose it makes sense,” said Bella Burns (‘27). 

Her Wrapped points to how musical influence often runs through families. Even when listeners think their taste is entirely their own, it is frequently shaped by what they grew up hearing at home, whether on car rides, in the kitchen, or through shared playlists.

“I think a lot of generations tend to like the music that came before them,” said Burns.

In this case, Spotify’s listening age didn’t just reveal a preference for older music; it highlighted the lasting impact of parental influence. While she admitted her mom influenced her music taste, the result of the listening age reflected how music preference is often passed down.