David Bridges
It’s that exciting festive season once more! The algorithmic elves residing in our beloved music-streaming applications have kicked into high gear, crafting personalized end-of-year summaries reminiscent of Spotify Wrapped and Apple Music Replay. This year, however, a fresh contender has entered the scene: Amazon Music has unveiled an innovative feature that is sure to delight music lovers.
The new feature is named Amazon Music Delivered, cleverly playing on the brand’s well-known delivery service. This annual recap showcases your most cherished songs, artists, and podcasts from the previous year. Moreover, it highlights “the top request you’ve made with Alexa.” Oh dear! I may have asked Alexa to perform that catchy but cringeworthy tune approximately 25 times this year. Will that be counted among my top requests?
This exciting feature is accessible to all Amazon Music users, encompassing both Prime members who utilize the basic version and those who opted for the enhanced monthly Unlimited subscription. To access your personalized recap, simply navigate to the Library page and click on the banner labeled “2024 Delivered.” Additionally, you can conveniently request your top songs of 2024 by asking Alexa.
In a delightful twist, Amazon has mentioned that Alexa might share “an exclusive, special message” from one of your favorite artists. However, the specifics about the number of participating artists have not been disclosed. The company has stated that “eligible customers will see a flashing yellow light on their Alexa devices” when a message is ready to be heard.
In line with other music streaming services, Amazon Music has also revealed its list of the most popular artists and tracks of the year. Taylor Swift topped the charts as the leading artist, while the hit song “Beautiful Things” by Benson Boone clinched the title of the top song for the year.
The range of Amazon Music subscription options can be somewhat perplexing, similar to many streaming platforms. Prime members automatically gain access to Amazon Music Prime, which provides a catalog of over 100 million songs and podcasts without any advertisements. However, this tier does limit users to playlists and shuffle modes, akin to the free version of Spotify.
For those seeking greater flexibility, Amazon Music Unlimited removes these restrictions, available at a cost of $10 per month for Prime members and $11 for non-members. Lastly, there is Amazon Music with Ads, a version that includes advertisements but comes at no cost, making it accessible to everyone, including those who may not be interested in expedited shipping or other Prime benefits.
Daniel Mercer
Brandon Fletcher
