The end of the year is coming, and so is Spotify Wrapped.
But as the streaming platform’s 422 million monthly users wait with bated breath to learn which artists they listened to most in 2022, many have already been made privy to such information, thanks to Instafest.
With Instafest, a third-party app providing personalized music festival posters ranking listeners’ favorite artists, music fans everywhere are now able to see their year in review, and show off their immaculate taste level, across the internet.
Unfortunately, however, Instafest is Spotify-exclusive.
In order to receive a personalized poster, Instafest users must enter their Spotify login credentials, and there is no option for other streaming services—not even Apple Music.
This isn’t the first time something like this has happened.
Spotify Wrapped, a beloved and highly anticipated perk provided to Spotify users, debuted in 2016.
Apple Music Replay, Apple‘s answer to Spotify Wrapped, debuted in 2019, and only after years of uproar from disgruntled subscribers.
And even after Apple released Apple Music Replay, many have complained that its layout is too rudimentary, providing users their statistics for most-listened-to songs and musicians in a bare-bones format paling in comparison to Spotify’s colorful, quirky interface.
Now, Apple Music users are upset once again.
Unlike Spotify Wrapped, Apple Music Replay is accessible to users throughout the year. But with a lack of distinguishable character, ease of access has not been enough to offset the freshness and excitement generated by Instafest.
“that instafest thing is a prime example of apple music’s shortcomings like how hard could it possibly be to make social integrations like that,” Twitter user @fltchrr questioned.
“apple music gotta step up man im sick of seeing these custom festivals from spotify users,” @moneyjumpin echoed, receiving nearly 7,000 likes.
“look, the creative team at spotify need a raise !! the instafest thing that creates a festival line up from the artists u listen to is so f****** cool,” @wadduh_x chimed in. “apple music could never.”
Other Twitter users, also disappointed, invoked myriad memes to express their dismay.
“Me having Apple Music and seeing everyone make those Spotify Instafest lineups,” @dancingastro tweeted, including the popular screen grab of the fictional Squidward Tentacles looking longingly at SpongeBob SquarePants and Patrick Star.
“Apple music users watching everyone else posting their instafest concert,” @14Mwendwa added, along with a photo of The Office character Jim Halpert.
“Me as an Apple Music user seeing everybody on my tl doing that instafest thing,” @exoscmdump tweeted, tacking on a popular meme from Stranger Things.
But while many Twitter users invoked funny photos to describe their feelings after missing out on Instafest, others made sure to let their own words do the talking.
“Instafest?” @moonlitgordo wrote, sarcastically. “Oh, you mean yet another fun thing that we Apple Music plebs can’t enjoy?”
“That instafest thing is so cool,” @fahadmuliika chimed in. “Apple Music users just get a list with hours listened.”
Newsweek has reached out to Apple Music for comment.
The post Apple Music Users Lament Being Left Out of Instafest Craze: ‘I’m Sick’ appeared first on Newsweek.
