Apple Music Replay just challenged Spotify Wrapped — here's how to get it

Apple Music vs. Spotify
(Image credit: Shutterstock)

Apple Music may be one of the best music streaming services available today, but its year-end recap has often lagged behind Spotify Wrapped when it comes to giving subscribers a personalized insight into their listening habits and music trends around the world.

But following the relaunch of Apple Music Replay announced recently, the round up service has been revamped for 2022 and subscribers now get a highlight reel showing their listening history with insights into their top songs, artists, albums, and genres played over the last 12 months. 

Everyone loves an end of year soundtrack, right? And Apple Music's redesigned Replay experience serves as a reminder to subscribers about their individual listening habits in 2022. Apple Music's revamped Replay experience also reveals 2022’s top music charts, and get closer to rival year-end recap services like Spotify Wrapped that's been running for several years. 

The Apple Music Replay press release touts that "2022 was a thrilling year in music, with listeners delving into new sounds, new languages, and new genres more than ever before. Additionally, the 2022 year-end charts show just how influential Apple Music listeners were in making 2022 a year to remember, both individually and as a community." 

Apple Music Replay screen grabs

(Image credit: Apple Music)

How to access Apple Music Replay

To access your personalized highlight reel, you need to be an Apple Music subscriber. You also need to have been using the service to listen to sufficient music to qualify. 

The Replay highlight reel can only be found on desktop browsers and iOS devices, although subscribers can add their Replay 2022 playlist to their Apple Music streaming app by clicking on the 'Open in Apple Music' button at the bottom of the webpage. For now, Replay is a web experience only, and you can find it at https://replay.music.apple.com

The Music app itself can only show and play a basic playlist of your top songs for the year, ranked by most played, once it has been added via the Replay webpage.

Although Apple Music's Replay revamp brings the experience closer to Spotify Wrapped, its still missing some additional tools that many fans enjoy with Spotify Wrapped, including Audio Aura (a high-color visualization tool of your music moods of the year) and Blend, which compares your Spotify music trends for the year with your friends.

Apple Music Replay screen grabs

(Image credit: Apple Music)

Apple Music Replay and Privacy

Despite the emphasis on data, Apple says that Replay maintains Apple’s standard privacy throughout the experience. An individual user’s insights are never shared, sold, or used in any marketing materials. The user can share their insights at their own discretion if they choose. No other Apple Music subscribers or employees can access their insights outside of their chosen snapshots at any time.

Again, to view your 2022 ‌Apple Music‌ Replay experience and try out the new highlight reel, visit replay.music.apple.com. The insight into your listening patterns for this year is available until December 31.

Next: Spotify Wrapped 2022 is boring — here's how to discover new music. Also check out how I trialed Apple Music for 3 months — and why I’m going back to Spotify

Lee Dunkley
Audio Editor

After 2.5 years as Tom's Guide's audio editor, Lee has joined the passionate audio experts at audiograde.uk where he writes about luxury audio and Hi-Fi. As a former editor of the U.K.'s Hi-Fi Choice magazine, Lee is passionate about all kinds of audio tech and has been providing sound advice to enable consumers to make informed buying decisions since he joined Which? magazine as a product tester in the 1990s. Lee covers all things audio for Tom's Guide, including headphones, wireless speakers and soundbars and loves to connect and share the mindfulness benefits that listening to music in the very best quality can bring.