Wrapping Up 2024: What Spotify, TikTok, and Pinterest Tell Us About Students and the Year Ahead
As the year winds down, three of students’ favorite platforms — Spotify, TikTok, and Pinterest — are giving us a look back at what shaped 2024. These year-end recaps highlight the trends, moments, and creators that defined the year, offering key insights into the online habits and cultural impact of students today.
For educators, these reports provide a unique opportunity to huddle with students on what they experienced online while offering insights into how they use technology to express themselves, connect with others, and define their identities. By diving into these trends, we can encourage students to reflect on their year, both online and offline, and set the stage for more intentional and creative engagement in 2025.
What To Know
Spotify, TikTok, and Pinterest reveal that students are not just consuming content but are creating, shaping, and driving trends. From TikTok creators turning hobbies into careers to Pinterest’s bold predictions for 2025, these platforms underscore the importance of student voice in shaping culture. For educators, these reports remind us that social media and tech are not only influencing student creativity and connection but also shaping their identity and aspirations.
Here’s what to know about the latest reports:
Spotify Wrapped 2024: Mixed Reactions Reflect A.I.’s Growing Role
Spotify Wrapped, a yearly tradition beloved by students and users globally, offers a personalized breakdown of top songs, artists, and genres. This year, Wrapped also included quirky micro-genres like “Pink Pilates Princess” and featured thank-you videos from artists, adding a personal touch. However, a heavier reliance on A.I. sparked debates about the authenticity of the insights, as some users questioned whether the personalized recommendations and micro-genres truly reflected their listening habits or were artificially generated to promote certain content.
- Impact on Students:
- Spotify Wrapped allows students to reflect on their listening habits, connect with peers through shared playlists, and express their identities. The mixed reactions to A.I.-generated content present an opportunity to discuss how technology shapes our understanding of ourselves.
- Why Educators Should Care
- Spotify Wrapped can be a springboard for classroom discussions about social media, tech habits, and data-driven personalization. It also offers inspiration for projects like trend analysis or exploring how music influences identity.
- Key Stats:
- Top Global Artist: Taylor Swift reclaimed the top spot as the most-streamed artist globally.
- Top Global Song: “Flowers” by Miley Cyrus was the most-streamed song of the year.
- New Micro-Genres: Quirky categories like “Pink Pilates Princess” and “Cottagecore Cabaret” highlighted Spotify’s innovative yet polarizing use of A.I.
- Thank-You Videos: Over 50 million personalized artist thank-you videos were shared by users, adding a personal touch to this year’s recap.
- Record Sharing:
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- Spotify Wrapped 2024 generated over 1 billion social media shares within 48 hours of its release.
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Year on TikTok 2024: Students as Cultural Catalysts
TikTok’s Year in Review celebrated its billion-strong community and spotlighted how students are driving creativity and cultural movements. From #BookTok revitalizing reading to live e-commerce redefining entrepreneurship, TikTok reinforced its role as a hub for discovery and connection.
- Impact on Students
- Beyond shaping trends, TikTok can empower students to turn their passions into impactful movements. For example, #BookTok has reignited a love for reading, while live e-commerce has opened doors for young creators to turn hobbies into thriving careers, highlighting TikTok’s power to fuel creativity and entrepreneurship.
- Why Educators Should Care
- TikTok’s influence is reshaping how students learn by making educational content more accessible through hashtags, how they shop through live e-commerce trends, and how they connect by fostering niche communities around shared interests. Educators can bring this influence to the classroom by incorporating trending hashtags like #BookTok to promote reading or by using student-generated content as a springboard for discussions and projects that resonate with student experiences online.
- Key Stats:
- TikTok live e-commerce sessions tripled, with record-breaking sales exceeding $2 million in a single session.
- #BookTok saw a 300% increase in posts, turning emerging authors into bestsellers and rediscovering classics.
- TeachersofTikTok has inspired over 5.5 million posts.
Pinterest Predicts: Bold Trends for 2025
Pinterest’s 2025 trend forecast highlighted maximalism, creativity, and sensory engagement, with everything from bold cherry reds to chaotic cakes taking center stage.
- Impact on Students:
- Pinterest highlights students’ desire to embrace individuality and bold self-expression. These trends resonate with their need to make their mark and explore their creativity.
- Why Educators Should Care:
- Pinterest’s data reveals more than just style—it shows how students are seeking ways to stand out in an increasingly tech-fueled world. By encouraging hands-on activities and creative projects, educators can help students channel these trends into meaningful self-expression.
- Key Stats:
- Maximalism is In: Searches for bold colors and statement designs have increased by over 120% compared to last year.
- Chaotic Cakes Rise: Creative and unconventional cakes, such as “paint-splatter” or “mismatched layers,” saw a 75% surge in search interest.
- Global Participation: Pinterest Predicts trends influenced over 400 million global users, with participation growing by 30% year over year.
TSI’s Take
The year-end trends from Spotify, TikTok, and Pinterest reveal that students are not just consuming content—they are shaping it. From driving literary trends on TikTok to using music as a form of identity on Spotify, students are trendsetters.
By recognizing students as trendsetters, educators can celebrate their creativity and influence while empowering them to reflect on how their online interactions shape their identities and communities. This creates an opportunity to guide students in exploring the positive impact they can have online, encouraging high-character choices and meaningful engagement that fuels both their well-being and future success.
2024’s year-end reports reveal three key insights for educators:
- Student voice is stronger than ever: Students are driving trends, not just following them. Recognizing their leadership in tech and social media spaces can inspire confidence and creativity in the classroom.
- Encourage Reflection: Educators can huddle with students to analyze their online habits, from how A.I. shapes their media to how they share their interests online. These reflections can guide them toward more intentional and impactful engagement in 2025.
- Connect to Creativity: Platforms like Pinterest highlight the power of self-expression. Educators can use these trends to inspire projects that help students explore their individuality in a positive, supportive environment.
Stay tuned for The Social Institute’s 2025 Insights Report, where we’ll explore how these trends are shaping students’ lives and offer actionable strategies to support them. In the meantime, check out last year’s here.
The Social Institute (TSI) is the leader in empowering students by understanding students. Through #WinAtSocial, our gamified, peer-to-peer learning platform, we equip students, educators, and families to navigate their social world – in the classroom and beyond, online and offline – in healthy, high-character ways. Our unique, student-respected approach empowers and equips, rather than scares and restricts. We incorporate timely topics about social media, tech use, and current events that are impacting student well-being and learning. #WinAtSocial Lessons teach life skills for the modern day, capture student voice, and provide school leaders with actionable insights. Through these insights, students play an essential role in school efforts to support their own health, happiness, and future success as we enable high-impact teaching, meaningful family conversations, and a healthy school culture.