What Does My Dad's Spotify Wrapped Say About Him?
Once a year, Dad's listening history becomes public record. Our researchers read it so you don't have to.
By the Gay-I Research Desk · · 3 min read
The Gay-I Verdict
Gay-I Reading: 58%Your dad's Spotify Wrapped says what music he listened to this year, and nothing about whether he is gay. The Gay-I still reads it closely, because a dad whose top artist moves from the Eagles to ABBA in a single year has clearly been through something. Usually that something is a road trip.
Every December, music apps send everyone a summary of what they listened to all year. Most of us share ours. Dads do not share theirs, because most dads do not know it exists. It sits in the app, unread, quietly holding the truth about how many times he played the same song while mowing.
If your dad has shown you his Wrapped, or left his phone unlocked on the counter, the Gay-I is ready to help. We have looked at several dozen of these. Some of them we will be thinking about for a long time.
Reading Your Dad's Top Artists
The Gay-I sorts dad listening into tiers. Each entry is scored on a five-point scale. To be clear, this scale measures Dad's listening habits. It says nothing about any of the artists, who are just doing their jobs.
| Signal | Gay-I Strength | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Classic rock, Eagles, Steely Dan | The baseline. A dad who listens to the Eagles is a dad who owns a garage. | |
| A podcast about World War II | Technically not music. Shows up anyway. Has been on since 2019. | |
| ABBA | Common after a wedding. If it is still in his top five by October, the wedding is not the reason. | |
| Whitney Houston | He will say he likes "her voice." He is correct. Everyone likes her voice. | |
| Cher | One song is a coincidence. A full album is a decision. | |
| Kylie Minogue | Most American dads have to go looking for Kylie. That is what the Gay-I is reacting to: the looking. | |
| Robyn | A deep cut for a dad. He has been on the internet, or someone has been sending him things. |
The "Gym Bangers" Playlist
Nothing in a dad's Wrapped draws more submissions than a playlist he made himself. Most dads have one playlist, called something like "Dad's Music" or "New Playlist 1." A dad with a playlist titled "Gym Bangers" has done three things: gone to the gym, picked songs for it, and chosen the word "Bangers."
Our researchers opened several of these. The contents varied, but the pattern held. They start with one classic rock song as cover, then move directly into a run of dance pop that lasts 47 minutes, which is coincidentally the length of a workout. If he has also started going to the gym on leg day, see our leg day frequency study.
- "Workout": Standard. He walks on a treadmill and watches the news.
- "Gym Bangers": Heightened. He has a routine.
- "Gym Bangers 2": The first one ran out. He needed more bangers.
- "Cardio Divas": The Gay-I declined to issue a reading on the grounds that it felt like snooping.
Minutes Listened and Other Numbers
Wrapped also reports total minutes listened. A typical dad logs around 4,000 minutes a year, mostly in the car on the way to the hardware store. A dad who logs 40,000 minutes is either commuting three hours a day or has started listening to music while he does other things, like cooking or "just sitting." We made those numbers up, but they are close to something.
Pay attention to his top genre. "Classic rock" is expected. "Dad rock" is redundant but fine. "Dance pop" is a reading. If his top genre is "show tunes," you may want to skip ahead to the Dad Musical Theatre Spectrum, and possibly to is my dad gay if he likes Mamma Mia.
What To Do With This Information
Nothing. Music taste is not a sexual orientation. A straight dad can love Cher, and a gay dad can listen to nothing but the Eagles. A year-end listening summary cannot tell you anything about who someone is. It can tell you that he played the same song 212 times, and that is between him and the song.
If you want a second opinion anyway, upload a photo of him and the Gay-I will take a look. For best results, use a photo where he has earbuds in and looks happy about it.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is it gay if my dad listens to ABBA?
No. ABBA is one of the most popular bands in history, and most of their listeners are not your dad. The Gay-I only notes it if ABBA is his top artist for two years running.
What does it mean when my dad has a "Gym Bangers" playlist?
It means he goes to the gym and wants it to be fun. The specific word "Bangers" is a choice, and the Gay-I respects it.
How do I see my dad's Spotify Wrapped?
Ask him. He probably does not know he has one, so you will have to show him where it is, and then you will both see it at the same time.
What music do straight dads listen to?
Our research says classic rock, a podcast he will describe to you in detail, and one song from his college years that he plays when he is in a good mood.
Can someone's music taste tell you if they are gay?
No. People listen to what they like, and that is all a playlist shows. The Gay-I is reading his playlists for fun, not for facts.
The joke is on stereotypes, not on anyone's dad. Nothing on this page can tell you anything about a real person's sexuality. If your dad has actually come out, start here instead.
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