I created my blog, primarily to write about my photography but I’m going to stray off topic, from time to time. Photography is only a small part of our lives so I want to record a few other things which happen to us occasionally. That leads me on to my ‘Spotify review of the Year, which landed in my email box this week.

We’re both very much into our music. For me that would stretch back to the early 1970’s when I was using pocket money, and earnings from a milk round, to buy the latest albums by David Bowie, Elton John, Status Quo and the odd glam rock single by Slade or The Sweet.

As I got older my musical tastes changed slightly, although I have a really broad taste in what I’ll listen to, which is pretty much anything. By my late teens I’d found Genesis and Pink Floyd, although I also had a healthy liking for heavy rock.

My Spotify list shows that fifty years later I haven’t moved on much. I’m still predominantly playing Genesis and Pink Floyd albums.

Steve Hackett appears top of the most played list for a few reasons. He’s the former Genesis guitarist from what some people see as their golden period before Peter Gabriel left, followed by Hackett himself a few years later. I’ve followed him for some time on YouTube. He’s been touring, playing old Genesis classics as well as his own music for some years. I then discovered a live album of his, playing Genesis Classics Live at the Albert Hall, London, available on Spotify.

Although I do listen to my music on the home Hi Fi system, I do a lot of my listening on headphones whilst I’m riding my Smart Bike using Zwift. That’s normally three or four, hour long, sessions per week. Lots of listening time which has been a lot of Steve Hackett. AC/DC would be on the list for the same reason. Early Marillion stuff gets played a lot in the car or on the headphones on holiday.

We did go to see Hackett, on his current tour, in October this year. It was a great show with an audience of a certain demographic – i.e. ageing Genesis fans, just like me.

Anyway, back to my Spotify list. It showed I played 414 different artists with April being my Disco-Funk month. Actually, like all stats, it’s rather skewed. If they listed playlists against albums, my most played list would look very different. I use the playlists like making up an old fashioned tape cassette and in truth, I use the playlists more than any of the albums.

Much as I love Spotify things might be changing in the Hyde household. I’ve recently upgraded my HiFi. Ditching the Wiim Mini and Amplifier for an all in one Bluesound Power Node Streamer/Amp. As a result I’m trialling Tidal Music as it streams at a higher Bit Rate to Spotify which results in better sound quality. There is a noticeable difference and monthly prices are the same for both services so, at the moment, I can only really see it going one way. It’s just the thought of re-creating all those Spotify playlists holding me back.

All images: ©Stephen Hyde 2007-2025 – All rights reserved.