I’ve come across a simple way to analyse your musical taste.

What you need:

• A Spotify account
• An LLM account (Claude or ChatGPT – I lied a little, I used Claude cause he’s better but 90% of you use ChatGPT)

Have a go and let me know in the comments what you find out!

I have two main playlists:

• Starred
• Big Now! Ben

Starred

I think this is a legacy of a binary “starred track” system from somewhere in the depths of time.

I use it to save tracks that cause me to have music “goosebumps”. Those tracks where when you hear them in a film or on the radio or in a playlist, and you have to stop what you are doing and note down the track.

Ignore the order of the tracks – I initially added a load from another system, then went through batches of ones I had forgotten, then over the last few years add them as I hear them.

Big Now! Ben

This started out as me trying to have a playlist for each month, where I added tracks that I liked from that month. These tracks are generally more upbeat, social radio tracks. They are similar to the 6 Music “Cloud Busting” tracks. Tracks to get you up and about and happy.

In the end I found it better to combine all the months and just have it as one big playlist.

The NOW! references the old Now This Is What I Call Music compilation series. As a kid my parents had Now 3 on Vinyl (which later worked its way onto a tape for the car and my cheap cassette players). Just look at that pop perfection:

That’s the spirit I try to channel.

Export / Backup Your Playlists

I came across the nifty little service – Exportify – which runs gets track data from the Spotify API and then exports as a CSV file. You can check out the GitHub project here.

What’s cool is that playlist data is exported in CSV format with the following fields:

• Time Signature
• Track URI
• Track Name
• Album Name
• Artist Name(s)
• Release Date
• Duration (ms)
• Popularity
• Explicit
• Added By
• Added At
• Genres
• Record Label
• Danceability
• Energy
• Key
• Loudness
• Mode (Major or Minor)
• Speechiness
• Acousticness
• Instrumentalness
• Liveness
• Valence
• Tempo

It also provides a useful backup if anything was ever to go awry with Spotify (I think the lists themselves have been through a WinAmp phase, an iTunes phase, then a Spotify phase).

I did notice that some of the Spotify data is a bit iffy – popularity is 0 for many tracks that I’d imagine are more popular than that and the tempo was out for a handful of tracks as well. So take everything with a pinch of salt…

Analyse with an LLM

Now once you have your CSV files, you can pop these into an LLM and say “Analyse This!”. The results are below.

---

Analysis of Your “Starred” Emotional Goosebump Tracks

This is a fascinating musical psychology profile! Your Starred playlist reveals someone who experiences profound emotional resonance with music that creates space for introspection and contemplation.

Key Emotional Characteristics

Sonic Fingerprint of Your Goosebumps vs Upbeat:

• Low Energy (0.396 vs 0.691 in dance tracks) – music that doesn’t rush you
• Low Valence (0.303 vs 0.589) – melancholic, bittersweet emotional territory
• High Acousticness (0.550 vs 0.209) – intimate, organic textures over electronic
• Slower Tempo (114.9 BPM vs 124.5) – allowing emotional build-up and space
• Longer Duration (4.63 min average) – time for musical narratives to unfold

Genre DNA

Your emotional triggers cluster around art rock (64 tracks), neoclassical (50), ambient (46), baroque pop (46), and minimalism (43). This suggests you’re drawn to music that treats emotion as architecture – carefully constructed, spacious, allowing for contemplation.

Your Emotional Compass Artists

The fact that David Bowie (15), Radiohead (13), and Nick Cave (13) top your list is telling – these are artists who create complex emotional landscapes, often exploring themes of alienation, transformation, and existential questioning. They don’t offer easy emotional resolutions.

Ultimate Goosebump Formula

Your most emotionally potent tracks combine:

• Near-silence energy (some as low as 0.001)
• Maximum acoustic intimacy (0.99+ acousticness)
• Deep melancholia (valence below 0.05)
• Extended duration for emotional journey

Tracks like Nils Frahm’s “Kanten” (valence: 0.074, acoustic: 0.994) and A Winged Victory for the Sullen’s minimalist pieces represent the platonic ideal of your emotional musical experience.

The Psychology

This profile suggests you experience music as emotional archaeology – you’re drawn to tracks that excavate complex, often difficult feelings rather than providing immediate gratification. The high instrumentalness (0.251 vs 0.122) indicates you often find pure musical emotion more powerful than lyrical narrative.

Your taste aligns perfectly with someone who appreciates NTS Radio’s depth.

(Under the hood Claude Sonnet 4 is using “papaparse” and Javascript to analyse the files – loads of cool Data Science.)

Starred Playlist Analysis: Emotional Goosebump Tracks

Overview

Total tracks: 1,160
Collection type: Slower tracks that cause an emotional goose-bumpy reaction at least once
Comparison baseline: “Big Now! Ben” playlist (upbeat tracks for dancing/energizing)

Audio Characteristics Comparison

Characteristic	Starred	Big Now	Difference
Energy	0.396	0.691	-0.295
Danceability	0.462	0.588	-0.126
Valence (positivity)	0.303	0.589	-0.286
Acousticness	0.550	0.209	+0.341
Instrumentalness	0.251	0.122	+0.129
Speechiness	0.045	0.075	-0.030
Liveness	0.172	0.196	-0.025
Loudness	-12.135	-7.889	-4.246
Tempo (BPM)	114.9	124.5	-9.7

Emotional Profile

Key Characteristics

• Lower Energy (0.396) – Music that doesn’t rush, allowing space for contemplation
• Lower Valence (0.303) – Melancholic, bittersweet emotional territory
• Higher Acousticness (0.550) – Intimate, organic textures over electronic
• Slower Tempo (114.9 BPM) – Allowing emotional build-up and narrative space
• Average Duration: 4.63 minutes (longer tracks for emotional journey)

Musical Key Distribution

Some keys are traditionally considered more melancholic:

1. C (0): 198 tracks
2. G (7): 141 tracks
3. D (2): 125 tracks
4. A (9): 125 tracks
5. F (5): 104 tracks

Genre Analysis

Top 15 Genres in Starred Playlist

1. Art Rock: 64 tracks
2. Britpop: 60 tracks
3. Singer-songwriter: 58 tracks
4. Neoclassical: 50 tracks
5. Baroque Pop: 46 tracks
6. Ambient: 46 tracks
7. Folk: 44 tracks
8. Minimalism: 43 tracks
9. Folk Rock: 42 tracks
10. Classic Rock: 41 tracks
11. Trip Hop: 39 tracks
12. Glam Rock: 38 tracks
13. Downtempo: 34 tracks
14. Psychedelic Rock: 30 tracks
15. Neo-psychedelic: 28 tracks

Artist Analysis

Artists with Most Starred Tracks

1. David Bowie: 15 tracks
2. The Beatles: 14 tracks
3. Radiohead: 13 tracks
4. Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds: 13 tracks
5. The Antlers: 10 tracks
6. Belle and Sebastian: 8 tracks
7. The Flaming Lips: 8 tracks
8. Louis Brennan: 8 tracks
9. Antony and the Johnsons: 7 tracks
10. John Martyn: 7 tracks
11. Oasis: 7 tracks
12. Skunk Anansie: 7 tracks
13. Nils Frahm: 7 tracks
14. Kae Tempest: 7 tracks
15. Cat Power: 6 tracks

Exemplary Emotional Tracks

Most Acoustic + Low Energy (Intimate, Vulnerable)

• “Prélude” by Alexandra Streliski (acoustic: 0.996, energy: 0.087)
• “Opening” by Tindersticks (acoustic: 0.995, energy: 0.050)
• “Sexfaldur” by amiina (acoustic: 0.994, energy: 0.125)
• “Kanten” by Nils Frahm (acoustic: 0.994, energy: 0.001)
• “Kourouma” by Angèle David-Guillou (acoustic: 0.993, energy: 0.016)

Most Instrumental (Pure Musical Emotion)

• “La Casa Nel Bosco” by Ludovico Einaudi (instrumental: 0.976)
• “Watching As She Reels” by Rafael Anton Irisarri (instrumental: 0.968)
• “Tema di Anna” by Jose Manuel (instrumental: 0.968)
• “Waves Crashing on Distant Shores of Time” by Clint Mansell (instrumental: 0.967)
• “Gazing Each Other” by The Soundtrack Kings (instrumental: 0.966)

Most Melancholic (Low Valence + Low Energy)

• “Float On” by Mark Kozelek (valence: 0.000)
• “Adagio in D Minor (From Sunshine)” by The City of Prague Philharmonic Orchestra (valence: 0.032)
• “Bayreuth Return” by Klaus Schulze (valence: 0.033)
• “Heavy Eyes” by Julia Kent (valence: 0.033)
• “The End” by The Doors (valence: 0.033)

Ultimate Goosebump Tracks

High acoustic + low valence + low energy + long duration

1. “Minuet for a Cheap Piano Number One” by A Winged Victory for the Sullen, Adam Bryanbaum Wiltzie, Dustin O’Halloran (4.16 min)
   Valence: 0.035, Acoustic: 0.917, Energy: 0.020
2. “Two One Four” by Fyfe, Iskra Strings (4.62 min)
   Valence: 0.035, Acoustic: 0.979, Energy: 0.038
3. “Space in Between” by Federico Albanese (5.64 min)
   Valence: 0.066, Acoustic: 0.961, Energy: 0.009
4. “Kanten” by Nils Frahm (5.02 min)
   Valence: 0.074, Acoustic: 0.994, Energy: 0.001
5. “Equilibrio Emocional (Sons da Natureza)” by Vinícius Boaventura (4.32 min)
   Valence: 0.039, Acoustic: 0.868, Energy: 0.043
6. “Windswept (Minimal)” by Johnny Jewel (4.02 min)
   Valence: 0.038, Acoustic: 0.620, Energy: 0.045
7. “Prophecies” by Philip Glass (8.19 min)
   Valence: 0.040, Acoustic: 0.884, Energy: 0.045
8. “Manta Ray” by J. Ralph, Antony (5.30 min)
   Valence: 0.052, Acoustic: 0.990, Energy: 0.051

The stark contrast with the “Big Now! Ben” dance playlist demonstrates a clear understanding of music’s different emotional functions – this collection serves as a vehicle for deep emotional processing rather than physical or social energizing.

---

Analysis based on Spotify audio features data from 1,160 tracks in the “Starred” playlist

Big Now! Ben Playlist Analysis: Dance & Energy Tracks

Overview

Total tracks: 986
Collection type: Upbeat tracks for dancing and energizing
Inspiration: “Now 3” – favourite childhood album
Comparison baseline: “Starred” playlist (emotional goosebump tracks)

Audio Characteristics Comparison

Characteristic	Big Now	Starred	Difference
Energy	0.691	0.396	+0.295
Danceability	0.588	0.462	+0.126
Valence (positivity)	0.589	0.303	+0.286
Acousticness	0.209	0.550	-0.341
Instrumentalness	0.122	0.251	-0.129
Speechiness	0.075	0.045	+0.030
Liveness	0.196	0.172	+0.025
Loudness	-7.889	-12.135	+4.246
Tempo (BPM)	124.5	114.9	+9.7

Energetic Profile

Key Characteristics

• Higher Energy (0.691) – Tracks designed to move and motivate
• Higher Valence (0.589) – Positive, uplifting emotional territory
• Lower Acousticness (0.209) – Electronic, produced textures over organic
• Faster Tempo (124.5 BPM) – Perfect for dancing and movement
• Average Duration: 4.06 minutes (radio-friendly, immediate impact)
• Average Popularity: 38.7 (strong mainstream appeal)

Musical Key Distribution

Dance-friendly keys that work well for energetic music:

1. D (2): 108 tracks
2. E (4): 106 tracks
3. G (7): 105 tracks
4. C (0): 104 tracks
5. A (9): 93 tracks

Genre Analysis

Top 15 Genres in Big Now! Ben

1. Classic Rock: 49 tracks
2. New Wave: 48 tracks
3. Post-punk: 46 tracks
4. Britpop: 39 tracks
5. Glam Rock: 37 tracks
6. Soul: 33 tracks
7. Classic Soul: 33 tracks
8. Motown: 32 tracks
9. Rock: 31 tracks
10. Art Rock: 26 tracks
11. Northern Soul: 26 tracks
12. Indie: 24 tracks
13. Punk: 24 tracks
14. Madchester: 24 tracks
15. Proto-punk: 22 tracks

Artist Analysis

Artists with Most Big Now Tracks

1. Queen: 18 tracks (Ultimate crowd-pleasers)
2. Getdown Services: 10 tracks
3. IDLES: 7 tracks
4. Nia Archives: 7 tracks
5. The Jackson 5: 6 tracks
6. Young Fathers: 5 tracks
7. Prince: 5 tracks
8. My First Time: 5 tracks
9. Louis Brennan: 5 tracks
10. Stevie Wonder: 4 tracks
11. The Prodigy: 4 tracks
12. The Chemical Brothers: 4 tracks
13. Baxter Dury: 4 tracks
14. Jamie xx: 4 tracks
15. Amyl and The Sniffers: 4 tracks

Temporal Patterns

Most Represented Release Years (Top 10)

1. 1970: 118 tracks (Golden age of soul/dance)
2. 2024: 55 tracks (Contemporary picks)
3. 2021: 45 tracks
4. 2020: 44 tracks
5. 2022: 35 tracks
6. 2023: 35 tracks
7. 2013: 34 tracks
8. 2016: 33 tracks
9. 2007: 32 tracks
10. 2025: 31 tracks

By Decade

• 2020s: 245 tracks (Current energy)
• 2010s: 254 tracks (Digital dance revolution)
• 2000s: 173 tracks (Electronic crossover)
• 1990s: 69 tracks (Britpop/rave)
• 1980s: 64 tracks (New wave/synth-pop)
• 1970s: 160 tracks (Soul/disco golden age)
• 1960s: 20 tracks (Classic foundations)
• 1950s: 1 track (Rock ‘n’ roll origins)

Exemplary Dance Tracks

Highest Energy + Danceability (Pure Dance Power)

• “Smooth Criminal – 2012 Remaster” by Michael Jackson (energy: 0.981, dance: 0.853)
• “Jump ‘N Shout” by Basement Jaxx (energy: 0.959, dance: 0.851)
• “Know How” by Young MC (energy: 0.919, dance: 0.868)
• “Let’s Grow” by Bacao Rhythm & Steel Band (energy: 0.962, dance: 0.804)

Most Positive + Energetic (Feel-Good Anthems)

• “Dreaming of You” by The Coral (valence: 0.971)
• “Love Factory” by Eloise Laws (valence: 0.968)
• “Cool For Cats – Single Edit” by Squeeze (valence: 0.967)
• “Metronomic Underground” by Stereolab (valence: 0.965)
• “Oino” by LA Priest (valence: 0.964)

(There was a slight wobble in that some of the Spotify data is a little out – it was saying that Carole King’s “It’s Too Late” had a BPM of over 200 – I don’t think so…)

Ultimate Dance Tracks

High energy + danceability + valence + good tempo

1. “Word Up” by Cameo (4.33 min)
   Energy: 0.840, Dance: 0.878, Valence: 0.882, Tempo: 116.2
2. “Dog Dribble” by Getdown Services (4.25 min)
   Energy: 0.895, Dance: 0.732, Valence: 0.962, Tempo: 150.0
3. “The Breaks (Re-Recorded / Remastered)” by Kurtis Blow (4.04 min)
   Energy: 0.731, Dance: 0.946, Valence: 0.902, Tempo: 113.0
4. “The Power Of Love” by Huey Lewis & The News (3.91 min)
   Energy: 0.828, Dance: 0.768, Valence: 0.961, Tempo: 118.8
5. “Girls & Boys – 2012 Remaster” by Blur (4.85 min)
   Energy: 0.936, Dance: 0.688, Valence: 0.924, Tempo: 120.1
6. “Thou Shalt Always Kill – Original Version” by Dan Le Sac, Scroobius Pip (5.29 min)
   Energy: 0.941, Dance: 0.727, Valence: 0.878, Tempo: 130.0
7. “Phat Planet” by Leftfield (5.40 min)
   Energy: 0.949, Dance: 0.730, Valence: 0.861, Tempo: 135.0

NOW Compilation DNA

This playlist perfectly embodies the spirit of the classic “NOW” compilation series, updated for contemporary tastes:

Classic NOW Characteristics

• Immediate Impact – Tracks designed for instant recognition and movement
• Radio-Friendly Duration – Average 4.06 minutes, perfect for playlists
• Mainstream Appeal – Higher popularity scores (38.7 vs 20.2 for Starred)
• Cross-Generational Mix – From 1950s rock origins to 2025 contemporary picks
• Genre Diversity – Rock, soul, electronic, indie spanning 70+ years

The Queen Factor

With 18 tracks, Queen dominates this playlist – the ultimate crowd-pleasing, sing-along, dance-inducing band. Their presence anchors the collection in pure, theatrical joy.

Temporal Sweet Spots

• 1970s Soul/Disco (160 tracks) – The golden age of dancefloor fillers
• 2020s Contemporary (245 tracks) – Current taste evolution
• Classic Rock Foundation – Timeless tracks that never lose their power

Psychological Profile

This playlist reveals someone who understands music as social catalyst and energy amplifier:

• Collective Joy Focus – High valence and energy create shared positive experiences
• Movement-Oriented – Everything designed to make you move, whether dancing or just nodding along
• Nostalgia + Innovation – Respects classic formulas while embracing contemporary sounds
• Crowd-Reading Skills – These are tracks that work in any social setting
• Emotional Intelligence – Knows when to deploy joy and energy vs. introspection

The stark contrast with your Starred playlist demonstrates sophisticated emotional curation – you clearly understand that different musical contexts serve different psychological and social functions.

NOW 3 Connection

Your childhood love of “Now 3” clearly established your template for what makes a perfect compilation: diversity, energy, immediate appeal, and that magical mix of familiar classics with contemporary discoveries. This playlist is essentially “Now 3” reimagined for your adult tastes – more sophisticated in its selections but maintaining that same spirit of pure musical joy.

---

Analysis based on Spotify audio features data from 986 tracks in the “Big Now! Ben” playlist