The 2025 edition introduces several fresh tools, including Listening Age – which uses music preferences to estimate the user's age (a friendly suggestion: enjoying Springsteen may result in a 10-year addition) – and Clubs, which sorts listeners into categories based on their genre tastes, according to USA TODAY.

Spotify Wrapped 2025 top artists, songs and albums revealed

During a media presentation on December 2, the team responsible for creating Spotify Wrapped expressed optimism that subscribers would be pleased with the 2025 version, especially after receiving feedback in 2024 regarding the application of AI in developing the experience. Dustee Jenkins, Spotify's chief public affairs officer, responded positively to the critique, affirming that the comments "reminded us just how much this experience means to listeners." She stated that the current year's aesthetic is centered on traditional music sharing, embracing "the world of mixtape culture." Spotify executives, while demonstrating the new additions, emphasized that only one element is powered by AI, with the remainder of the report being meticulously developed for months by teams situated globally, USA TODAY detailed.

Finding your Wrapped stats

Are you trying to find your personalized metrics? Ensure your application is updated initially. Next, launch Spotify, and a Wrapped banner should appear that you can select to view your data.

Wrapped tracking duration

The data for Spotify Wrapped is calculated from your listening history spanning January 1 to around the middle of November.

New additions: Listening age, clubs, and more in 2025

If a significant part of your Wrapped was overlooked, relax! This year, subscribers can reduce the speed of their report and conveniently go back to previous sections. Listening age, which is calculated based on the release dates of the songs you listened to, is one of the new elements introduced this year, USA TODAY noted. The second novelty is Clubs, which places you into one of six distinct groups: Soft Hearts, Serotonin, Cosmic Stereo, Full Charge, Grit Collective or Cloud State Society. Once your musical tastes determine your category, you will also be informed of your role within that club and the specific artist that was the reason for your placement.

In the portion of the report dedicated to artists, listeners will face a brief challenge to identify the performer or band they listened to most. Afterward, preceding the ultimate announcement, an "artist sprint" feature, which uses actual month-by-month listening information, illustrates a user's leading contenders racing to the finish line before the victor is determined, according to the report.

Additionally, as with the previous year, users will receive a brief video message from a top artist and will be able to see their placement on the fan leaderboard. The much-requested Top Albums feature has been added, and a listener archive feature will highlight key occurrences in a user's experience, such as when they most often discovered or shared music. The archive is the sole function relying on AI, Spotify indicated.

The shared experience: Spotify wrapped party

Possibly the most discussed new component in this year's Wrapped is a feature that transforms the event from "a solo experience," into "a multiplayer celebration," stated Payman Kassaie, the director of brand and creative for Spotify, as per USA TODAY. Party, an interactive live feature, is similar to the start of the pandemic, when a like-named function from Netflix allowed people to stream shows together and engage in real-time discussion. Spotify's iteration lets users invite up to nine friends to contrast their listening statistics. The procedure will reveal who in the collective streamed the most music, who had the rarest song play, or who earned the title of "dinner table explainer" (the individual who listened to the greatest quantity of political podcasts).

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The Wall Street Journal reported that Netflix's revenue climbed 16% to reach $11.08 billion during the second quarter, while net profits surged 46% to $3.1 billion. The company's financial momentum reflects its ability to capitalize on popular content and global expansion strategies.

Operating margins expanded significantly to 34.1% in the second quarter, compared to 27.2% during the same period last year, surpassing the company's own projection of 33.3%, The Wall Street Journal noted. Free cash flow nearly doubled to $2.3 billion from $1.2 billion year-over-year.

The entertainment giant, which hosts successful series including "Squid Game," "KPop Demon Hunters," and "Ginny & Georgia," has solidified its position as the leading global streaming platform while traditional entertainment companies continue facing difficulties with declining cable operations. Netflix shares have nearly doubled over the past year.

Netflix anticipates that returning popular programming such as "Wednesday" and the concluding season of "Stranger Things" will maintain viewership momentum during the year's second half.

The streaming service now projects generating $44.8 billion to $45.2 billion in annual revenue, representing an increase from previous guidance of $43.5 billion to $44.5 billion. Netflix also raised its operating margin expectations to 29.5% from 29%.

Netflix implemented price increases across existing US subscription plans in January. The company has redesigned its user interface and expanded investment in diverse programming, including international content, to attract and retain subscribers.

With domestic streaming subscriber growth experiencing deceleration, Netflix has focused on broadening its international content portfolio. The company announced a partnership with French broadcaster TF1 in June, enabling Netflix subscribers in France to access selected TF1 channels and on-demand programming.

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When browsing Netflix, subscribers across seven countries – Israel, Italy, South Africa, Greece, Turkey, Germany, and Switzerland – will discover that "Friends" is slated for removal from the service by December 31, potentially marking the end of the show's run on the streaming platform in these regions.

This mirrors a similar situation from December 2021, when the beloved comedy was saved from departure following widespread fan protests on social media. At that time, the show was scheduled to exit alongside numerous Warner and Fox studio productions but maintained its place in Netflix's library.

Currently, there's no confirmation regarding contract renewal negotiations or the show's future availability on the platform. Netflix representatives have not responded to requests for comment.

Given the show's consistent ranking among Netflix's most-streamed content globally, there's reasonable speculation that the platform might once again extend its licensing agreement. Time will tell if "Friends" will remain accessible to Netflix subscribers in these territories.

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Google announced the Google TV Streamer, a new premium 4K streaming device priced at $99.99, designed to compete with high-end streaming devices like Apple TV 4K and Roku Ultra, offering faster performance, improved features, and a redesigned interface.

The TV Streamer supports 4K at 60 frames per second, Dolby Vision, HDR10, HDR10+, Dolby Atmos, spatial audio, and has amenities like an Ethernet port, 32GB of built-in storage, and a faster processor (22% faster CPU, more RAM) than previous models. It also includes a built-in Thread border router for improved connectivity.

The device offers enhanced search capabilities with Gemini AI, providing curated recommendations, show summaries, reviews, and season breakdowns based on streaming subscriptions and preferences. It integrates with Google Photos and supports features like ambient mode and spatial audio.

The Google TV Streamer functions as an entertainment device and smart home hub, integrating with Google Home and Matter to control various smart home devices through voice commands and routines. It also serves as a control panel for viewing security cameras and receiving alerts from appliances.

The device has a wireless remote with improved grip, programmable buttons, and a function to search for lost remotes. It supports voice commands.

The Google TV Streamer is scheduled for release on September 24, with preorders starting earlier. Google plans to eventually phase out the Chromecast in favor of the TV Streamer,but will continue to support existing Chromecast devices with updates. Google may introduce a cheaper, HD-only version of the new set-top box in the future.

The Chromecast brand will be available while supplies last, but newer devices like the Chromecast with Google TV will continue receiving software and security updates.

While the TV Streamer supports a wide range of apps and over 800 free channels, its $100 price point may be a barrier for those who only stream in HD, and it lacks appeal to the gaming market.

Google has also unveiled the new Nest Learning Thermostat (4th Gen) with a new design inspired by the Pixel Watch, featuring a slimmer, more premium look, a larger screen, rotating metal dial, and made with recycled materials. It supports Matter, has a dynamic farsight feature showing weather and temperature, and comes with a redesigned Nest Temperature Sensor for better whole-home temperature tracking. It is available for pre-order at $279.99 in the U.S.

Sources: Mobile Time, Business Insider, Wired, Ars Technica, Forbes, USA Today, CNN, CNET, The Verge, Engadget, PCMag, TechCrunch, TechRadar, Mashable, Gizmodo, ZDNet.

This article was written in collaboration with Generative AI news company Alchemiq.

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Showrunner is a new AI-powered streaming platform launched by Ed Saatchi, the founder and CEO of The Simulation, that allows viewers to create and customize their own TV show episodes using artificial intelligence.

The platform utilizes AI to generate dialogue, characters, voice acting, editing, and shot types based on user prompts, enabling non-technical users to easily create and watch custom TV show episodes.

Showrunner aims to become the "Netflix of AI," offering a free test version for users on a waitlist, with over 50,000 registrations already.

The platform blurs the line between consumer and creator, transforming TV into a collaborative experience where viewers have control over the content they watch.

While AI-generated video content has advanced rapidly, it is still considered clunky and hard to watch, potentially leading to low-quality content and lack of audience engagement on Showrunner.

Hollywood's history is closely connected to technological innovation, and the rise of generative AI in the industry is sparking debates on its impact on jobs, creativity, and filmmaking as a whole.

Showrunner has attracted interest from Hollywood filmmakers, who are exploring its potential to create series and potentially incorporate user-generated episodes.

Concerns have been raised about Showrunner's potential impact on production professionals and the use of copyrighted materials to train the AI.

The official launch date for Showrunner is unknown, but responses from TV industry professionals towards the platform are varied.

Sources: TechRadar, Western Journal, Movie Guide, Port.hu, Musically, Bug.hr, ScreenRant, CreativeBloq, Pymnts, and Maginative.

This article was written in collaboration with Generative AI news company Alchemiq.

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California prosecutors on Wednesday dropped domestic violence charges against Justin Roiland, who created the Adult Swim animated series "Rick and Morty" and provided the voices of the show's two title characters.

Orange County district attorney's spokeswoman Kimberly Edds said the two felony counts involving a former girlfriend were dropped "due to a lack of sufficient evidence beyond a reasonable doubt."

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Roiland responded "I have always known that these claims were false — and I never had any doubt that this day would come," he said. "I'm thankful that this case has been dismissed but, at the same time, I'm still deeply shaken by the horrible lies that were reported about me during this process."

Roiland, 43, had been awaiting trial on charges of corporal injury and false imprisonment by menace, fraud, violence, or deceit against the woman, who he was living with at the time. She was not identified in court documents.

The charges dated to May of 2020, but they went unnoticed by media outlets until NBC News reported on them in January of this year.

Adult Swim and Cartoon Network cut ties with him when the charges were reported and said his roles would be recast. 20th TV Animation and Hulu Originals, which produce two other animated series Roiland worked on, did the same.

In his tweet, Roiland said he is "determined to move forward and focus both on my creative projects and restoring my good name."

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Actor Firas Nassar, 28, has appeared in films such as "Dancing Arabs," "Foxtrot," and "In Between," as well as in series like "Sirens," but is best known for playing the main villain El-Makdessi in the second series of "Fauda."

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Now the actor, a native of Nazareth, has secured a role in the American series "Invasion," which recently started streaming on AppleTV+ and is in rehearsals for the play "Onigin. Commentaries," which is slated to go up at the end of December at Gesher Theater.

"Invasion," which was renewed for a second season last week, is a sci-fi drama in which the planet is invaded by aliens who threaten to annihilate humanity. The story is told from the viewpoint of five different characters, each of which is trying to survive the chaos.

Nassar plays Ahmed Malik. The alien invasion catches Malik and his wife Anisha (played by Iranian actress Golshifteh Farahani) as their marriage is in crisis. Anisha has discovered that Malik is cheating on her and plans to leave her, but the unexpected circumstances change any plans the couples and their children had, and they are forced to flee their home on Long Island.

For Nassar, this is his first foot in the door of an American TV series.

"We started filming in New York a few months before COVID, and in the middle of the seventh episode everything stopped," he says. "I moved there, and it messed up my plans. I wanted to be in Israel during COVID, it's the best place to be in circumstances like these."

Nassar says that "Invasion" was one of the first series to resume filming after the US lockdown.

"On the set, they were very careful about all the COVID restrictions. It actually helped with the series' apocalyptic atmosphere. The actors were isolated on the set. We couldn't see each other between scenes, to protect us. The loneliness helped us better understand what was taking place in the series. We identified with the sense of survival and concern for your loved ones," he recalls.

According to Nassar, the main difference between Israel and American productions is the budget. The production costs for "Invasion" are assessed to be especially high, some $200 million.

"When there's more money, conditions are different, but you also need to learn and deal with the different work 'codes' in the US. I feel lucky to be a working actor at this time, because there's more ethnic diversity than ever before – and that's what I like about the series. Every character is from someplace else, and the main protagonists are women. The streaming platforms want to reach audiences all over the world, and there's an enormous difference [between now] and five years ago. Consciousness has changed," he says.

Q: Do they still recognize you from 'Fauda'?

Nassar (laughing): "When I have a beard. I'm still not used to it. Sometimes I walk around wearing headphones and don't understand why people are looking at me."

Q: Tell us about the play at Gesher Theater.

"It's a new version of the rhyming novel 'Eugene Onegin' by Alexander Pushkin, and it opens on Dec. 30 as part of the Gesher Theater's Jaffa Fest festival."

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Music platform Spotify has published a list of its biggest hits for 2021, and it doesn't include too many surprises.

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For the fourth year in a row, Omer Adam was the most popular singer on Spotify's Israeli streaming service. In second place was Eden Hason, followed by Eyal Golan, Ravid Plotnik, and Justin Bieber.

The female singer most-streamed on Spotify in Israel was Eden Ben Zaken, followed by Noa Kirel, Billie Eilish, Ariana Grande, and Taylor Swift.

The most popular album on Spotify in Israel was "Sour" by Olivia Rodrigo, followed by "Future Nostalgia," Dua Lipa's 80s-style disco-pop release. In third place was Justin Bieber's "Justice," Omer Adam's "The 8," and Ed Sheeran's "=."

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Netflix launched a "Palestinian Stories" film collection on its streaming service Wednesday. Subscribers will find 32 one-sided films that incite against IDF soldiers and the state of Israel and ignore Palestinian terrorism, with additional films added later on.

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The films offer a one-sided view of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and include scenes depicting interrogation by Israeli security officials and life in a refugee camp.

In its announcement, Netflix quoted Palestinian director May Odeh, whose film "The Crossing" appears in the category, as saying: "I'm glad to finally have alternative Palestinian films accessible to wide audiences through Netflix. We all in the Palestinian film industry have been eager to share our narrative with the world through our authentic creative productions as an alternative to news reporting. I can't thank the team at Netflix and Front Row enough for the effort to make this happen."

Matan Peleg, the director of right-wing watchdog group Im Tirzu, suggested, "If Netflix wants to tell the Palestinian story, it should start by contacting the thousands of bereaved families who were impacted as a result of the murderous Palestinian terrorism. Netflix is following in the path of Ben & Jerry's [which announced plans to stop selling ice cream in Judea and Samaria] in a pathetic and shallow attempt to brainwash hundreds of millions of people. The result will be exactly the same as that of Ben & Jerry's – huge financial losses."

He continued: "Netflix isn't launching a category for the atrocities in Syria, where nearly one million people died over the last 10 years, or about the crimes in China. Israel is the only great criminal. We intend to call on the Israeli public and the Israel-supporting public around the world to boycott the company. We will not turn the other cheek. Those who hurt us will get hurt," he said.

Peleg offered the company the following advice: "Instead of creating vapid reality content alongside progressive content, maybe Netflix should try to present what is really happening in the Middle East. For shame!"

In a statement, the streaming service responded to the criticism by saying, "Netflix believes in artistic freedom and continuously invests in authentic stories from around the world. The collection of Palestinian stories will showcase the depth and variety of the Palestinian experience and explore people's lives, dreams, families, friendships, and love.

"Since its launch, Netflix has invested in dozens of Israeli TV shows and films and recently issued an official statement on Twitter and Instagram delineating its opposition to antisemitism in all its forms, including the worrying increase in hate crimes and Holocaust denial," Netflix said.

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"The Arab hub provides a unique platform that brings the full spectrum of Arab culture and creativity, past and present," said Suhel Nafar, a musician from the Israeli city of Lod who serves as Spotify's senior Arab music and culture editor.

Spotify is the first major streaming company to launch a program specific to the Palestinian territories, allowing local artists to reach new global audiences despite local challenges.

"As Palestinian artists, we face a lot of restrictions. Some cannot travel to perform in another country," said Bashar Murad, a Palestinian singer based in east Jerusalem.

He said Spotify is helping him to get his music heard.

"After the launch, my monthly followers [on Spotify] increased from 30 to something like 6,500," Murad added.

However, the lack of high-speed cellular services in the West Bank and Gaza Strip will limit the app's on-the-go use.

"I will have to be at home or at a cafe or a place where there is good internet connection to be able to upload my songs to Spotify," said Mohammed Al-Susi, a rap artist from Gaza who registered for Spotify last week.

The Palestinian territories are the only Arab market included in Spotify's regional launch that lacks 4G broadband infrastructure, although some consumers use speedier networks in neighboring Israel. The West Bank launched a 3G service in late 2017, but Gaza only has a 2G service.

Once Gaza has 3G, "it will be something great. Better than posting my songs on Facebook and having to see people's comments. It is purely a venue for music," Susi said.

Spotify has been unofficially available in the West Bank and Gaza for several years via accounts registered in Israel or other markets and accessed through a virtual private network, or VPN.

Spotify launched in Israel in March.

Still, having a music and social service specific to the Palestinian territories is "something significant," said Murad.

"Despite the restrictions, we can unite on social media," he said.

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