Data Reminders

Perfect—this one is made for a strong closing question. I added it in your style:

Data is an interesting thing.

For example, Spotify has this new feature for its 20th anniversary where it shows you the very first song you ever played—and the date you first used the app.

So on July 16th, I believe, was the first day I listened to Spotify. And the very first song I played was How You Like Me Now by The Heavy.

I don’t even remember listening to that song. I don’t remember making the decision to press play. I have no idea why I picked it. It’s not a band that’s in heavy rotation for me. But for some reason, that was the first song.

And then I started thinking…

I don’t remember the exact date of my last phone call with my mother.
I don’t remember the exact date of my last conversation with my father.
I don’t remember the first book I ever checked out of a library.
Or the first TV show I ever watched.

But now, because of algorithms, I do have images of my son’s first birthday.
My first day of work.
His first day of kindergarten.

We know those things.

So there is something positive about data.

There’s also a bit of confusion in it.

I’m not really sure where I land.

But it is interesting to know the very first song I ever listened to on Spotify.

What’s something meaningful in your life that no data ever captured—but you still carry with you?