Spotify Wrapped Hacked? Users Uncover Unwanted Lil Durk Dominance

Spotify Wrapped, designed to showcase users’ favorite artists of the year, has become a source of concern for some who suspect their accounts have been compromised. Many individuals discovered Lil Durk prominently featured at the top of their Wrapped list, despite having no intentional affinity for the rapper.

The issue first surfaced in May 2023, but the recent release of Spotify Wrapped has reignited discussions on the matter. One user on the Spotify Community forum expressed their bewilderment, stating, “I have zero recollection of ever listening to Lil Durk, and I have only ever seen him in memes. I changed my password and logged out of all devices, but that doesn’t change the fact that he is everywhere.”

So, what’s the cause of this phenomenon? While hacked accounts are a possibility, it’s more likely that users have unwittingly granted third-party apps access to their Spotify API. To address this concern, users must visit the Spotify website on a laptop or desktop computer since mobile access is insufficient.

Spotify Wrapped Hacked—How to Restrict API Access from Third-Party Apps

To curb unauthorized streaming issues, users should restrict access to their Spotify account. Upon logging in to the main Spotify website on the account page, click the ‘Apps’ button link on the left-hand column.

Navigate to the section titled ‘Apps with Access to your Spotify Information.’ This section displays a list of applications with permission to access the user’s Spotify account. Removing an app’s permissions is possible by clicking ‘Remove Access’ next to that specific app.

A common thread in these reports points to a third-party Spotify data processing app known as ‘Receiptify.’ Most users reporting Lil Durk’s unexpected prominence in their Spotify Wrapped also mention encountering the rapper in their Receiptify reports.

“This happened not only to me but to four of my other friends. Anyone else doing a deep dive into Lil Durk’s stream numbers and revenue specifically for the month of May 2023? Something wants me to feel like there is some sort of fraud being committed,” one comment discussing the issue reads.

The targeted nature of this campaign becomes apparent as everyone facing this issue ended up streaming Lil Durk intentionally. These accounts weren’t hacked and sold en masse on dark-net sites; rather, they were used to repeatedly stream Lil Durk albums, suggesting a deliberate effort to manipulate streaming metrics.