How To Get Spotify’s Playlist In A Bottle For A Music Time Capsule

It’s probably been a while since you’ve made a time capsule, but now there’s a way to memorialize life in 2023 without having to assemble a commemorative collection of meaningful items, or even remember where you buried it. Spotify’s new Playlist in a Bottle feature lets you select the songs that best describe your life right now, so you can look back on it in the future and see how your music taste has (or hasn’t) changed. If you’re ready to preserve some mems you don’t have to dig up in 365 days, here’s how to get Spotify’s Playlist in a Bottle time capsule.

You might want to throw on your Spotify Wrapped playlist before putting together your Playlist in a Bottle, because you’re gonna want to have all your fave tracks top of mind when you do. The feature, which launched on Jan. 4, is a lot like the time capsules you made as a kid, except you don’t have to spend hours sifting through pictures or deliberating with your besties over what toys should be included. Instead, all you need to bring are the tunes that perfectly encapsulate your interests, preferences, or your mood in 2023. Don’t worry about curating the ~perfect~ playlist before you dive in, because the feature is there to guide you through it all (and even offer up song suggestions). Spotify’s Playlist in a Bottle asks you a series of music-based prompts, and each song you select is added to your musical time capsule.

You’ll have until Jan. 31, 2023 to “bury” your playlist, and the playlist will be sent back to you in January 2024.

How To Get Spotify’s Playlist In A Bottle

Creating your very own music time capsule is so simple, but you won’t find the feature on the Spotify app. Here’s what you need to know about how it works, including where to find the Playlist in a Bottle feature, how to use it, and more.

Visit Spotify’s Playlist In A Bottle Website

Through the end of the January 2023, you can submit your capsule by visiting the Playlist in a Bottle website on your mobile device, or scanning the QR code here. Next, tap the “Get Started” button at the bottom of the page. Before you begin selecting your songs, you’ll be asked to choose one of six items to store your playlist in:

• A bottle
• A tiny pocket in your jeans
• A gumball machine
• A lunch box
• A teddy bear
• A lil’ acorn

Tap the arrows on the left and right to scroll through the options. When you’ve chosen a capsule, tap the “Next” button between the arrows.

Answer Prompts

Once you’ve made your selection, then comes the good part. You’ll be given a series of song-inspired prompts to help pick your time capsule soundtrack. Some of the questions you might be given include:

• A song that reminds you of your favorite person
• A song you need to hear live in 2023
• A song you’re going to kiss someone to this year
• A song you’re convinced was written about you
• A song that should be here just because

According to Spotify, you only need to answer three prompts in order to send off your playlist, but you can answer up to 11. Type your answer into the search bar, then tap the plus icon next to your desired song once it pops up.

If you select the wrong song, type the X and start again. If you can’t think of an answer, you can tap the “Next Question” button for a whole new prompt, or tap the “Random” button at the right of the search bar. According to Spotify, the randomly selected songs are pulled from a list of songs you’ve listened to in the past.

Submit & Receive Your Playlist In A Bottle

After you’ve answered at least three prompts, you’ll be taken to a page to review your list. Here, you can either change your selections by tapping the X next to each songs, add more songs by tapping the “Add Songs” button, or “seal” your playlist with the “Lock In” button. Keep in mind, Spotify won’t build out a longer playlist inspired by the songs you selected — only the songs you choose will be included in the musical time capsule, so you might want to answer all the prompts if you want a full 11-song playlist.

After that, your work is done — Spotify will let you know when your playlist is ready to be unsealed in January 2024, so you don’t have to mark your calendar a year in advance.