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Woody Cook shares his most-played tracks with Spotify Wrapped: ‘Watch the next 10 years reinvent music’

The up-and-coming DJ and star of The Circle reflects on the artists, tracks and genres that soundtracked his 2021.

By Will Stroude

In paid partnership with Spotify

Spotify Wrapped 2021 has officially landed, and as the world compares notes on the music and podcasts that have soundtracked their year, Woody Cook is sharing his Wrapped playlist exclusively with Attitude.

The star of The Circle, 20, first discovered a knack for DJing back in 2020 during the first lockdown, so it’s no surprise that the son of Fatboy Slim aka Norman Cook and presenter Zoe Ball has spent more than 995 hours – almost 60,000 minutes – listening to tunes on Spotify in 2021.

Of course, that means there’s plenty to get into as Woody sits down with Attitude to dive headfirst into his Wrapped and reflect on the artists, tracks and genres he’s been gripped by over the last 12 months.

As you might expect from a young DJ on the rise, Woody’s top five most listened to tracks of 2021 come from some of the world’s hottest house and dance producers.

Songs sailing into his top five include ‘Smile and Go’ by British dance music collective SAULT, ‘Idol Eyes’ by psychedelic soul producer Common Saints, ‘Do It’ by out Haitian-Canadian producer KAYTRANADA, and ‘Hu Man’ by Greentea Peng, the ‘psychedelic R’n’B’ singer from South East London.

Woody tells Attitude that he actually discovered his most listened to track, SAULT’s ‘Smile and Go’, by chance on Spotify.

“I discovered it off the Spotify algorithm, because sometimes, all you’ve got to do is let your playlist end and it starts suggesting new songs,” the young producer exclaims.

“We’ll just have a thing on a night out where we leave it on, or sometimes we do the song radio, and it just plays the most incredible music.” 

Woody, who came out publicly as bisexual during his time on The Circle in 2019, adds: “I get really obsessed with stalking my friends’ accounts where I’ve got them on my laptop and I can see what they’re listening to. I’m so obsessed with music, I’m always craving more.”

As the son of dance legend Fatboy Slim, you might expect that Woody’s musical discoveries start at home, but the Brighton-born musician admits he’s developed his musical taste independently – even if it’s ended up being eerily similar to his chart-topping dad’s.

“For me, my journey of music’s been interesting, ‘cause everyone goes ‘Oh, so you get that from your dad?’,” admits Woody. “I’m like, ‘No?!’ By the time my dad comes home from tour, what’s he gonna do, listen to music? No!

“So, I think all my music’s been my own musical journey, but then I end up liking the same thing as him. It’s just one of those funny things. It’s about going to loads of different sources.

“Even the other day I was looking at some of the playlists Spotify make… the Spotify algorithm’s banging. If you like a song, press radio of that song and it’ll find other ones like it.”

Still just 20, Woody is part of the next generation of DJs shaking up the music scene – and though he’s a fan of the classics, Woody firmly believes that the best is yet to come.

“I’ve gotta say, the 2020s is gonna kill it,” declares Woody when asked about his favourite musical decades.

“People who are like ‘music’s dead, pop music’s crap’, just watch the next ten years reinvent music. There’s a new wave coming, there’s all these cool artists, especially in the UK.

“The UK’s been killing music like they haven’t done in a very long time.”

Listen to Woody Cook’s Wrapped playlist on Spotify and below. Find out which artists, tracks and genres defined your 2021 and get your Spotify Wrapped now.