A video created by an unknown TikToker set off the point of view (POV) trend in 2019. The tiktoker used the caption, “POV: What your Nintendo DS LITE sees when you pictochat your crush.”It gained over 72,400 likes and 2,100 shares in three months and gained over 472,600 likes and 10,200 shares in one year. 

After years of POV getting used all across the TikTok community, the abbreviation grew popular for playlist names on Spotify Music. These specific names help music lovers know exactly what they want to feel when listening to their playlist. This abbreviation started to trend not only on Spotify but also on multiple different streaming sites like Youtube Music, Apple Music and Amazon Music. 

Before this trend, playlist names contained a short and simple phrase of three or four words. They did not use great detail when describing the music as they do now. A rare amount of people didn’t use names, but simply numbered playlists or labeled them by genre. People also frequently created playlists with all of their favorite songs from an artist and named the playlist after the artist. Now, people will make that playlist but instead of only putting the artist’s name, they would put POV in front of it. For example, several J. Cole lovers named their playlist, “POV: You’re in love with J. Cole.” 

“Some people would think POV playlists are corny and cheesy, but people would search up POV playlists so they won’t feel alone. I think POV playlists are necessary because they could make people feel a specific type of way. I would make a playlist using POV to describe how I felt while I made it,” NC sophomore Zaria Dunn said.

Unlike newer playlists that include longer titles, older ones normally use only two or three words. “POV: you have an eating disorder but nobody cares because you look and seem ‘healthy’,” stands as an example for a longer title. These playlists relate to the creator and others, and this eating disorder playlist alone gained 20,692 likes. When people create playlists using a POV that they relate to, they gain hundreds or thousands of likes that help them know others relate to them.

“I think it makes it very personal to the viewer, because the video is through their eyes,” TikToker Adam said.

The POV trend expanded all over social media and music streaming sites. Even though titles may seem long to read, it helps people know what they want to feel when they listen to the music. Influencers guarantee a new trend for playlist names in the near future.

“POV playlist names are necessary because I can know the exact feeling it’s based on if I need to listen to it later. I like them because some are funny and it’s easier to find playlists made by other people. I also like that I can use them when I see an aesthetic picture and want to make a playlist based on it,” NC sophomore Sienne Bennet said.