The 'Alexa, play Despacito' meme, also known as 'This is so sad,' emerged in 2018 as a satirical response to performative sadness or minor inconveniences. The format typically involves presenting a scenario that is either genuinely sad or ironically trivial, followed by a command to the Amazon Echo smart speaker to play the hit song 'Despacito' by Luis Fonsi. It peaked in popularity on platforms like Tumblr and Reddit, poking fun at how people use technology to curate their emotional responses. Over time, the meme evolved to include variations where Alexa is asked to play increasingly absurd songs, solidifying its place as a cornerstone of late-2010s internet irony.