I am a self-titled music lover. And I have a feeling most college students share my love for music–either by choice or simply out of necessity as a way to break the silence during the sheer number of hours we spend studying. As I walk around campus I lose track of the number of people with earbuds in, it seems like everyone is always listening to something. And I’m totally here for it, I love seeing everyone off in their own little worlds listening to their music.
I am one of those people who makes a playlist for everything. If I find a song that I like that doesn’t fit in any of my playlists – then I make a new one. Some of them are meticulously curated to fit an exact mood and then others are just massive dumps of songs titled something like “feel good” or “pop” (yes I know, a whole genre is not specific at all for a playlist, it’s one of my greater embarrassments). We’ve all got the classics, sad songs, study songs, happy songs – but if you’re feeling like there’s a hole in your playlists, or you’re looking for some ideas to spice up your next playlist, I got you covered.
Pro tip: I recently found out that you can sort your playlists into folders on the desktop version of Spotify, which was a game changer for my massive mess of playlists.
1. A “driving on the highway with the windows down” playlist.
This is for all those high energy feel good songs that are great for sunny days. I have a similar one for driving in the rain – still feel good songs but nice and mellow.
2. A “driving on the highway in a high speed police chase” playlist.
This has very different vibes from our first playlist. It’s for all your angsty intense “I’m drifting around the corner to get to my stats lecture on time” songs. If it sounds like it’s straight out of a racing game, it’s perfect.
3. Summer Summer Summer!
Now is the perfect time to start making your summer playlist(s), or even just to update the one from last year. Now that it’s March and the sun is making more of an appearance, it’s time to pull out all the songs that help you soak it up.
4. The “My life is a movie” soundtrack.
These are really fun playlists to make. If you’ve ever heard a song that you were like “holy cow if my life were a movie this song would play as the intro”, that’s exactly the energy you’re going for here. If ever there was a playlist that embodied Tears for Fears’ “Everybody Wants to Rule the World,” this is the one.
5. One (or several) conquer the world playlists.
This is bordering on a classic playlist with how many people have them. But if you’re late to the party, these playlists are for all your hype up songs. Whether it’s getting ready for a night out or walking around campus like the icon you are, these playlists have got you covered.
6. Living in a dystopia.
This one may be a bit more niche, but with the way the world has been the past few years, it may come in handy. Any dark and broody songs (maybe with a synthy electronic edge) would be perfect here.
7. Songs that feel like a hug.
Sometimes you just need a (musical) hug. This is a great place for any songs that put your mind at ease or calm you down, and it’s a good place to turn if things get tough or you get overwhelmed. A little note: If you listen to this playlist enough it may start to have the opposite effect as you start associating the songs with being stressed, which is some super fun psychology at work.
The Spotify vs Apple Music debate may be never-ending, but that doesn’t mean your search for good music for your playlists has to be. May you be forever be blessed with stellar Discover Weeklys and Release Radars (#TeamSpotify).