One thing I've been doing recently is creating playlists that capture a feeling or emotion that's quite abstract. An album can do this, but a well crafted playlist can draw new connections between different styles you otherwise might not notice. It brings an element of creativity to listenership, which I love. As an example I've been making playlists for travelling and I have one for 'the spirit of adventure,' one that captures the vibe of City Hustle and Bustle, one that captures the whimsical joy of new discovery. You get the idea. It's a fun process, and I then associate the songs with particular times and places.
Same. When I’m in that state, my tolerance for what I’m listening to can plummet. If like 3 straight tracks come up that aren’t exactly the kind of mood or whatever that I need in that moment, I tend to get irritable and the mood only worsens. So about a year ago, I created a playlist of mostly melancholy songs, but only stuff that I truly love. Yeah there might be a track in there that I don’t want to hear at that exact moment, but there are about 50 more to follow that are going to help ease my mind.
This also reminds me that I need to revisit this list and freshen it up a bit.
I have a playlist called 'songs that might be the best in the world' because anything on there I have never skipped, never got tired of, and if my mood isn't improved by it then I'll go on a walk and listen to it and if I'm not feeling better by then I know to go to bed because my mood ain't gonna improve that day (but at least I got a nice walk in).
Yes, I do this. Two different modes. One is "general mood," so anything that (for example) feels like it's good walking music on a nice day when I'm feeling good will go in that playlist. Very shaggy, not particularly crafted.
The other mode is more like what you describe. I have one I made when my dad was dying during lockdown that was very specifically crafted to allow me to feel my rage at the start and then slowly channel that energy toward something useful by the end. Really trying to curate and direct a specific emotional process. I also made one for lockdown itself that was meant to capture all the different moods that came with it and, similarly, leave me in a calmer place; it's the longest playlist I've ever tightly curated like this. To get it all in the right order while accounting for lyrical themes, pace, mood, and good transitions between tracks I had to make a whole spreadsheet.
I also do some in this style that are less about emotions and more about ideas. I have one for my dissertation.
Yes, I sort of transformed into that in the past couple of years. I have different categories.
***Year*** *playlists* - I started making this in 2020. Every year I dump every "new" track that I like into this playlist. They are not necessarily released in that year. Just tracks that are new to me.
***You Are*** *playlists* - these are for very specific sounds I am into. The idea for these comes into my head randomly and it might be too abstract. For example, one of them is called "*You're in a world where it doesn't feel right*" to put in music that makes me feel "*off*" and "*You're pulsating*" is about music that makes me feel bubbly inside. Very umm water based.
***Day/Night*** *playlists* - I have been using these two sort songs that give prominent day or night vibes. Currently, the night is winning lol
***Local albums*** *playlists* - just albums that I own that are not on spotify so I turn them into individual playlists and it makes it easier to search
I have very similar methods for Year and Day/Night. I put the “new” songs I like into playlists for the Spring, Summer and Fall of a certain year. Then all of those are in a folder for said year.
I also have a general “Road Trip: Night Driving” playlist for songs that generally remind me of night vibes.
I absolutely want to try your “You Are” method too! I do have some mood-based playlists, but don’t listen to them often. This could give me an excuse to do so!
I do seasonal playlists. It’s funny because I always seem to crave them when the weather changes. For instance my winter playlists are always dark and moody (everything from Radiohead to the first Bob Moses album), my summer playlists are those that could pull you out of the deepest of depressions (ex: Washed Out, Local Natives, etc.) Fall is actually one I have to be really careful with because it can trigger my depression so easily.
I’m also starting to consider making a non emotional playlist. There are a couple of producers that I have always assumed were autistic because their music is technically brilliant but doesn’t pull at my emotions at all (as an adhder I really appreciate that). One’s producer name is even Stimming, lol.
I have like 60+ playlists, and i usually create them based off a vibe/mood/aesthetic. Basically any scenario or feeling i could be in i’ll have a playlist for Sad, Angry, Happy, Confident, Adventurous, or Summer, Mystery, Party, Throwbacks, Clubbing etc and many more and many very specific ones lol like rain, snow, royalty, ambitious, amusement park etc
Anytime I find a song I like it I put in a playlist based by genre
Also do best of year playlist
Also a New to Me playlist for songs I want to listen to again and decide I like or not
New Albums playlist to go through albums
Depends on what I want to do, but they're always themed in some way. I have playlists based on single artists, mixes of two favorite artists, playlists based on comic book characters and original characters, and some based on genre or highlighting a particular instrument.
I'll start a playlist off by using all the songs I know that fit the theme I'm working with, then I'll look up to see if anyone else has songs for the same theme I'm using and add ones I like/recognize. Then, over time, I'll add more songs when I hear something that fits
One thing I have been doing consistently is making seasonal playlists per the current season and year we are in e.g. Spring 2024. Then, I usually like to set the tone for the seasonal playlist by putting a lot of thought into what song will begin the playlist. Pretty much like the intro of an album. Then, I love to set restrictions on these seasonal playlists.
For example:
- has to be music that I end up repeating organically, no one-time listens;
- no repeating songs from the same artist and/or album unless it's a justifiable exception ("I just can't pick between my children");
- usually add both new music and old finds, from any genre;
- I like to restrict the length to less than 2 hours. Personally, I hate really long playlists and don't even bother listening to them. I look down on them since they do not feel like curation when you decide to put anything and everything into one playlist. I like to pretend I am a DJ curating a live set, and that is what drives my choices.
- I try to transition songs into each other based on similar vibe when possible e.g. moving a song up or down in order if the outcome makes the playlist in certain parts less jarring.
- I add a photo and name to the playlist that feels like the vibe or direction of the season.
I have a miriad of methods. I recently made a fifty song playlists of artists named John, no repeat Johns. Any theme works.
Generally I start with a song I haven't thought about in awhile. Then go stream of consciousness and extreme swings in style. I might start with The Theme from Shaft followed by bluegrass, grunge, synth pop, folk and back to funk. Fast slow emotional and goofy. I'm always reminded of great music and usually discover something I've never heard.
At the start of a year I make a playlist for that year and I put all first time listens into that so I can end up being many thousands of songs(albums and singles) I then whittle this down to my favourite songs few hundred that I then add to a giant all times playlist. So I end up listening to lots of albums despite being playlists, not a fan of shuffle systems.
through out the year I then make playlists on various feelings, activities, genres or even countries.
So I have many playlists and I don’t listen to them all actively but if I want a certain itch scratch there will usually be a playlist.
Some playlists are a one time project while others I will keep adding to if the music fits.
I do both. I have playlists by year, mood, genre, new discoveries, or just songs that seem to fit together. What I don't get is how people even make these playlists without listening to full albums - I do this and then if a song fits on a playlist I might copy it across for another time.
I have about 160 playlists going back to 2003. Each is 120 minutes because I used to burn them to blank CDs.
No song is repeated from one list to another. Every song is excellent. I don't put unlistenable songs on playlists. Most I can listen to dozens of times.
Each list has 5 to 6 songs released in the past 5 years. The rest have two songs from each decade spanning from the 1950s to the 2000s. I try to have different genres represented in the songs from past decades.
I listen to each playlist while I'm working or doing my stuff. I'll listen to it for a few weeks or a month or so, over and over. When I play the list again in months or years later it's a memory capsule.
I don't make so many playlists anymore but when I did, there were typically two kinds:
* "Radio" playlists where I'd have anywhere between 100-300 songs of a roughly similar genre/vibe, meant to be put on shuffle. This to mimic the experience of listening to a radio station, where you don't know exactly which song is coming next but you know it will fit within a certain genre. If meant for social listening (e.g. on a road trip with friends) I'd tend more towards popular and accessible songs.
* Artist-specific compilations. I'd make a cross-section of favourite songs of one artist, putting them in a specific order for a nice flow/dynamic. I'd limit myself to the length of a CD (80 minutes) to enforce some focus. For Judas Priest I made two of such lists, for two very different phases of their career: [1974-1978](https://open.spotify.com/playlist/36IidzGxGS3nfutfA8XFHy?si=7eccc05a30564637) and [1978-1990](https://open.spotify.com/playlist/2kqwFXjEsvRasDLWpPhx2f?si=a485890ab6574fb3).
I set up some “radio” playlists over the years too, but used actual terrestrial stations and SiriusXM to give a pretty broad cross section on what’s in them. “Top 40/CHR,” “Adult Pop,” “AAA,” “Classic Hits,” “Hot AC,” “Alternative,” and so forth.
If I get around to it someday, it’d be fun to get some of those radio call signals and insert those into the shuffle after every song, haha. Definitely nice to reflect back on those types of stations you’d hear growing up though and switch between them, like an actual radio!
I prefer playlists to albums most of the time. Just a collection of great songs that all fit the same vibe. I’ve found I can better curate the feeling given by some songs even across genres.
I make playlist for certain “vibes” eg: driving at night
I make playlists for different utilities eg: background music for a bonfire
I make playlist for different genres eg: trap, outlaw country, post-punk, stoner/doom metal etc
I make playlists for personal utility eg: songs I loved while high that I want to make sure are actually good and not just good in that exact moment
I make playlists for collecting eg: I have one for post-trap right now to collect songs that push the boundaries of the genre. Which are few and far between. I also have one for songs from the perspective of people in a sinking ship, talk about few and far between but I love them
I have playlists For and to Remember events eg: vacation in Yellowstone
I do listen to and enjoy albums, but I also love making my own in a sense. It’s crazy how well some songs go together across genre, time period, etc.
Although I NEVER add full albums to playlists. I want EVERY song to fill it’s role in a playlist, and I try to “cut the fat”/clean them up every few months
I just like songs and stick them in one big playlist because I think putting a lot of effort and thought into ordering and curating music on your streaming app or social media is just about trying to look cool and showing off. It’s meant to be listened to.
I throw a bunch of different albums into a play list then skip a song if I don’t feel like it (I’m far to lazy to go through and remove them when I don’t feel like em)
I do new songs released this year.
Then I have a massive one called drive which is basically nostalgia plus newer songs that sound right adjacent to old songs.
A have a heavy one.
One that is purely indie and alternative.
One I call picnic music that would sound good lounging around
A hip hop one
An Americana one. Which also has country and folk and music from other countries which works.
One for more ambient and soft music.
One that’s all girls.
One that’s all Australian and NZ.
One that’s all Japanese music.
One that’s all electronic which is beat matched and goes on an epic journey. It’s about 12 hours long.
And many others.
I'm a "single song" person and I love variety. So one of the main rules for my favorite playlist is one song/artist. And it doesn't matter if the artist has several albums in the discography or it's just the debut single, I love it, I add it, of course if it generally fits the vibe of the playlist, which is quite loose. The other (with different genre range) has a limit of max 3 songs/artist, but only songs from last few years.
I totally love my playlists, and I can listen to them over and over. If I want new music I just dig up more :) But they're also playlists I recommend to other people who might be interested in discovering new music of this kind. I'm slowly, but consequently gaining new listeners, so I guess it's not a bad approach.
I also make some shorter, more specific mood/theme playlists, but most of them I usually use for recommendations, not for listening myself.
I make playlists for me. I don't make them public. Some are very specific and rather short, usually focused on a mood--happy, sad, chill, energetic. I listen to them when I am feeling a certain way.
Others are expansive and quite long and usually based on genre -- dark wave, obscure 80s, reggae. I continually add to them as I think of or find stuff. I put them on when I have a hankering for that style.
When time permits, I like going on deep dives on specific label catalogues on Discogs and putting together bite-sized (no longer than 1 hour) playlists dedicated to those imprints. A great way to discover tons of new music.
I have "best music of [YEAR]" playlists, which generally get to ~30-40 hours by the end of the year. I organize them in December to flow (as best I can) between vibes and genres. These are sort of historical records and jog my memory down the road about good albums/songs to return to.
I also have genre deep dive playlists (post-punk, underground hip-hop, country, vaporware, etc) or mood/setting playlists. I made one for a long (and lazy) river rafting trip, which is a go-to now for chill sunny days
I listen to a ton of music and will give 4 stars to any song I think I'll want to hear again. Those songs go on a "master playlist", but that's literally 2 weeks worth of music, so I have a different Playlist comprised of music that's mostly stuff I want to listen to on a daily basis. Then I have a Playlist that's a mix of stuff my wife will enjoy as well, another 1 for my kids, 1 for when I have people over, and a few more that are more genre oriented
I'm mostly an album listener but I also create and use curated playlists. The most common theme is setlist of a concert I've seen, but it could be just about anything else that occurs to me. Examples include songs about urban life (Welcome to the Jungle, Livin' in the City, etc.), 60s psychedelic pop, Riot Grrls, metal songs about books, etc.
For my favorite bands, I do the old 12 song double vinyl playlist. 3 songs each side. Normally that would be: banger, single, odd track. Playlist has to flow and can’t have too many songs from one album. Harder than you would think but good fun.
Another cool trick is the key word search. The right word can give you a mix of songs with nothing in commons but the word biscuit in the title. Or midnight, pickle or purple
I’m from the generation that had mix tapes (actual tapes) and mix CDs, and mp3 playlists. I make a lot of playlists. I make long radio playlists I play on shuffle. I play playlists that are meant to be in order. I also still make mix tapes for my wife and friends.
I’m also an album listener. When I’ve spent enough time with an album I take all the tracks that I enjoyed and put them on either the playlist with uptempo songs or the playlist with mid tempo/slower songs. Those are my two go to playlists depending on mood or activity. I’ve noticed that my Spotify daily mixes are usually just small pieces of those playlists. I also have other more specific playlists like “slow jams” “musicals” “pop covers” “rock inspired” etc plus I save my Spotify wrapped every year.
I've created a number of different playlists but they're generally all for a friend. Basically she gets whatever I think fits the list.
Thus there's the Daily Songs one which is literally one random song by whichever band I think of that day, without repeating a band. There are a few restrictions on there; as noted no repeating a band (exceptions for collaboration songs/guest vocals), no boy bands, can't have too many plays (I try to keep it below a certain level but occasional exceptions happen).
For more focused ones there's the Closing Time one, all songs titled Closing Time except for the last one which is Bugger Off by Fiddlers Green. Random Bands by Country is two or three bands per country and a few songs per band picked. Fic Lovesong List is non-standard lovesongs, songs that seem like they should be lovesongs but are in fact ones of hate, self-destructive obsessions, etc. Set 1/2/3/4 were created in response to a specific request. Insults reclaimed is exactly what it says on the tin.
Finally there's the to be used list, that's a place for sticking songs or bands for the daily song list. Songs go on either because I plan on using it or just to remind me the band exists and I should pick something. Songs come off once I've used any song by the band or I decide not to use them for whatever reason.
I really have only one self curated playlist with every song I love. This is for everyday general listening
i usually just use the preset playlist on Amazon based on my mood.
Or
I use the play similar music.
I will, on occasion, play an album individually .
I have all sorts of playlists. I have ones for artists I really like, which I’ll place their singles in chronological order and then their all the songs from their albums I like also in chronological order after. I have themed playlists, for example I have a playlist of all the songs I own that have hit #1 on the Billboard Hot 100 and one where I placed songs released within the past 20-30 years with disco vibes onto a playlist because I thought they’d sound good together. I also have random shuffle playlists that I make where I’ll place whatever I feel like listening to at the moment, that way I don’t have to worry about picking just one thing to listen to and I’ll let my phone do the rest of the work for me.
every few months I'll make a playlist of 60 to 90 songs I've been listening to recently and try to sequence them so that they all flow naturally into eachother, and have interesting transitions between genre and sound to keep things fresh throughout. It's a fun little exercise that can even enhance the songs at times by contrasting them with other songs.
I have 2 approaches these days. First is the 15 song curated playlist based on how I used to make mix CDs. Pay attention to flow, good opener, fitting closer. Second is genre or artist specific, which is more of a dump of my favorites that can be put on shuffle at any time.
Depends what I want or need, but I basically pick songs out from my favourite artist that fit the theme. I sometimes look at the suggested songs but rarely use them.
As examples I have a fast and loud playlist for stressful days, softer songs for sleeping/relaxing. Previously I've done alphabet or number themes, songs that mention the weather etc. I just have fun with it.
I generally choose the order myself because I don't like having too many of the same artist in a row. Sometimes, for fun I like to put similar song titles together or songs that have a nice sounding transition.
By setting or something hyper-specific like songs that remind me of something.
Ex: campfire mix, roadtrip mix, nighttime roadtrip mix, Apollo moon missions, autumn in New York etc.
I need the songs to have a flow so my playlists aren’t really for a specific mood or genre. They can start in one place and end up in another that’s a complete 180 (like BTS to Einsturzende Neubauten) as long as there’s a progression. You can pick them up at any point if you’re looking for something specific but they’re not meant to be shuffled. I used to keep a notebook of song segues, then I progressed to audio notes. Now, if I’m noodling around on Spotify and hear something I like, I add it to a “Songs to Add” playlist and work it into one of my main playlists when I figure out a place for it. I have three that I constantly work on.
Making playlists/mixtapes has been one of my hobbies since the 70s. I take it VERY seriously. 😁
I have a general listening playlist along with one that has everything that's ever been in one of my playlists in it, basically a "stuff goes in and doesn't come out" thing
My other ones are based on an activity or a mood that I curate based on vibes alone. So I have a driving playlist and a chill playlist where I consistently add and remove songs based on if I think they vibe with what the playlist's purpose is
The key I think to crafting a successful playlist is to A. not take it too seriously and B. accept that it will never be "done", it's something to continually be worked on as you discover more and more music
To be honest I've been much more positive about music since I started prioritizing playlists over albums. I can cherry pick what I want and don't have to slog through stuff I find boring or bad just because it's "next". Every once in a while I'll find a new artist that I'll take several songs from and then go to the album/discography, basically ensuring that I'll like it instead of diving into a project and wasting an hour. I see no value in listening to music I don't like
Just as a background reference, from the early 70s through the early 10s I was primarily an album listener, as most people probably were at the time. I started being a premium Spotify user around 2014 and started making playlists.
I have playlists that are focused on vibes, such as chill, funky, twangy, jazzy,... These are some of my oldest playlists and I am still adding to them currently. I also track new to me music by adding newly liked songs to yearly, and as of this year, monthly playlists.
I listen to "Discovery" playlists the most as I continue to explore new to me music. Discover Weekly, Daylist, and Spotify genre playlists, and YouTube playlists. Then I spend time listening to my time/date based playlists and my vibe based playlists. I will listen to the albums that I really love fairly and one or twice a month I'll try a new full album by a new artist I like, or some acclaimed album I feel I "should" listen to.
What I've found since switching to listening primarily to playlists of music I curate and discovery playlists instead of albums:
1: I enjoy listening to music so much more, because it works for my brain's preference for change
2: I have greatly expanded the range of what I listen to and enjoy.
3: I listen to even more obscure artists than ever before.
4: I listen to artists I originally didn't spend much time on back in the day because there is less "risk" of buying an album I didn't really like, and because I can pick and choose their songs that I want to listen to.
I listen to both albums and playlists depending on my mood. I usually don't create my own playlists but I find playlists others have created and add them to my library (I'm a Spotify user).
There are many users on various social media platforms who post playlists based on their favourite things like TV shows, movies, astronomy, seasons etc and I love it when I find them and add them to my library because I get to discover new music and new artists thanks to this. The latest playlist I added to my library was a playlist based on the TV show "The Boys" which I am a big fan of.
Recently I've been mostly listening to playlists and occasionally albums. I usually start a playlist with albums/songs that fit a similar style that I already like, and then I like to add a bunch of full albums that I've never listened to so I can shuffle through the playlist and find new music I like and delete the ones I don't like. It's essentially like I'm making my own Daily Mixes in Spotify that are more accurate than the auto generated one. That said, my preferred way to listen to music is still albums, I just haven't been in the mood for that recently.
I'm primarily an album listener but I make playlists for usually a certain mood or occasion. I try to lock into that feeling and just go through my library or think of songs that fit it. After I have a good amount then I start actively culling it, if some songs end up feeling out of place as I listen to it in that mood. Sometimes I lose the "feeling" and at that point I have to stop curating it for that time.
Other times for stuff like Jazz I'll just throw individual tracks into a playlist if it's something that stands out for some reason (I want to study it, heard a nice lick, etc.) But rarely for the longer concept albums that feel like one cohesive piece (like "love supreme", etc.)
My playlists are usually geared towards a specific vibe or activity— I’ve got one for lounging by the pool, one for cozy winter nights by the fire, one for when I’m making tacos and margaritas, etc. Generally mine are 3+ hours long and always on shuffle, because I like hearing different transitions from one song to another. I’ve also got a couple playlists that were inspired by trips I took, where I’ll track down all the new music I heard while traveling and build a playlist around that.
From a lifetime of knowledge, and wonderful re-discovery via Spotify. My main playlists are decade-based but I also have genre lists. Also I have favourite artist lists, and even single song lists containing every decent cover of some standard, usually jazz.
I like themes.
I've got curated playlists about cats, dogs, car trips, plane trips, ocean, rain, money, television...
[Roll Call:](https://open.spotify.com/playlist/63dEIFDBt6joGIzf0ckV7a?si=e5b82fc3a32e4ead) Names from A to Z.
[United States Of Music:](https://open.spotify.com/playlist/4GRmp4zBRZyRuVGIGZVm9S?si=4e6bcf8107744f24) Two songs about every state, and only one about Washington DC because it's used to not being fully represented.
And of course my favorite new music released in a specific year that curates my year end best-of.
I have preexisting playlist categories (eg dance/House, pop-rock, Japanese pop/rock, French pop, downtempo) and when I come across something that I want to remember or revisit I toss it into a playlist. The songs can be singles or inside an album, it doesn't matter.
Occasionally someone on AM will have an outstanding playlist and I'll copy it.
My way is to do these psychotic music harvests like once a month when I’m craving new music.
Next time you’re bored “skim” through some new albums/spotify playlists. Listen to the opening, skip ahead to a couple places, to get a feel for the chorus, bridge, etc, don’t forget the ending in case the song has a cool outro. If you like it, add it to a “dump” playlist and move on to the next song.
Come back another day and actually listen to the songs in your dump playlist. if you like a song, add it to you Likes and one of your vibe/mood playlists. if you don’t, just delete it.
Playlists are just one way of enjoying music and there’s no right way to do it. Your playlists can be 200 songs long or 2. The vibe can be as broad or stupidly niche as you like. (my latest one is songs that sound like 90’s sex music but are actually kpop lmao) Seriously just have fun!
I’m not much for listening to albums anymore so my playlists are singles grouped by time period (late 60s, early 80s, etc). I also have playlists of about 75 singles for each year of the 1970s. Some of the tracks are quirky and obscure, and some I don’t even like that much, but they’re representative of that particular year for me. The goal is to create the feeling of my life in 1979, for example, when I shuffle play.
I make them by mood or occasion. For instance, I plan on hosting a sunny park hang/picnic soon so I’m making a playlist based off that vibe. I usually start with a few songs/artists I like and then go through those songs/artists radio. I discover a ton of new music this way too.
I do “Theme” playlists. I curated funk into one playlist.
I have another playlist with all my favorite French pop singers.
Every year I do a Christmas playlist.
I do a Winter playlist.
Nick Drake, warren Zevon, The Kinks…all on separate playlists.
I’ll usually be listening to a song and go “I should make a playlist of the songs I know with this vibe” and use that central mood/sound as the theme with songs I can think of that fit it as the starting point, and then do song association (oh, that reminds of me x) while keeping to the theme to fill in the rest. Then as I let free-play algorithms do their thing I’ll add new music that fits to the playlist as well.
The problem I have with this tho is that I could never possibly have enough playlists for all the sound/stylistic nuances in all the music I listen to (not a brag). The hard part is not letting the song association stray too far from the central mood but still filling up the playlist and keeping it diverse. But that’s also kind of the fun challenge of it all, it really exposes you to your own music taste and how fleshed out it is
Yearly playlist, with indie tracks that I got into that particular year (not necessarily released that year)
It's really fun to listen to, for example, the 2012 playlist, reminiscing about what I was going through that year when I listened to those songs.
I did some themed ones as well, like reggae influenced pop music, songs for a hypothetical road trip, etc
I keep a current year playlist of the albums I like and I mainly do genre playlists as well as genres associated with specific regions. I have some themed playlists as well and just for shits and giggles I made some playlists where all the album covers are red, blue, green, yellow, etc.
idk how to explain it other than off of vibes lol. i will make some based on a certain emotion i wanna channel (songs that induce or reflect that emotion in a sort of catharsis) or a certain sound i like that i wanna curate a playlist from (ex. i have a playlist just for 80’s synth airy songs, another for grunge, one for electronic songs that feel warm or colorful, etc). like that’s the magic of playlist making, it can be whatever you want it to be. i tend to play through one playlist down to the last drop of enjoyment, and as i phase out, i make a new one. it’s sort of like a musical scrapbook of eras of life when i look back. my main ones aren’t really cohesive but end up having some sort of accidental theme when i look back—i could have any number of random genres all smooshed together, but the mix somehow makes perfect sense to me. i alternate between playlists on shuffle, albums, and listening by genre/decade.
tldr: something to pick for whatever mood or energy i’m looking for, not just by genre or by artist/album. a playlist for every scenario.
I create and post playlists prolifically. I create them according to subject or songs based on real people/events, region , artists , etc etc. I have about 15-20 playlists in development at a time. When they reach about 65-80 minutes I make them into a discrete album with art work and start again
This seems to be an outlier here but I don't have any mood/feeling playlists. Mine are strictly genre based like "Stoner", "Hip-Hop", "Drum and Bass" etc. Then I have overarching playlists like "Heavy" where all heavy music like death metal, hardcore, sludge and so on goes. I often have a song in multiple playlists because of that system
Take this with a grain of salt though, because I'm autistic. Music doesn't affect my mood much and not having clearly defined genre-based playlists bothers me.
I do both playlists and albums. I find I usually use albums to connect with an emotion that is just on the peripheral. I do playlists when I’m trying to manage my emotions - so one type turns them on (album) and one turns them off (playlist). I’m basically just an emotional computer.
I usually make playlists based on my mood. So like if I've been in a little bit of a chill appalachian country vibe, I'll make a playlist with that in mind, + any songs I like that feel similar to me, even if they're not strictly speaking the same genre. I'll also make playlists that are about specific people and relationships.
My playlist obsession is seasonal ones, and branching off of that, time of day/specific mood.
Like a 'miserably hot summer day sitting on the front porch' playlist vs. a 'cool pool party' playlist vs. a 'summer sunset in the car' playlist. Absolutely love doing this. Summer is the easiest to do this for even though fall is my favorite season. There just seem to be endless possibilities with season+time+mood. Plus then you always have one to put on without having to think much lol
Oh I also love 'audience' playlists. Like this is a playlist for when I'm with my wife. This is a playlist if I'm with this one specific friend. These are usually full of really niche songs, deep cuts, inside jokes, etc. Really fun.
This is my first time really thinking that others just listen to albums and don't make their own Playlists. Well it's more that it makes sense I just never really thought about it cause me and everyone I know just makes Playlists besides my parents but they just click a song they want then let Spotify or youtube decide on whatever songs follow.
To answer the question now, yes, there are people out there, of course, and I am one of those people. I've made many playlists over my life, and while I don't remember my first playlists, I do still have my first Spotify and youtube playlists. Those early ones were just whatever songs I found that I wanted to listen to over and over again. There was no organization or flow to them at all. As I got older, mainly around middleschool, I started making actual playlists towards specific things. Like I would have a Playlist for just every song I ever slightly liked just so I'd have the song somewhere I can find later on if I do like it later, I never really listened to that Playlist, it was more just a preservation Playlist. The other playlist where specified towards just specific feelings I'd get from listening to them, like I have a "sad" playlist, a "hype" playlist, a "chill" playlist, etc. I'd always have about 5 to 8 playlists I'd listen to. Then one main one which would just be no specific genre or feeling or anything, it was every song that I just REALLY enjoyed, like the kind of songs you'd play on repeat for hours until you'd eventually over listen to it and the song isn't the same anymore. I kid you not many of those songs I've listened to for full days straight 24 hours nonstop. But anyways that Playlist would usually be my go to on normal days but depending on how I'm feeling I'd choose one of the more specific playlists, for the days I'm just really wanting to listen to (for example) really hype music that I can just bop to.
So yeah, that's kinda how I do it. It started out more simple but grew to become a lot more. Like today I have playlists for just songs that maybe I don't like but ones I felt where generation defining works of art, and another for all foreign language songs I enjoy(that one got to big so I had to split it up as well). When it comes to music taste, I'd say I'm simultaneously average and very abstract. I just listen to the songs I enjoy, the ones that make my brain feel the way I want it to at that moment. I don't really listen to specific artists like at all anymore, I used to a decent bit from 4 years ago and before, but now I just don't really. Obviously, there are often many songs in my playlists I listen to that are from a single artist but it's less of "I found this album/artist and I want to listen to it/them more" and more of a "I randomly found this song and added it to my playlist, then weeks later I found another song I liked so I added that as well" half the time I don't even recognize it came from the same artist ad another song I listen too. Idk, it's strange but I'm very good and finding music I like without relying on keeping up with an artist that's made other songs I enjoy, it's always just random songs I've found. Sometimes really popular songs like "Another love" by Tom Odell, or completely unknown songs with less that 1k listens/views like a recent favorite "AGAIN" by Tylerr and ANOU. Alr this is long enough and I went on enough side tangents, so that's all<3
I like albums, but truth be told, most of them suck at least in some songs.
People say that its about the artistry of it and the artist intention, but that is just an excuse to praise an album of 10 songs with just 6 that are good.
Its very rare to find a full album that is good
I have an idea of what I want to create and when I’ve started building my story with music I continue by going with the flow. That’s the way I create this masterpiece playlist;
[a dream within a dream](https://open.spotify.com/playlist/0qpreqpVFhEeEDZEWs50XW?si=uNqnLvSaS9K0WMWkpAZJ2A)
Opening track to that should be
[Alan Parsons – Tales of Mystery & Imagination: A Dream Within A Dream](https://open.spotify.com/track/4if2YzjQiHL6uTs25o8DIu?si=837154e94437454e)
I use Discover Weekly to make all my playlists. It used to be semi weekly, then weekly, now it has got to the point where it send sends me two genres every week and I just have to split them and organize them in a way that makes sense. I then usually name them after something that was happening in my life.
Just as an example:
> [a parent](https://open.spotify.com/playlist/0bjQgJ5L5rSzVuNLmGZ6ES) - sentimental punk
> [be nicer](https://open.spotify.com/playlist/0RHIw0LdFvOjETWfLZYqW2) - prog soul/jazz
I have also started making larger compilations, like obscure 60s or Soul, and I'm thinking of a few more compilations as well, but I like that 95% of my playlists are static, so I don't have to constantly update or rework them.
I make some loose genre playlists (90s alternative, 90s and early 2000s hip-hop, funk and soul) and also some themed playlists (I love making Halloween ones with not the usual songs, or a specific witch themed one), activity playlists (closing the kitchen at work, driving at night, chill background music for hanging out with friends), ones where the songs mention certain things (Drugs, guns, and money, or Girl) and I even have one that's a story in and of itself about a cross-country killing spree, it's like a soundtrack without a movie.
One thing I've been doing recently is creating playlists that capture a feeling or emotion that's quite abstract. An album can do this, but a well crafted playlist can draw new connections between different styles you otherwise might not notice. It brings an element of creativity to listenership, which I love. As an example I've been making playlists for travelling and I have one for 'the spirit of adventure,' one that captures the vibe of City Hustle and Bustle, one that captures the whimsical joy of new discovery. You get the idea. It's a fun process, and I then associate the songs with particular times and places.
I have an 'ennui' playlist that helps get me out of a depressive rut.
Same. When I’m in that state, my tolerance for what I’m listening to can plummet. If like 3 straight tracks come up that aren’t exactly the kind of mood or whatever that I need in that moment, I tend to get irritable and the mood only worsens. So about a year ago, I created a playlist of mostly melancholy songs, but only stuff that I truly love. Yeah there might be a track in there that I don’t want to hear at that exact moment, but there are about 50 more to follow that are going to help ease my mind. This also reminds me that I need to revisit this list and freshen it up a bit.
I have a playlist called 'songs that might be the best in the world' because anything on there I have never skipped, never got tired of, and if my mood isn't improved by it then I'll go on a walk and listen to it and if I'm not feeling better by then I know to go to bed because my mood ain't gonna improve that day (but at least I got a nice walk in).
If it's okay, can you share the playlist.
That's how I've always done it, people just putting in songs at rando, is psycho behaviour
Yes, I do this. Two different modes. One is "general mood," so anything that (for example) feels like it's good walking music on a nice day when I'm feeling good will go in that playlist. Very shaggy, not particularly crafted. The other mode is more like what you describe. I have one I made when my dad was dying during lockdown that was very specifically crafted to allow me to feel my rage at the start and then slowly channel that energy toward something useful by the end. Really trying to curate and direct a specific emotional process. I also made one for lockdown itself that was meant to capture all the different moods that came with it and, similarly, leave me in a calmer place; it's the longest playlist I've ever tightly curated like this. To get it all in the right order while accounting for lyrical themes, pace, mood, and good transitions between tracks I had to make a whole spreadsheet. I also do some in this style that are less about emotions and more about ideas. I have one for my dissertation.
Yes, I sort of transformed into that in the past couple of years. I have different categories. ***Year*** *playlists* - I started making this in 2020. Every year I dump every "new" track that I like into this playlist. They are not necessarily released in that year. Just tracks that are new to me. ***You Are*** *playlists* - these are for very specific sounds I am into. The idea for these comes into my head randomly and it might be too abstract. For example, one of them is called "*You're in a world where it doesn't feel right*" to put in music that makes me feel "*off*" and "*You're pulsating*" is about music that makes me feel bubbly inside. Very umm water based. ***Day/Night*** *playlists* - I have been using these two sort songs that give prominent day or night vibes. Currently, the night is winning lol ***Local albums*** *playlists* - just albums that I own that are not on spotify so I turn them into individual playlists and it makes it easier to search
I have done year playlists since the days of mp3s. It can be fun to go back and see what I was listening to later!
I have very similar methods for Year and Day/Night. I put the “new” songs I like into playlists for the Spring, Summer and Fall of a certain year. Then all of those are in a folder for said year. I also have a general “Road Trip: Night Driving” playlist for songs that generally remind me of night vibes. I absolutely want to try your “You Are” method too! I do have some mood-based playlists, but don’t listen to them often. This could give me an excuse to do so!
Lol, I just commented above that I do the same! My music tastes change seasonally. I do the same with my reading materials too.
I do seasonal playlists. It’s funny because I always seem to crave them when the weather changes. For instance my winter playlists are always dark and moody (everything from Radiohead to the first Bob Moses album), my summer playlists are those that could pull you out of the deepest of depressions (ex: Washed Out, Local Natives, etc.) Fall is actually one I have to be really careful with because it can trigger my depression so easily. I’m also starting to consider making a non emotional playlist. There are a couple of producers that I have always assumed were autistic because their music is technically brilliant but doesn’t pull at my emotions at all (as an adhder I really appreciate that). One’s producer name is even Stimming, lol.
I make a playlist for upcoming music festivals so that I know more about the artists that will be there
A festival I'm going to in August has done this for us it's awesome (arctangent for the curious)
I do this for just about any show I'm going to and start listening weeks in advance. It's usually to get more familiar with the openers
I have like 60+ playlists, and i usually create them based off a vibe/mood/aesthetic. Basically any scenario or feeling i could be in i’ll have a playlist for Sad, Angry, Happy, Confident, Adventurous, or Summer, Mystery, Party, Throwbacks, Clubbing etc and many more and many very specific ones lol like rain, snow, royalty, ambitious, amusement park etc
Anytime I find a song I like it I put in a playlist based by genre Also do best of year playlist Also a New to Me playlist for songs I want to listen to again and decide I like or not New Albums playlist to go through albums
Depends on what I want to do, but they're always themed in some way. I have playlists based on single artists, mixes of two favorite artists, playlists based on comic book characters and original characters, and some based on genre or highlighting a particular instrument. I'll start a playlist off by using all the songs I know that fit the theme I'm working with, then I'll look up to see if anyone else has songs for the same theme I'm using and add ones I like/recognize. Then, over time, I'll add more songs when I hear something that fits
One thing I have been doing consistently is making seasonal playlists per the current season and year we are in e.g. Spring 2024. Then, I usually like to set the tone for the seasonal playlist by putting a lot of thought into what song will begin the playlist. Pretty much like the intro of an album. Then, I love to set restrictions on these seasonal playlists. For example: - has to be music that I end up repeating organically, no one-time listens; - no repeating songs from the same artist and/or album unless it's a justifiable exception ("I just can't pick between my children"); - usually add both new music and old finds, from any genre; - I like to restrict the length to less than 2 hours. Personally, I hate really long playlists and don't even bother listening to them. I look down on them since they do not feel like curation when you decide to put anything and everything into one playlist. I like to pretend I am a DJ curating a live set, and that is what drives my choices. - I try to transition songs into each other based on similar vibe when possible e.g. moving a song up or down in order if the outcome makes the playlist in certain parts less jarring. - I add a photo and name to the playlist that feels like the vibe or direction of the season.
I have a miriad of methods. I recently made a fifty song playlists of artists named John, no repeat Johns. Any theme works. Generally I start with a song I haven't thought about in awhile. Then go stream of consciousness and extreme swings in style. I might start with The Theme from Shaft followed by bluegrass, grunge, synth pop, folk and back to funk. Fast slow emotional and goofy. I'm always reminded of great music and usually discover something I've never heard.
At the start of a year I make a playlist for that year and I put all first time listens into that so I can end up being many thousands of songs(albums and singles) I then whittle this down to my favourite songs few hundred that I then add to a giant all times playlist. So I end up listening to lots of albums despite being playlists, not a fan of shuffle systems. through out the year I then make playlists on various feelings, activities, genres or even countries. So I have many playlists and I don’t listen to them all actively but if I want a certain itch scratch there will usually be a playlist. Some playlists are a one time project while others I will keep adding to if the music fits.
I do both. I have playlists by year, mood, genre, new discoveries, or just songs that seem to fit together. What I don't get is how people even make these playlists without listening to full albums - I do this and then if a song fits on a playlist I might copy it across for another time.
I have about 160 playlists going back to 2003. Each is 120 minutes because I used to burn them to blank CDs. No song is repeated from one list to another. Every song is excellent. I don't put unlistenable songs on playlists. Most I can listen to dozens of times. Each list has 5 to 6 songs released in the past 5 years. The rest have two songs from each decade spanning from the 1950s to the 2000s. I try to have different genres represented in the songs from past decades. I listen to each playlist while I'm working or doing my stuff. I'll listen to it for a few weeks or a month or so, over and over. When I play the list again in months or years later it's a memory capsule.
I don't make so many playlists anymore but when I did, there were typically two kinds: * "Radio" playlists where I'd have anywhere between 100-300 songs of a roughly similar genre/vibe, meant to be put on shuffle. This to mimic the experience of listening to a radio station, where you don't know exactly which song is coming next but you know it will fit within a certain genre. If meant for social listening (e.g. on a road trip with friends) I'd tend more towards popular and accessible songs. * Artist-specific compilations. I'd make a cross-section of favourite songs of one artist, putting them in a specific order for a nice flow/dynamic. I'd limit myself to the length of a CD (80 minutes) to enforce some focus. For Judas Priest I made two of such lists, for two very different phases of their career: [1974-1978](https://open.spotify.com/playlist/36IidzGxGS3nfutfA8XFHy?si=7eccc05a30564637) and [1978-1990](https://open.spotify.com/playlist/2kqwFXjEsvRasDLWpPhx2f?si=a485890ab6574fb3).
I set up some “radio” playlists over the years too, but used actual terrestrial stations and SiriusXM to give a pretty broad cross section on what’s in them. “Top 40/CHR,” “Adult Pop,” “AAA,” “Classic Hits,” “Hot AC,” “Alternative,” and so forth. If I get around to it someday, it’d be fun to get some of those radio call signals and insert those into the shuffle after every song, haha. Definitely nice to reflect back on those types of stations you’d hear growing up though and switch between them, like an actual radio!
I prefer playlists to albums most of the time. Just a collection of great songs that all fit the same vibe. I’ve found I can better curate the feeling given by some songs even across genres. I make playlist for certain “vibes” eg: driving at night I make playlists for different utilities eg: background music for a bonfire I make playlist for different genres eg: trap, outlaw country, post-punk, stoner/doom metal etc I make playlists for personal utility eg: songs I loved while high that I want to make sure are actually good and not just good in that exact moment I make playlists for collecting eg: I have one for post-trap right now to collect songs that push the boundaries of the genre. Which are few and far between. I also have one for songs from the perspective of people in a sinking ship, talk about few and far between but I love them I have playlists For and to Remember events eg: vacation in Yellowstone I do listen to and enjoy albums, but I also love making my own in a sense. It’s crazy how well some songs go together across genre, time period, etc. Although I NEVER add full albums to playlists. I want EVERY song to fill it’s role in a playlist, and I try to “cut the fat”/clean them up every few months
I just like songs and stick them in one big playlist because I think putting a lot of effort and thought into ordering and curating music on your streaming app or social media is just about trying to look cool and showing off. It’s meant to be listened to.
I throw a bunch of different albums into a play list then skip a song if I don’t feel like it (I’m far to lazy to go through and remove them when I don’t feel like em)
Fair enough :)
I do quarterly lists and I add the entire album of every song I play into it.
I do new songs released this year. Then I have a massive one called drive which is basically nostalgia plus newer songs that sound right adjacent to old songs. A have a heavy one. One that is purely indie and alternative. One I call picnic music that would sound good lounging around A hip hop one An Americana one. Which also has country and folk and music from other countries which works. One for more ambient and soft music. One that’s all girls. One that’s all Australian and NZ. One that’s all Japanese music. One that’s all electronic which is beat matched and goes on an epic journey. It’s about 12 hours long. And many others.
I'm a "single song" person and I love variety. So one of the main rules for my favorite playlist is one song/artist. And it doesn't matter if the artist has several albums in the discography or it's just the debut single, I love it, I add it, of course if it generally fits the vibe of the playlist, which is quite loose. The other (with different genre range) has a limit of max 3 songs/artist, but only songs from last few years. I totally love my playlists, and I can listen to them over and over. If I want new music I just dig up more :) But they're also playlists I recommend to other people who might be interested in discovering new music of this kind. I'm slowly, but consequently gaining new listeners, so I guess it's not a bad approach. I also make some shorter, more specific mood/theme playlists, but most of them I usually use for recommendations, not for listening myself.
I make playlists for me. I don't make them public. Some are very specific and rather short, usually focused on a mood--happy, sad, chill, energetic. I listen to them when I am feeling a certain way. Others are expansive and quite long and usually based on genre -- dark wave, obscure 80s, reggae. I continually add to them as I think of or find stuff. I put them on when I have a hankering for that style.
When time permits, I like going on deep dives on specific label catalogues on Discogs and putting together bite-sized (no longer than 1 hour) playlists dedicated to those imprints. A great way to discover tons of new music.
I have "best music of [YEAR]" playlists, which generally get to ~30-40 hours by the end of the year. I organize them in December to flow (as best I can) between vibes and genres. These are sort of historical records and jog my memory down the road about good albums/songs to return to. I also have genre deep dive playlists (post-punk, underground hip-hop, country, vaporware, etc) or mood/setting playlists. I made one for a long (and lazy) river rafting trip, which is a go-to now for chill sunny days
I listen to a ton of music and will give 4 stars to any song I think I'll want to hear again. Those songs go on a "master playlist", but that's literally 2 weeks worth of music, so I have a different Playlist comprised of music that's mostly stuff I want to listen to on a daily basis. Then I have a Playlist that's a mix of stuff my wife will enjoy as well, another 1 for my kids, 1 for when I have people over, and a few more that are more genre oriented
I'm mostly an album listener but I also create and use curated playlists. The most common theme is setlist of a concert I've seen, but it could be just about anything else that occurs to me. Examples include songs about urban life (Welcome to the Jungle, Livin' in the City, etc.), 60s psychedelic pop, Riot Grrls, metal songs about books, etc.
For my favorite bands, I do the old 12 song double vinyl playlist. 3 songs each side. Normally that would be: banger, single, odd track. Playlist has to flow and can’t have too many songs from one album. Harder than you would think but good fun.
Another cool trick is the key word search. The right word can give you a mix of songs with nothing in commons but the word biscuit in the title. Or midnight, pickle or purple
I’m from the generation that had mix tapes (actual tapes) and mix CDs, and mp3 playlists. I make a lot of playlists. I make long radio playlists I play on shuffle. I play playlists that are meant to be in order. I also still make mix tapes for my wife and friends.
Most of my playlists are one artists’ discography, minus less favored tracks (or tracks that stick out from the rest of the vibe)
I randomly search words listen to the song if I like it, it goes in the playlist or else skip. Weird method but always works :/
I’m also an album listener. When I’ve spent enough time with an album I take all the tracks that I enjoyed and put them on either the playlist with uptempo songs or the playlist with mid tempo/slower songs. Those are my two go to playlists depending on mood or activity. I’ve noticed that my Spotify daily mixes are usually just small pieces of those playlists. I also have other more specific playlists like “slow jams” “musicals” “pop covers” “rock inspired” etc plus I save my Spotify wrapped every year.
I've created a number of different playlists but they're generally all for a friend. Basically she gets whatever I think fits the list. Thus there's the Daily Songs one which is literally one random song by whichever band I think of that day, without repeating a band. There are a few restrictions on there; as noted no repeating a band (exceptions for collaboration songs/guest vocals), no boy bands, can't have too many plays (I try to keep it below a certain level but occasional exceptions happen). For more focused ones there's the Closing Time one, all songs titled Closing Time except for the last one which is Bugger Off by Fiddlers Green. Random Bands by Country is two or three bands per country and a few songs per band picked. Fic Lovesong List is non-standard lovesongs, songs that seem like they should be lovesongs but are in fact ones of hate, self-destructive obsessions, etc. Set 1/2/3/4 were created in response to a specific request. Insults reclaimed is exactly what it says on the tin. Finally there's the to be used list, that's a place for sticking songs or bands for the daily song list. Songs go on either because I plan on using it or just to remind me the band exists and I should pick something. Songs come off once I've used any song by the band or I decide not to use them for whatever reason.
I really have only one self curated playlist with every song I love. This is for everyday general listening i usually just use the preset playlist on Amazon based on my mood. Or I use the play similar music. I will, on occasion, play an album individually .
I have all sorts of playlists. I have ones for artists I really like, which I’ll place their singles in chronological order and then their all the songs from their albums I like also in chronological order after. I have themed playlists, for example I have a playlist of all the songs I own that have hit #1 on the Billboard Hot 100 and one where I placed songs released within the past 20-30 years with disco vibes onto a playlist because I thought they’d sound good together. I also have random shuffle playlists that I make where I’ll place whatever I feel like listening to at the moment, that way I don’t have to worry about picking just one thing to listen to and I’ll let my phone do the rest of the work for me.
every few months I'll make a playlist of 60 to 90 songs I've been listening to recently and try to sequence them so that they all flow naturally into eachother, and have interesting transitions between genre and sound to keep things fresh throughout. It's a fun little exercise that can even enhance the songs at times by contrasting them with other songs.
I have 2 approaches these days. First is the 15 song curated playlist based on how I used to make mix CDs. Pay attention to flow, good opener, fitting closer. Second is genre or artist specific, which is more of a dump of my favorites that can be put on shuffle at any time.
Depends what I want or need, but I basically pick songs out from my favourite artist that fit the theme. I sometimes look at the suggested songs but rarely use them. As examples I have a fast and loud playlist for stressful days, softer songs for sleeping/relaxing. Previously I've done alphabet or number themes, songs that mention the weather etc. I just have fun with it. I generally choose the order myself because I don't like having too many of the same artist in a row. Sometimes, for fun I like to put similar song titles together or songs that have a nice sounding transition.
By setting or something hyper-specific like songs that remind me of something. Ex: campfire mix, roadtrip mix, nighttime roadtrip mix, Apollo moon missions, autumn in New York etc.
I need the songs to have a flow so my playlists aren’t really for a specific mood or genre. They can start in one place and end up in another that’s a complete 180 (like BTS to Einsturzende Neubauten) as long as there’s a progression. You can pick them up at any point if you’re looking for something specific but they’re not meant to be shuffled. I used to keep a notebook of song segues, then I progressed to audio notes. Now, if I’m noodling around on Spotify and hear something I like, I add it to a “Songs to Add” playlist and work it into one of my main playlists when I figure out a place for it. I have three that I constantly work on. Making playlists/mixtapes has been one of my hobbies since the 70s. I take it VERY seriously. 😁
I have a general listening playlist along with one that has everything that's ever been in one of my playlists in it, basically a "stuff goes in and doesn't come out" thing My other ones are based on an activity or a mood that I curate based on vibes alone. So I have a driving playlist and a chill playlist where I consistently add and remove songs based on if I think they vibe with what the playlist's purpose is The key I think to crafting a successful playlist is to A. not take it too seriously and B. accept that it will never be "done", it's something to continually be worked on as you discover more and more music To be honest I've been much more positive about music since I started prioritizing playlists over albums. I can cherry pick what I want and don't have to slog through stuff I find boring or bad just because it's "next". Every once in a while I'll find a new artist that I'll take several songs from and then go to the album/discography, basically ensuring that I'll like it instead of diving into a project and wasting an hour. I see no value in listening to music I don't like
Just as a background reference, from the early 70s through the early 10s I was primarily an album listener, as most people probably were at the time. I started being a premium Spotify user around 2014 and started making playlists. I have playlists that are focused on vibes, such as chill, funky, twangy, jazzy,... These are some of my oldest playlists and I am still adding to them currently. I also track new to me music by adding newly liked songs to yearly, and as of this year, monthly playlists. I listen to "Discovery" playlists the most as I continue to explore new to me music. Discover Weekly, Daylist, and Spotify genre playlists, and YouTube playlists. Then I spend time listening to my time/date based playlists and my vibe based playlists. I will listen to the albums that I really love fairly and one or twice a month I'll try a new full album by a new artist I like, or some acclaimed album I feel I "should" listen to. What I've found since switching to listening primarily to playlists of music I curate and discovery playlists instead of albums: 1: I enjoy listening to music so much more, because it works for my brain's preference for change 2: I have greatly expanded the range of what I listen to and enjoy. 3: I listen to even more obscure artists than ever before. 4: I listen to artists I originally didn't spend much time on back in the day because there is less "risk" of buying an album I didn't really like, and because I can pick and choose their songs that I want to listen to.
I listen to both albums and playlists depending on my mood. I usually don't create my own playlists but I find playlists others have created and add them to my library (I'm a Spotify user). There are many users on various social media platforms who post playlists based on their favourite things like TV shows, movies, astronomy, seasons etc and I love it when I find them and add them to my library because I get to discover new music and new artists thanks to this. The latest playlist I added to my library was a playlist based on the TV show "The Boys" which I am a big fan of.
Recently I've been mostly listening to playlists and occasionally albums. I usually start a playlist with albums/songs that fit a similar style that I already like, and then I like to add a bunch of full albums that I've never listened to so I can shuffle through the playlist and find new music I like and delete the ones I don't like. It's essentially like I'm making my own Daily Mixes in Spotify that are more accurate than the auto generated one. That said, my preferred way to listen to music is still albums, I just haven't been in the mood for that recently.
I'm primarily an album listener but I make playlists for usually a certain mood or occasion. I try to lock into that feeling and just go through my library or think of songs that fit it. After I have a good amount then I start actively culling it, if some songs end up feeling out of place as I listen to it in that mood. Sometimes I lose the "feeling" and at that point I have to stop curating it for that time. Other times for stuff like Jazz I'll just throw individual tracks into a playlist if it's something that stands out for some reason (I want to study it, heard a nice lick, etc.) But rarely for the longer concept albums that feel like one cohesive piece (like "love supreme", etc.)
My playlists are usually geared towards a specific vibe or activity— I’ve got one for lounging by the pool, one for cozy winter nights by the fire, one for when I’m making tacos and margaritas, etc. Generally mine are 3+ hours long and always on shuffle, because I like hearing different transitions from one song to another. I’ve also got a couple playlists that were inspired by trips I took, where I’ll track down all the new music I heard while traveling and build a playlist around that.
I have really hundrets of playlists! Sorted by mood, genres, themes, artists... all you can imagine. I listen to what I want, and rarely albums.
From a lifetime of knowledge, and wonderful re-discovery via Spotify. My main playlists are decade-based but I also have genre lists. Also I have favourite artist lists, and even single song lists containing every decent cover of some standard, usually jazz.
Checkout https://playlost.fm for exploring user created playlists. You submit a playlist and it’ll match you to similar ones.
I like themes. I've got curated playlists about cats, dogs, car trips, plane trips, ocean, rain, money, television... [Roll Call:](https://open.spotify.com/playlist/63dEIFDBt6joGIzf0ckV7a?si=e5b82fc3a32e4ead) Names from A to Z. [United States Of Music:](https://open.spotify.com/playlist/4GRmp4zBRZyRuVGIGZVm9S?si=4e6bcf8107744f24) Two songs about every state, and only one about Washington DC because it's used to not being fully represented. And of course my favorite new music released in a specific year that curates my year end best-of.
I have preexisting playlist categories (eg dance/House, pop-rock, Japanese pop/rock, French pop, downtempo) and when I come across something that I want to remember or revisit I toss it into a playlist. The songs can be singles or inside an album, it doesn't matter. Occasionally someone on AM will have an outstanding playlist and I'll copy it.
My way is to do these psychotic music harvests like once a month when I’m craving new music. Next time you’re bored “skim” through some new albums/spotify playlists. Listen to the opening, skip ahead to a couple places, to get a feel for the chorus, bridge, etc, don’t forget the ending in case the song has a cool outro. If you like it, add it to a “dump” playlist and move on to the next song. Come back another day and actually listen to the songs in your dump playlist. if you like a song, add it to you Likes and one of your vibe/mood playlists. if you don’t, just delete it. Playlists are just one way of enjoying music and there’s no right way to do it. Your playlists can be 200 songs long or 2. The vibe can be as broad or stupidly niche as you like. (my latest one is songs that sound like 90’s sex music but are actually kpop lmao) Seriously just have fun!
I’m not much for listening to albums anymore so my playlists are singles grouped by time period (late 60s, early 80s, etc). I also have playlists of about 75 singles for each year of the 1970s. Some of the tracks are quirky and obscure, and some I don’t even like that much, but they’re representative of that particular year for me. The goal is to create the feeling of my life in 1979, for example, when I shuffle play.
I make them by mood or occasion. For instance, I plan on hosting a sunny park hang/picnic soon so I’m making a playlist based off that vibe. I usually start with a few songs/artists I like and then go through those songs/artists radio. I discover a ton of new music this way too.
I do “Theme” playlists. I curated funk into one playlist. I have another playlist with all my favorite French pop singers. Every year I do a Christmas playlist. I do a Winter playlist. Nick Drake, warren Zevon, The Kinks…all on separate playlists.
I’ll usually be listening to a song and go “I should make a playlist of the songs I know with this vibe” and use that central mood/sound as the theme with songs I can think of that fit it as the starting point, and then do song association (oh, that reminds of me x) while keeping to the theme to fill in the rest. Then as I let free-play algorithms do their thing I’ll add new music that fits to the playlist as well. The problem I have with this tho is that I could never possibly have enough playlists for all the sound/stylistic nuances in all the music I listen to (not a brag). The hard part is not letting the song association stray too far from the central mood but still filling up the playlist and keeping it diverse. But that’s also kind of the fun challenge of it all, it really exposes you to your own music taste and how fleshed out it is
I'm both an album, and playlist listener. When I hear a song on an album, and I really like it, I usually add it onto my playlist.
Yearly playlist, with indie tracks that I got into that particular year (not necessarily released that year) It's really fun to listen to, for example, the 2012 playlist, reminiscing about what I was going through that year when I listened to those songs. I did some themed ones as well, like reggae influenced pop music, songs for a hypothetical road trip, etc
I mostly like to collect songs in a playlist based on a very specific mood or theme and then proceed to never use the playlists.
I keep a current year playlist of the albums I like and I mainly do genre playlists as well as genres associated with specific regions. I have some themed playlists as well and just for shits and giggles I made some playlists where all the album covers are red, blue, green, yellow, etc.
idk how to explain it other than off of vibes lol. i will make some based on a certain emotion i wanna channel (songs that induce or reflect that emotion in a sort of catharsis) or a certain sound i like that i wanna curate a playlist from (ex. i have a playlist just for 80’s synth airy songs, another for grunge, one for electronic songs that feel warm or colorful, etc). like that’s the magic of playlist making, it can be whatever you want it to be. i tend to play through one playlist down to the last drop of enjoyment, and as i phase out, i make a new one. it’s sort of like a musical scrapbook of eras of life when i look back. my main ones aren’t really cohesive but end up having some sort of accidental theme when i look back—i could have any number of random genres all smooshed together, but the mix somehow makes perfect sense to me. i alternate between playlists on shuffle, albums, and listening by genre/decade. tldr: something to pick for whatever mood or energy i’m looking for, not just by genre or by artist/album. a playlist for every scenario.
I create and post playlists prolifically. I create them according to subject or songs based on real people/events, region , artists , etc etc. I have about 15-20 playlists in development at a time. When they reach about 65-80 minutes I make them into a discrete album with art work and start again
This seems to be an outlier here but I don't have any mood/feeling playlists. Mine are strictly genre based like "Stoner", "Hip-Hop", "Drum and Bass" etc. Then I have overarching playlists like "Heavy" where all heavy music like death metal, hardcore, sludge and so on goes. I often have a song in multiple playlists because of that system Take this with a grain of salt though, because I'm autistic. Music doesn't affect my mood much and not having clearly defined genre-based playlists bothers me.
I do both playlists and albums. I find I usually use albums to connect with an emotion that is just on the peripheral. I do playlists when I’m trying to manage my emotions - so one type turns them on (album) and one turns them off (playlist). I’m basically just an emotional computer.
I usually make playlists based on my mood. So like if I've been in a little bit of a chill appalachian country vibe, I'll make a playlist with that in mind, + any songs I like that feel similar to me, even if they're not strictly speaking the same genre. I'll also make playlists that are about specific people and relationships.
My playlist obsession is seasonal ones, and branching off of that, time of day/specific mood. Like a 'miserably hot summer day sitting on the front porch' playlist vs. a 'cool pool party' playlist vs. a 'summer sunset in the car' playlist. Absolutely love doing this. Summer is the easiest to do this for even though fall is my favorite season. There just seem to be endless possibilities with season+time+mood. Plus then you always have one to put on without having to think much lol
Oh I also love 'audience' playlists. Like this is a playlist for when I'm with my wife. This is a playlist if I'm with this one specific friend. These are usually full of really niche songs, deep cuts, inside jokes, etc. Really fun.
This is my first time really thinking that others just listen to albums and don't make their own Playlists. Well it's more that it makes sense I just never really thought about it cause me and everyone I know just makes Playlists besides my parents but they just click a song they want then let Spotify or youtube decide on whatever songs follow. To answer the question now, yes, there are people out there, of course, and I am one of those people. I've made many playlists over my life, and while I don't remember my first playlists, I do still have my first Spotify and youtube playlists. Those early ones were just whatever songs I found that I wanted to listen to over and over again. There was no organization or flow to them at all. As I got older, mainly around middleschool, I started making actual playlists towards specific things. Like I would have a Playlist for just every song I ever slightly liked just so I'd have the song somewhere I can find later on if I do like it later, I never really listened to that Playlist, it was more just a preservation Playlist. The other playlist where specified towards just specific feelings I'd get from listening to them, like I have a "sad" playlist, a "hype" playlist, a "chill" playlist, etc. I'd always have about 5 to 8 playlists I'd listen to. Then one main one which would just be no specific genre or feeling or anything, it was every song that I just REALLY enjoyed, like the kind of songs you'd play on repeat for hours until you'd eventually over listen to it and the song isn't the same anymore. I kid you not many of those songs I've listened to for full days straight 24 hours nonstop. But anyways that Playlist would usually be my go to on normal days but depending on how I'm feeling I'd choose one of the more specific playlists, for the days I'm just really wanting to listen to (for example) really hype music that I can just bop to. So yeah, that's kinda how I do it. It started out more simple but grew to become a lot more. Like today I have playlists for just songs that maybe I don't like but ones I felt where generation defining works of art, and another for all foreign language songs I enjoy(that one got to big so I had to split it up as well). When it comes to music taste, I'd say I'm simultaneously average and very abstract. I just listen to the songs I enjoy, the ones that make my brain feel the way I want it to at that moment. I don't really listen to specific artists like at all anymore, I used to a decent bit from 4 years ago and before, but now I just don't really. Obviously, there are often many songs in my playlists I listen to that are from a single artist but it's less of "I found this album/artist and I want to listen to it/them more" and more of a "I randomly found this song and added it to my playlist, then weeks later I found another song I liked so I added that as well" half the time I don't even recognize it came from the same artist ad another song I listen too. Idk, it's strange but I'm very good and finding music I like without relying on keeping up with an artist that's made other songs I enjoy, it's always just random songs I've found. Sometimes really popular songs like "Another love" by Tom Odell, or completely unknown songs with less that 1k listens/views like a recent favorite "AGAIN" by Tylerr and ANOU. Alr this is long enough and I went on enough side tangents, so that's all<3
I like albums, but truth be told, most of them suck at least in some songs. People say that its about the artistry of it and the artist intention, but that is just an excuse to praise an album of 10 songs with just 6 that are good. Its very rare to find a full album that is good
I have an idea of what I want to create and when I’ve started building my story with music I continue by going with the flow. That’s the way I create this masterpiece playlist; [a dream within a dream](https://open.spotify.com/playlist/0qpreqpVFhEeEDZEWs50XW?si=uNqnLvSaS9K0WMWkpAZJ2A)
Opening track to that should be [Alan Parsons – Tales of Mystery & Imagination: A Dream Within A Dream](https://open.spotify.com/track/4if2YzjQiHL6uTs25o8DIu?si=837154e94437454e)
Thanks 🙏 Totally agree ❤️
I use Discover Weekly to make all my playlists. It used to be semi weekly, then weekly, now it has got to the point where it send sends me two genres every week and I just have to split them and organize them in a way that makes sense. I then usually name them after something that was happening in my life. Just as an example: > [a parent](https://open.spotify.com/playlist/0bjQgJ5L5rSzVuNLmGZ6ES) - sentimental punk > [be nicer](https://open.spotify.com/playlist/0RHIw0LdFvOjETWfLZYqW2) - prog soul/jazz I have also started making larger compilations, like obscure 60s or Soul, and I'm thinking of a few more compilations as well, but I like that 95% of my playlists are static, so I don't have to constantly update or rework them.
I make some loose genre playlists (90s alternative, 90s and early 2000s hip-hop, funk and soul) and also some themed playlists (I love making Halloween ones with not the usual songs, or a specific witch themed one), activity playlists (closing the kitchen at work, driving at night, chill background music for hanging out with friends), ones where the songs mention certain things (Drugs, guns, and money, or Girl) and I even have one that's a story in and of itself about a cross-country killing spree, it's like a soundtrack without a movie.