Our theme for the month of March is “How to.”
Playlists are acts of listenable love. And yet, whether you’re compiling songs for a crush or a friend, it can feel daunting or overwhelming. If that’s the case, here are some tips from a nonexpert with lots of practice. If you’d like different (but more seasoned) wisdom, please refer to Zoe Kravitz’s character in Hulu’s High Fidelity. (If you end up watching the whole season, you won’t regret it—it’s one of the most engaging and rewatchable shows I’ve seen).
1. Relax and Have Fun
Making a playlist should be a good time! Make sure to try and keep it that way as you hunt for your signature vibe. Your recipient will be so happy and honored to receive Gift-Wrapped Bangerz Only™ that they’ll extend all of the goodwill you deserve.
2. Keep it Short
I learned this the hard way. When in doubt, keep it short. Recently, I’ve been challenging myself to only do seven songs for an important playlist. My recommendation is to keep it to seven to fourteen, depending on song lengths and what you’re going for. If you’re going for a big, deep playlist—go bananas.
3. Incorporate a Structure
Remember learning about rising action, turning point, and falling action (or, if you’re french, denouement) in middle-school English class? Take a note from Gatsby and build up to an emotional climax. Many of my favorite albums do this—for example, San Fermin’s Jackrabbit builds to a poignant crescendo in their song “Two Scenes.” “Two Scenes” wallops you with a lonely, bittersweet beauty precisely because it was preceded by twelve great songs.
4. Song Flow
Take note of how a song ends and how the next begins. Use this to your advantage—like Denis Villeneuve, you can influence your audience into different reactions through natural pairings or light-switch juxtaposition. For a more easy-listening playlist, I like to build up to an intense song by progressively making each song a level up in head-bangery-ness.
5. Taste as You Make
For me and my process, I’m constantly listening to the songs in the order I’ve placed them in, putting myself into the headspace of my listener for maximum impact (unless you’re explicitly making a shuffle playlist. Ignore if so.). Pretend you’re a bartender concocting a new drink at home: taste as you make.
6. Stick to Your Rules
Having trouble starting? In a rut? Create some arbitrary rules or themes and stick to them to paradoxically set your creative mind free. Rules like: Pick two songs from each artist’s album. Choose only songs under three minutes (Tierra Whack has a whole album where each song is about or exactly one minute). Select only songs they’ve (probably) never heard.
7. Presentation
Give some thought to the cherry on top! For me, a good image to add to your playlist completes the artistic endeavor. Google image a classic painting, a vintage photo, or a mood color. Try not to overthink it; you got this!
8. Gift Without Expectation
Luke 6:35: “Lend to them without expecting to get anything back.”
Isaac graduated Calvin in 2019 studying English, secondary education. After finishing teaching English, he’s enjoyed working in higher education at Hope College while taking steps to be a certified hospital chaplain. Isaac loves movies and lighthouses more than most things.
I’ve forgotten that playlists can also be a gift to give to other people: I mostly see them as utility these days to help me pass the time in the car. There’s some joy to curating others people’s work—I see it in collaging, but I also see it here.