If you’re a firm believer that creating super-specific playlists on Spotify counts as a skill, it may finally be time to add it to your resume. Whether you’re making a playlist for a summer road trip, a study session, or a post-breakup hot girl walk, playlist curation has become a lot of people’s signature hobby. Now, Peet’s Coffee is turning it into a competition.Â
Peet’s Coffee recently announced its first-ever “Chief Playlist Officer,” a tongue-in-cheek title that comes with a surprisingly impressive reward for whoever earns the role: an all-expenses-paid trip to Chicago to see some of music’s biggest acts. (BTW, even though Peet’s announcement of this competition never explicitly says the trip is for Lollapalooza, the clues are pretty hard to miss. The prize includes four days in Chicago and access to artists including Charli XCX, Lorde, Tate McRae, Olivia Dean, and John Summit — all artists appearing on this year’s Lolla lineup. You do the math.)
The contest comes at a time when getting tickets to events like Lollapalooza feels more and more out of reach for college students. Between rising ticket prices, travel costs, and getting new outfits for each day, attending a major music festival can get very pricey. That’s why, if you’re trying to find a way to see your favorite artists this summer, entering this contest may be the move.Â
How to enter for the chance to be Peet’s Chief Playlist Officer
To apply, entrants need to create and submit a “Middle Ground Mix” playlist. (If you’re wondering where this name comes from, it’s because Peet’s is celebrating its new half-caffeinated coffee blend, called Middle Ground, as well as a whole lineup of summer bevs.) Think of it as a collection of songs that you’d want to listen to when you’re hitting the afternoon slump but still need to power through. Applicants will also submit a short explanation of why they deserve the title of Peet’s first-ever Chief Playlist Officer and share the one song that always gets them moving whenever it comes on.Â
To enter, head over to the Peet’s Chief Playlist Officer application and submit your entry form, playlist, and written responses. If you want to go above and beyond, you can also submit a short (15-second max) video for the contest to share more about yourself and the playlist. The contest is open to U.S. residents 18 and older and runs through June 30.Â
Not only does the winner get that all-expenses-paid music trip, but also, their winning playlist will be featured as the official 3 p.m. soundtrack nationwide across Peet’s locations. So, if you’re looking to show off your playlist-making skills to more than your friends, this is your chance.Â
Whether your go-to energy boost comes from the headliners like Charli XCX or is a super niche indie artist no one else has heard of, this might be one of the times your carefully curated playlists can pay off. So, if you’ve already been spending half your study sessions rearranging songs on Spotify instead of doing your homework, you might as well put those playlist-making skills to good use.Â