“Raindrops Running Down The Window,” “Windows Open on a Sunday Afternoon,” and “Coffee Shop in November” are just a few of many playlists sitting mostly untouched in my Spotify library. As someone who loves all kinds of music, I try to take advantage of any moment that could be made better with a song. After nearly a decade of creating playlists, it is surprising that I can still find moments without the perfect soundtrack. I think there is a certain high that comes from finding the perfect song for a moment. Take the tunnel scene in The Perks of Being a Wallflower, for example. The song fits the moment so perfectly that the scene itself has became iconic. That feeling is the magic I’m trying to capture in my collection of oddly specific playlists.
The Comfort of Creating
Creating a playlist is like any other creative outlet: it is an escape. When I am stressed, bored or tired, making a playlist absorbs me completely and takes my mind off everything else. Curled up in bed with my noise-canceling headphones on and a comfort snack beside me, I cannot think of a better way to spend a night. Scrolling through albums, artists and playlists I have made before in search of the perfect song gives me a strange sense of satisfaction. I am driven by the excitement of knowing that one day, when I am strolling through the park on a sunny afternoon, I will have the perfect playlist ready to accompany the moment. There is something comforting about creating something that lets me revisit a feeling whenever I want. It is what keeps me coming back every time.
The Search
Nothing beats finding the missing puzzle piece for your playlist at the most unexpected times. Maybe you find your tunnel song at a bagel shop before an exam or hear it on the radio when your Bluetooth will not connect. Searching for these perfect songs can make ordinary, or even not so great moments, feel worthwhile.
Suddenly, I start finding beauty in everything. Instead of thinking, “It looks like it might rain,” I think, “Storms” by Fleetwood Mac would be the perfect song for the moment, and I clear my schedule to build a whole playlist around it. Music changes the way I experience the world. I am not just looking for songs anymore, I am looking for ways to make ordinary moments feel more meaningful.
The Satisfaction
If we are being honest, my favorite playlists are not the ones I listen to most frequently. My most-played playlists have hundreds of songs and absolutely no coherent vibe. My favorite ones, though, capture a perfect moment in time or take me back to a certain time of my life.
Maybe it is cheesy, but I really do not think the playlist itself is what matters most. It is the Shazams from songs you hear in retail stores, the songs you steal from friends when their AUX is just too good, and the random discoveries that fit just perfectly. It is the memories attached to each song and the unexpected places you find them. The journey that created the playlist is really the most important part.Â
So maybe I am still searching for my tunnel song, and maybe I always will be. Luckily, I look forward to many more magical moments, where I find a song I am not sure how I ever lived without. Until then, I will keep making playlists for moments that have not happened yet, leaving them in my Spotify library till the day they finally make sense.
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