Hi there,
I’m Emma and I would like to warmly welcome you to my new column. I’ve been a writer for Her Campus for a bit over a year now, and I’ve spent that time writing about anything and everything, from cult beauty brands to homeopathic remedies for curing the common college cold to my curly hair routine, among other topics. Whenever I found myself afflicted with a nasty bout of writer’s block, or too stressed to come up with an original article for the week, I knew that there was one subject I could always rely on to inspire me: music. Making playlists is one of my favorite hobbies, only rivaled by my quest to find the perfect matcha latte and getting setlists at concerts. Following the “do what you love” philosophy, I decided to turn my passion into a lifestyle and start a music column that’s part music recommendations/part diary. To kick this series off, let’s take a trip down memory lane.
Photo Credit: super groovy delicious bite blog
I was born and raised on a healthy diet of classic rock and jazz legends. Countless afternoons were spent listening to Coltrane’s deeply moving saxophone and Sun Ra’s cosmic tracks blasting from my dad’s prized stereo record player. I’d watch him carefully slide the glossy black disc from its flimsy sleeve, and with the steady hand of a surgeon, he’d place it on the record player. I watched the hypnotizing, round grooves on the disc spin round and round as he cleaned off the dust with a soft-bristled brush. Then with the push of a button, the needle would sink into the record and a rush of notes magically burst from the speakers.
On my rides to school from kindergarten till tenth grade, my dad would drive me to the bus stop while we listened to Pink Floyd, The Who, Creedence Clearwater Revival, and occasionally Jethro Tull when the classic vinyl station decided to throw on some prog rock. We even started a bi-annual tradition of listening to every Beatles album in order during our daily car rides. I’d sit in the backseat completely absorbed by the photo booklets full of behind-the-scenes photographs and annotated lyric sheets that came with the remastered CD box set.
Photo Credit: Ultimate Classic Rock
Of course, I wasn’t JUST listening to classic rock. My lime green iPod was full of Billboard Top 100 hits, classic 90’s bops, and the occasional alt-indie song I overheard my brothers playing. Once Spotify entered the picture, my music palette expanded. Around the same time, I started driving myself to school––a bittersweet milestone––and during my 45-minute commute, I religiously listened to my Discover Weekly playlist. Every week, I found all kinds of tiny you’ve-probably-never-heard-of-them type bands and went down plenty of “Related Artists” rabbit holes. While I always felt a sort of romanticized yearning to be the kind of person to spend hours picking through record shops, I found that music streaming services were a much easier way to discover new artists, especially ones that might not be big enough to make it to the shelves.
Photo Credit: Emma Kopelowicz
Flash forward about five years, and I find myself in the throes of the digitized music vortex. My oddly specific Spotify playlists, based on vibes and memories, are a patchwork of Discover Weekly finds, friends’ recommendations, and songs I hear playing in coffee shops or stores. Creating playlists is somewhat of a therapy substitute for me. Music keeps me company during rush hour, it helps me capture memories, it translates the jumble of emotions inside my head, it comforts me when I cry, it gets me through long nights of studying, but most importantly, it’s always there for me.
Photo Credit: PinThis
With a confusing and at times frustrating freshman year in my rearview, I have a more clarified vision for my sophomore year of college. Parts of my life feel more stable, in terms of my social and academic spheres, and coming back to campus feels less overwhelming and stressful than the last go around. Entering this semester, I need music now more than ever. To capture the feelings of hope and excitement I have for these next few very busy months, I present you with a back-to-school playlist!
This playlist is a mix of oldies and newbies (surprise, surprise) to represent my old school roots and my new school perspective on music nowadays. It starts off with the classic Paul Simon tune that encapsulates the youthful, rebellious mood of the early 70’s, a.k.a. “Me and Julio Down by the Schoolyard,” which then unexpectedly transitions smoothly into Kanye’s “School Spirit” off his debut album. Some early Lana Del Rey and new Steve Lacy also make appearances, so that should be enough to tell you that I clearly applied my patchwork method to this playlist. Bright and groovy bops like Disclosure’s “Where Angels Fear to Tread” and Cosmo Pyke’s “Chronic Sunshine” will be sure to put a pep in your step as you walk to class or get in the study zone.
The loose theme of this playlist is happy-go-lucky meets let’s get down to business, and I hope you enjoy listening to it just as much as I enjoyed putting it together.
Until next time,
Emma :)
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