I listen to a LOT of music. And make a LOT of Spotify playlists. If you look at my Spotify profile, you’ll find a grocery list of playlists covering every mood as well as the music I like each month. So when I was trying to come up with a new idea for a playlist at the end of 2020, it came to me: add a song every day and see how my musical taste evolves over the course of the 2021. By the end of the year, I had a playlist that was 365 songs (and a whopping 22 hours) long with all my favorite musical moments of the year.
Now, as 2022 begins, I’m reflecting on my previous year through the lens of my daily song additions. 2021 was truly a year of highs and lows for me, so it was interesting to see how that translated in musical terms. The lows were filled with Phoebe Bridgers and Taylor Swift, and the highs were filled with Doja Cat and Ariana Grande…and well, more Taylor Swift. Yes, Spotify has Spotify Wrapped every year, which serves a similar role and makes a playlist with your most listened to music of the year. But I enjoyed the activity of adding a song every day and deciding what summarized the type of day I had.
This playlist was a true decision making exercise, one I really needed. I’ll be honest—I’m indecisive…very indecisive. It takes me an hour to pick out an outfit every day, even for Zoom class. So this was a challenge for me. Some days I would listen to a ton of music and have multiple songs stuck in my head. I had to go with my gut and pick my favorite of the day. I honestly think I became better at decision making throughout the course of the year.
My song of the day playlist was also an exercise in responsibility. At the end of the day, I had to remember to open my Spotify app and pick my song of the day. There were definitely some days I would almost forget and then jump out of bed at night and plunge for my phone so I would not skip a day. I am proud to write that I only missed one day. (I filled the gap with my song from Jan 1, 2022, to ensure a perfect 365 songs.) By the end of the year, it became muscle memory. My day wasn’t complete without adding a song to the collection.
As the year progressed, I wanted to use my playlist as a way to get out of my comfort zone. I did not let myself repeat songs, and I made it a goal to have a diverse selection of music in my playlist. I did not want to look back on my playlist and only see Taylor Swift songs. As a result, I sought out new music from smaller, up-and-coming artists as well as genres I do not typically listen to. By the end of the year, I was really excited about the new music I found and the diversification of my music taste.
So if you see me walking around Sheridan Road with my AirPods in, you can probably guess what playlist I’m listening to. And I hope you do the same this year. Make it your New Year’s Resolution. Happy listening!