Some days you wake up, and you instantly know it’s going to be a bad day. On those days, you usually turn on a sad playlist. Maybe your hair is a mess, maybe you forgot to take off your makeup the night before, maybe the weather is terrible, or maybe you just have that feeling. Then, other days you know will be amazing as soon as you throw off your covers. Then comes the in-between: the mornings when you go through the motions and don’t even think about what kind of day it will be. On these days, and all days really, it’s important to start right. Music is known to shift our moods. If there’s one way to do that, it’s a good playlist.
When you wake up in the morning, you probably either snooze the alarm until the last second or you pick up your phone and start scrolling. After that, you get ready, which looks a bit different for everybody. You may be thinking about how you have no time to listen to music in the morning, but if you’re getting ready anyway, it can’t hurt to have something on in the background. Maybe you shouldn’t be asking yourself when you’ll be listening, but what you could be listening to.
The perfect morning mix varies per person, but if I were to recommend a playlist to start your day off right, it’d boil down to five tracks. This way, you won’t feel like it takes up too much time, but it’ll also get a decent mix of songs.
The Slow-Morning Start
My first recommendation (which goes for any playlist) is not to put the main event first. You need to start off with something slower to introduce you to your day ahead- remember, you just woke up. The hardest part of finding a chill song is making sure it’s not sad. You don’t want to start your day with a hard-hitter. For the first track, I’d recommend something by artists like Olivia Dean or The Lumineers as a good place to start. Perhaps songs such as “So Easy (To Fall In Love)” or “Cleopatra”.
The Nostalgic Element
The next track on your playlist should be a little more upbeat – not too much because you’re still settling into the day. I’d recommend a song tied to a happy memory or something nostalgic. Maybe you already have your 2016 playlist all set, but if not, I’d recommend looking back to your early childhood. As silly as it sounds, look back at the soundtracks of movies you liked when you were young, for instance, Disney or the 2010s might be a good place to start.
The Empowerment Track
After getting back in touch with your roots, you can start getting into the newer stuff. I’d recommend the third song as an empowering one. Whether it’s a throwback like Mariah Carey’s Obsessed or something more recent, this next song should remind you that, in the upcoming day, you are the key to your own success. Remember that you’re the main character of your own life.
The Up-Beat Single
For your fourth track, I’d try to make sure it has a good beat. Whether it’s a showtune or something you’d hear in 601, it’s a matter of taste- just try your best to make it danceable. This song should be the height of your playlist; it’s what you’ve been building up to. The goal is for it to help you get your mind and body moving and make you more excited for the day.
The Happy Finale
Your fifth and final track of the playlist is the most subjective, as it depends on which songs you enjoy. I’d perhaps recommend it to relate to your upcoming day, letting you set your mind ahead and making you feel more prepared. I also know that’s a bit of a tall ask, so I’d really just say to try and make it something you really like. Perhaps there’s a song you’ve been listening to on repeat recently- that’s perfect. Just let it make you happy!
Final Tips and Tricks
It’s important to remember, when making a playlist, to try to make it somewhat cohesive. Not only should the songs match each other, but also match your mood. If you need to negate a song for a day, that’s totally fine. On the other hand, if you have more time and can’t decide, you can add as many songs as you want.
I’d recommend making your morning playlist the night before. This gives you more time to not be stressed or rushed when you’re choosing your tracks and can get you excited for your next day. It can also help you bring some diversity to the playlist, as you likely won’t want to listen to the same songs every day. It is always good to rotate at least a few of the tracks a day, so you don’t start off your day annoyed with the number of times you’ve heard a song. But at the end of the day, if you want to listen to a song, you should! No matter how time-consuming it is, ending the night thinking about your favorite music is always a great way to decompress. It could even be helpful to make a playlist with a bunch of songs that work for each category, so you can mix and match them when you wake up in the morning without thinking too much.
With all this in mind, the most important thing about making your playlist is that you like it. The point is that the songs are making you happy and getting you excited for the day ahead.