Everybody has different Spotify streaming habits – some people make a new playlist for every month, others stick to old playlists, and a handful of people just shuffle their liked songs (which is a little weird if you ask me, but to each their own). For me, I’ve found that creating a new playlist for every season has been the perfect way to make the most of my Spotify streaming.
While I love having playlists categorized by genre, mood, or circumstance, making a new playlist every season (e.g. Winter 2021, Spring 2021, Fall 2022, and so on) has prevented me from getting bored of outdated playlists. For a seasonal playlist, there’s no pressure in matching a certain “vibe” or category – it is a dumping ground for anything you’ve been jamming to that season. It’s like a “semester dump” Instagram post; a collection of random, unrelated, but awesome things that are specific to a certain time period.
You can shuffle your seasonal playlist when you want to listen to something you know you’ve been enjoying lately, or if you want to be surprised – there’s nothing like listening to Drake, then The Beatles, then the Victorious theme song back-to-back-to-back. Plus, it’s always fun to revisit old playlists; they can recall specific moments and sentiments of that particular season that you may have forgotten about.
Wondering where to start? Here are my six tips for creating the perfect seasonal playlist:
- Make it 3 to 8 hours long
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You shouldn’t be super picky with what you add to this playlist – you want to be able to listen to it often! Most of my seasonal playlists end up being around eight hours long. For me, that length is perfect, but everyone is different. Try your best to keep overlap with other seasonal playlists to a minimum so you can hear a variety of different songs on each playlist.
- Incorporate a balance of newly discovered songs and Old favorites
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Your playlist should include a blend of genres and a variety of decades. You should add new releases, especially long-awaited ones from your favorite artists (my Summer 2022 playlist has the entirety of Bad Bunny’s Un Verano Sin Ti album on it, and on October 21st, my Fall 2022 playlist will have the entirety of Taylor Swift’s Midnight album on it).
You should include any songs you discover, even if they are not new releases. If you aren’t completely sure how you feel about the song yet, add it anyways – this way, you can figure out whether you like it or not. There’s no harm in adding it now and removing it later on!
Be sure to add old songs that you rediscover to the playlist as well – especially if they are on old playlists that you no longer listen to, or if they are fitting for the season (whether it’s because of the weather, events, or sentiments of the time period).
- Give it a theme, or don’t
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I think that themes can enhance a seasonal playlist, as long as they do not become too restrictive. For example, my Fall 2022 playlist has a melancholy, indie-folk theme to fit the bittersweet and nostalgic sentiments I associate with the fall. It is such a beautiful time of year, but so fleeting! I do not follow this strictly though – there is still pop, rap, and several other genres in my playlist. While a theme can help create a mood for your seasonal playlist, complete randomness is great too, and will reflect the vibe of your season in its own way.
- Create a clever title
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While it may be tempting to stick to a simple “Fall ‘22,” title, I think that your playlist should have a unique title that has nothing (or everything) to do with the season. It could be a singular word or expression that reflects your feelings towards the season, a hobby that you’ve recently picked up, or a joke between you and your friends – the possibilities are endless. For example, my Fall 2022 playlist is titled “muon (myoo-on)”, which was the Dictionary.com word of the day on August 29th. A muon is defined as a “subatomic particle similar in most respects to the electron except that it is unstable, {and} it may be positively charged.” I thought it was a random, funny, and oddly relatable word, so I decided to make it my playlist title.
If you decide to create a random title, the description line of your playlist should include “Fall ‘22,” or whichever season and year you are making your playlist in.
- Include a fun playlist cover photo
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It could be a photo of you and your friends, a pretty sight from a place you recently visited, or anything that in some way encapsulates the season. For my playlists, I like to include a photo from a moment that marked the beginning of the season. For example, the cover photo of my Summer 2022 playlist is of me and my friends trying on beach hats in Marshalls. This moment was a turning point for me – summer finally felt within reach.
- Add often, and listen even more often
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If you add songs and listen often, you will truly associate your playlist with its specific season. Then, if you revisit the playlist later on in life, you may find yourself surprised at how easily you recall specific moments and sentiments as you listen.
Seasonal playlists can serve as a way to track the changing phases of your life. Like the seasons, your life is constantly evolving. Your playlists should encapsulate this; so, get creative and have fun with it!
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