Whether you have Spotify, Apple Music, Soundcloud, or maybe still Pandora, you understand the popularity surrounding these music streaming services. Personally, I am a Spotify girl, and do in fact pay for premium so that I don’t have ads and can select any song I want to listen to at any time. I have always enjoyed making playlists since I first got the app in high school. Although none of my playlists have gone viral, my parents, siblings, and friends follow a few of them and can attest to their creativity.
Taylor Swift when in the car with friends, Zac Brown Band and other country hits on a warm summer day, Grateful Dead for a relaxing night at home, 2000’s pop on a run, and John Mayer when I am studying; I have a type of music for whatever I am doing. Sometimes these moods can change depending on how I am feeling that day. However, as a result of Spotify being one of the first apps I open when I use my laptop, I sometimes get into music ruts. It’s not that I don’t like the music anymore, I’m just not in the mood to listen to it for a little bit. When I am trying to go for a 5-mile run and keep skipping song after song in my playlist because they aren’t motivating me in the same way, you can imagine how distracting that is.
So, this is when I discovered podcasts. I know I am a little late to the podcast party, but to be honest, I was a little hesitant at first. Previously when I had listened to podcasts, I always found myself just sitting in one place listening to them, confused that I was hearing people’s voices not knowing what they looked like, and torn on what to do with my hands and the rest of my body when listening. Clearly, I was not listening to a podcast that interested me and I wasn’t using the podcast in a way that benefitted me. Just like music, you wanna make sure you like the genre, and more importantly, you wanna make sure it empowers you in whatever activity you are doing while listening to it.
Recently, I found a podcast called Comes a Time, hosted by Oteil Burbridge and Mike Finoia. Being a huge fan of John Mayer, I found this podcast by first listening to an interview they did with him. However, afterward, I saw that they did a bunch of other cool interviews related to the Grateful Dead, and being a deadhead, I was hooked. Now, I listen to this podcast on runs or walks or when I just have a little downtime and am not in the mood for music. This is only the beginning of my podcast journey. I found a few French podcasts that help me stay on top of my French listening skills or shorter comedy podcasts that just put a little humor in my day.
Becoming a podcast enthusiast now, I realize it is just like music: various lengths, various genres, for various moods, and various activities. So, next time you are in a music rut, rather than searching the depths of Spotify for a great song that inspires you again, I suggest trying a podcast.
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