A Deep Dive Into Playlists

Something that has always fascinated me is the way different people create playlists. Everyone has their own way of sorting through and organizing songs in a way that is catered to their own tastes. I have here a list of some of the most common and unique types of playlists that I have come across.

One of the most common types of playlists is genre- or artist-based. According to the people around me who sort their songs this way, they feel like sorting songs this way is the most logical. By placing songs that have the same types of sounds within them, their playlist often feels more cohesive, and each song feels like it flows effortlessly into the next song.

Others are strongly opposed to the genre-based playlist. Some feel as though by restricting their playlists to a genre, they are limiting their enjoyment. Often times, these are the same people who like to create playlists based on a certain emotion that they are feeling. The song order in these playlists is usually more carefully curated because the songs may all be from different genres. Instead of the songs being shuffled and effortlessly flowing together, they have to be played in a specific order so the songs fade in and out of each other properly.

Some people make playlists based on scenarios and activities. A playlist for walking to class, driving, and studying A different playlist for the day or the night. These playlists might not necessarily have the same emotion or genre, but instead the same "vibe". A playlist someone listens to when walking in the cold to class would probably look very different than someone taking a scenic walk during sunset. I found that the more people like the activity that their playlist is based on, the more laid-back and relaxed the playlist is, and the less they like it, the more upbeat and encouraging the playlist is.

Some other controversial playlist types are the "favorites" playlists, which are often multiple hours long and consist of a mix of any kind of song that the person has ever enjoyed. These playlists often give other listeners emotional whiplash, and the songs are not thought out and don't flow together. Some people, however, enjoy this chaos.

Playlists are a great tool of organization for the music world. Whether your playlists are made for you, to share with a friend, to study to, or to cry to, they are something that is so personal and that many people take pride in. Next time you make a playlist, think about what inspires you to put songs together and how they relate to you. It can reveal more about you than you may think.