Mixtape Instincts

Hello You

Last week, we talked about how to listen in a more meaningful way. Sharing a short framework to take you from hearing (a reflex) to listening (active choice).

Theory laid, it is time for the practical.

AI could build you a playlist in 30 seconds, but who cares? We’re not here to replicate Spotify.

This is about the mixtape instinct, the human urge to sequence, select, and say something with music.

You’re going back to the mixtape era (well, kinda).

Let’s get selecting →

SongsBrew Editorial

What Playlist Editors Know That You Don’t

You’ve probably heard how important it is to take a step back and look at the bigger picture. And that is how the best playlist curators work. We’re not talking about those paid playlist placements or the AI-generated ones. Real humans, listening, hearing, feeling, and selecting.

And for the sake of research, we tested an AI playlist curator. It sucked the fun out of it real quick. After choosing an artist, you can add some of their songs, and then you get to choose more ‘inspiration’ from Spotify’s algorithm-based playlists. Tap generate.

Here it is:

It is fine enough to listen to, but it leans heavily on a couple of bands and doesn’t stray far from the norm with anything new. A great example of the ‘sameness’ that an AI (anything) will produce. We’re not anti-ai, sometimes they do an incredible job. But…

Editorials built by humans create an arc, the playlist is a journey, and there will be purpose behind every pick. Yes, the crossover between Critics and Editors runs deep. You’ve stolen their ears; now it’s time to build.

Think in arcs, not in tracks, think in bones, then meat, tension points where (and why?). Closers are never the final thought; they are the landing. The end of the journey. Every song can stand alone, but together, they build a picture.

Curators step back and look at it as a whole. What they want you to feel and what they want you to pay attention to. Every note has a purpose.

Now you.

Ready to Start

Tap the "Create playlist” button on your music streaming service, and get set up.

Let’s go with “Ready to Start” by Arcade Fire.
Listen as many times as you need to, pay attention to the tempo, and see if there's anything that stands out to you. This is where the personal bit comes in; we would choose a second track, “Are You Gonna Be My Girl” by Jet. You’ll pick something else. Good. That’s the point.
Your first 4-6 tracks will define the mood and speed, these are your spine. Take a listen to them all, not on shuffle.
Cut what doesn’t work, and now look for a change-up. Slower? Faster? A song inspired by? Same producer, different genre? Pivoting and pushing are giving the playlist space to breathe, you are creating the journey.
A playlist, when you build it yourself, is a living thing. When digital, you have unlimited space, but pretend you only have 20 tracks. Start to think about that landing. What is that last thing or note you want people (or yourself) to hear?

Here, for the ‘start-to-end’ story, and since we started with “Ready to Start,” we’d probably traverse through to “Never Going Back Again” - Fleetwood Mac, or “I Know It’s Over” - Jeff Buckley. To finish on the line 'that’s about it, let’s go home’.

Why should we even care?

Our music streaming platforms will fill you up with playlists until you can’t listen to anything else again. But they won’t teach you how to curate. What you’ll get in the recommendation when building your playlists is songs that fit based on their algorithm, not on their ears, and not on judgment. Critics, editors, and curators obsess over what most people won’t even notice. AI doesn’t care if track 8 makes your heart thump because it throws you into a particular moment in life; it doesn't give a sh… about the cord change that screams skill. You do. You always will.

AI can’t hear, and it can’t feel. And while it does a good impression of both, you’ll always do it better.

Music noise is easy. Narration through music is a skill.

To that end, here is an invitation to a collaborative Spotify playlist, where you can choose what happens next. Click the image, and you’ll automatically join the playlist. You can then add whatever you want. Be quick if you want to help build the spine.