Before we get this snowball rolling, open your music streaming service of choice, scroll through your playlists and count up how many are doomed to be incomplete, forever left by the wayside.
I know the 15-minute-long, “Chill afternoon study vibes” meant a lot to you when you compiled those six Bon Iver songs three years ago, but there comes a time to let an old dog die. I will not claim innocence either. My “panic at the trap house” playlist features equal parts Twenty One Pilots and A$AP Rocky. It haunts my phone to this day.
The opposite is also common. For the indecisive, a “Driving Playlist” clocking in over 24 hours of literally any song that comes to mind is fairly ubiquitous. The hot-faced shame after hitting skip again, again and again while chauffeuring your friends around cannot be understated.
All of this to say: playlists are predestined to be inconsistent and, eventually, abandoned. Our moods and tastes can change drastically by the year, season or immediate moment. I believe there is a better option.
Transitioning from playlist listening to album listening is a blissful journey. Albums are intentional and, for the most part, cohesive. Instead of dedicating yourself to a hodgepodge of semi-similar songs that roughly fit the same vibe, the artists themselves craft the mood of their album. Not to say all albums are perfect in their own right; there is more filler than killer. However, this allows you critique music itself rather than your own taste.
On the whole, listening to albums is an engaging experience that allows us to hear music as our favorite artists intend them. Playlists have their place at parties, but beyond that, they cause more trouble than they are worth. Take some time today to explore your favorite artist’s discography. Who knows? You might find something you missed.
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Hot Take: Ditch the playlists and start listening to albums
About the Contributor
Adam Sullivan, Former Photography Editor
Adam Sullivan served as the Photography Editor from 2021 to 2022.
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