songs that conjure grief and joy at the same time

a playlist of songs from bands that start with The

soundtracks to individual friendships

music for art teachers to play while students work

a playlist for someone you still love but isn’t in your life anymore

a playlist that is a gift to your future self

a playlist for your crush to convince them you're cool

electronic music with noteworthy flute parts

music that slows time

songs can only be Names or Locations

songs that surprised you

a playlist that feels nostalgic in a collective way

songs that bloom

a playlist for when you woke up with sore eyes from crying too much the day before

a distracting playlist

a playlist for two people to listen at the same time while separated, instead of talking on the phone. Nobody else can ever listen to that playlist.

a playlist for a long air flight

a playlist that is a poem

music that makes the morning coffee taste better

a playlist for a full day in the studio

underwater music

songs with vivid narratives

songs that would make your 16 year old self feel like you had experienced way more in life than you actually had

a song for each of your chrome tabs

songs that make you feel a different age than you are

songs to listen to while waiting for the dentist

music for dancing at your desk

coding playlist

a playlist that feels like it has a secret

a playlist saying what you won’t text

songs that cure sensory overload

songs you like to sing along to

a playlist for your alter ego

sounds from under the earth

songs that aren't even a little bit about love

a playlist that catches up with an old friend for you

a playlist with a single song you can play on repeat forever

a playlist that meets someone else halfway

songs that will most definitely make you cry so maybe keep them all in one place so you know where to find them

a playlist for pre-stalgia: the feeling that you will develop nostalgia around these songs, knowing these songs will soon mean so much -- but not quite yet

"safe" music to play if you're given the aux among people you don't know

songs that make a whole room dance

music that reminds you of being in a specific room

music to listen to while wandering a museum

songs under 2 minutes

music to write to

melancholy dance music

spooky music (that's not Halloween music)

music that brings you back to moments when you felt a certain feeling that you don't ever want to forget is possible to feel

the soundtrack to a movie in which you're the protagonist

songs added one at a time by free association

songs you often share with other people

songs that make you dance

a playlist to listen to in headphones next to someone listening to the same playlist in headphones

musically uplifting songs with very sad lyrics

a playlist for a party celebrating you and only you, attended by everyone you love

opening tracks

music that no one listened to before you (forgotify.com)

Songs to Dissociate to

a playlist which pays the humans who made the songs a living wage

replace the soundtrack to a movie that already exists

a playlist for the afterlife

a playlist in which an unexpected song (say something by U2, Green Day or any MTV hit from the mid 2000s) feels surprising but highly comforting

playlist where title of each song is something your therapist (could)(should) say to you

music that softens your gaze

a playlist that indulges your angst

a playlist to listen to on the way to a social activity that you're nervous about

music you like to lipsync to in the mirror

a long continuous story

A playlist for when you accidentally find more time in the morning sun

a playlist that feels nostalgic in the lonely way

a playlist of songs with lyrics that can be remixed easily in conversation to make jokes and memes out of

a playlist of songs your parents played when you were growing up

a playlist that feels like a change of season

a playlist of songs about a month or a time (November)

songs to play for your kids so they think you were cool

a playlist that feels like riding a bike

a playlist which satisfies your endless hunger for more playlists

a playlist that feels like 100 degrees

a song for each thing you accomplished today

a song for each of your instagram posts

songs that are better with your eyes closed

a playlist for a party you want to leave

music for reading in transit

a gift for someone based on what you've heard them play on the aux

music that makes cheap wine taste like champagne

theme songs for a cartoon about you

a playlist for playing dress-up

a playlist where each song correlates to a life changing moment or feeling to build your sonic autobiography

music that is based on math

songs about capitalism

music that won't wake a sleeping person

cooking playlist

a playlist that revolves around a single song

a playlist that gives you permission to do whatever you want to do

songs to help you learn an instrument

a 24 hour playlist to listen to in a single day

10 songs that represent the last 5 years of your life, chosen in 10 minutes

a playlist for when you're in physical pain

a collection of novel use of language in track/album/artist naming

about

Playlist Prompts is a collection of very specific playlist ideas started by Shea in 2020 and contributed to by many. So far it has taken form as:

[ongoing]
An open channel on Are.na
[2020]
A participatory newsletter (RIP TinyLetter)
[2021]
A poem published in the Are.na Annual, with an accompanying channel and playlist
[2022]
This website

Submissions and responses are welcomed on Are.na.

choose