In this post I want to describe playlist creation as an art form. I am not using the word “curating” because in the existing context it has a different meaning. Indeed, curating means choosing what goes on and off the playlist, when and how often, without regard to consistency or artistic consideration. Creating, on the other hand, is not about monetization or making sure that songs added to the playlist get a certain number of streams. Instead, it is about making an art collection using your own vision for it. Just like with any such collection, unless it is in a big state museum where school kids and tourists must come to visit, there is no guarantee of massive attention or appreciation. A playlist, therefore, is akin to a private art collection or a personal wine collection of a sommelier.
Fortunately, with a playlist you can add anything you want, and it does not require massive financial commitment. You can use highly popular mainstream songs and rare, undiscovered songs of emerging talents. Moreover, making playlists can provide an opportunity to network and meet interesting artists and like-minded people. It is an art form that is new and dynamic. It is also an extension of your personal artistry.
Being genuinely interested in many musical genres, I am happy that I have created so many different playlists full of outstanding compositions.
No matter how prolific you are, where you record your music, and what equipment you use, one person or band can only do so much. Thus, although individual achievements count and are important, they cannot be compared with a comprehensive music collection of tens and hundreds of bands and artists.
In a world where art has once again lost all value – platforms like Spotify exist and charge subscription fees using music, podcasts, and now audiobooks, practically free of charge – individual art is not respected and remains unnoticed, drowning in the sea of mainstream content. It seems that making a big fat collection that just cannot be ignored is the only way to go.
The problem, however, is that even if a playlist with all of its content is discovered by someone, this does not guarantee that the songs will be saved, added to private playlists, or listened to very often. Appreciation of art in society is a very controversial matter. It usually goes with the fashion of the day and what’s advertised through the main media channels. And yet, such systemic obstacles have never stopped artists from creating.
The act of creation is more important than the act of consumption. This applies to all forms of art, including playlists. With playlists, though, there is another challenge. Lots of playlists are not used with good intentions. They are often curated with the goal of capitalizing on the desire of artists to get discovered. As a result, a real art collection appears in the same pool with completely random streaming farms or 2-week feature dormant playlists, which undermine the bare idea of doing it as an art.
And yet, as I already mentioned, systemic obstacles have never been able to stop art. I know for myself that I get motivated and deliver better results when I am facing a serious challenge. And trust me, creating playlists as art is an endeavor.
News:
I’d like to provide an update about the new platform Pitchplaylists.com. Here’s what it looks like and what you can do there:
- It’s a free-for-all platform, similar to Soundplate.com, but the workflow is quite different.
- From what I’ve seen so far, it’s most attractive for musicians who want to promote their songs and are also willing to listen to the music of their peers.
- There’s no feedback-writing and no fees involved. You log in with your Spotify account, and with one click, you can accept or decline a song. If you accept it, the song is automatically added to your playlist. This makes the platform very user-friendly.
- Another useful feature is the ability to set up your own submission gate, where one profile and one playlist must be followed, and one song must be saved. I recommend using your artist account and selecting a song in a similar genre to the playlist you want to promote. Getting more saves and profile followers is healthy for the Spotify algorithm.
- You won’t get a lot of traffic yet since the platform is brand new, but it’s likely to attract more attention over time. I think it’s an interesting concept for music exchange, so give it a try.
If you decide to put out a playlist on Pitchplaylists.com, let me know — I can share some practical tips to make it a positive experience.
Music Picks:
This time I will share songs and compositions created with exceptional artistry. As always, these songs can be found on my playlists among other gems that are waiting to be discovered.
Just to start somewhere, let us take a listen to one dynamic and well-mixed composition that will set the tone for my picks today.
Burnout ’23 by Nathan Goldman:
https://open.spotify.com/track/1w8sa22W6rcxHky9PEVzQa
I love the combination of a powerful electric rhythm guitar with electronic elements. Complex lyrics, charming backing vocals, and the guitar solo are great too.
We continue with another song that can be found on the “Montreal, Quebec, Canada,” Easy Listening, and Big World playlists.
Desert Night by Amirali Kamali:
https://open.spotify.com/track/2DNDV5600S4tE5aF8993ZG
You’ve gotta love this beautiful fusion of Middle Eastern instrumentation with modern electronic production techniques.
And since we have begun with electronic compositions, let’s check another one out.
Nipe by Clownphill:
https://open.spotify.com/track/4UGnXCUnEvkF9Euj4qBli7
The blend of traditional vocals and instrumentation with the consistency of the electronic beat creates a one-of-a-kind atmosphere. It is such a likable tune!
I have a soft spot for French rap, especially when it is well performed. The next song is a unique cocktail combining rap with folk.
Yin et Yang by Digresk:
https://open.spotify.com/track/1PtbgpaAVZgUbM7BZOC3zP
Notice how the lyrics are rhymed, not just rhythmical.
The following song is one of my absolute favorites. Between the lyrical messaging, great performance, and simple yet fantastically accurate arrangements, this sounds better than Nirvana to me.
The Opposite of Everything by The Infinity Chamber, John Byrne:
https://open.spotify.com/track/2WCFZhtU0A1zSRYV7FMz6u
No further comments. Just musical perfection. I can listen to it on repeat for a long time.
To continue with more examples of great rock music, I’d like to draw your attention to this rare beauty,
Planet Paranoia by Viperstone:
https://open.spotify.com/track/4VoVjPkrhUTQHcCFK9VEPW
Enchanting guitar riffs paired with impeccable vocals provide for an amazing listening experience.
To push the narrative further, I now bring to your attention something uniquely special.
Neocolonial Hand by The Tidal Water:
https://open.spotify.com/track/0VuJys3j2UpKkIQgKs8Q8j
Early reminiscent of Heaven on Their Minds opening the rock opera Jesus Christ Superstar, this complex composition enhances the already powerful message conveyed by the singer to the point of ecstatic catharsis, where understanding comes effortlessly. The attention to detail here is outstanding.
Let’s now mix it up and change the genre. My last examples will be from the Singing of the Soul and Fringe playlists.
Human Beings by Seal:
https://open.spotify.com/track/0qkHN8eztirf1OsdGchURz
This is my favorite song by this artist. In it, he is pushing the boundaries of the genre, which by itself is admirable. Besides, his vocals are great as always. The abstract and even vague yet evocative lyrics are just perfect. All elements of the song come together remarkably well.
Freedom by Ozane:
https://open.spotify.com/track/2vzeRCVXv7PfMCj1Q2ynF6
Great performance paired with an outstanding production causes an immediate déjà vu effect.
I would like to finish my picks with a uniquely beautiful composition by very mature, seasoned, yet still proudly independent artists.
Silver Bullet by The Carousels:
https://open.spotify.com/track/5ZGmHvQj9rclB3t4WV5MzB
Final Thoughts:
I hope you took your time and listened to each and every composition that I mentioned above. Selecting these songs, I wanted to hyperbolize the concept of playlist making as an art form. By drawing your attention to the exceptional artistry featured on my playlist, I meant to emphasize what I already explained at length in the introduction.
A carefully crafted playlist becomes not only a collection of artefacts, but a place of inspiration and shared experience of artistic expression.
Drawing on the inspiration from the music I receive, I build my playlists as living and breathing dynamic bodies of art where the flow and conceptual consistency prevail over anything. I do not make encyclopedic collections of old music just because it was played by artists that rose to fame. In fact, their fame is not important to me at all. Most artists manage to create only a few hits during their entire career anyway. The rest of the music is usually not more than just fillers. And although such music may still be well performed and recorded, it does not make it new or original. Hence, you don’t find this kind of music on my playlists. What you find there instead is true art and true art alone.
I thank everyone who has sent their music to me. It would be quite impossible to do my playlist art without your music submissions.
As usual, I am open to your suggestions and looking forward to listening to your new releases. Feel free to post a comment, reach out by email or on Instagram. And if you have public playlists of your own, where you assembled rare or undiscovered music, send me a link. This too will help me build further.