- Choose a Central Theme. This is your "why" for the playlist. Why do you want to build a playlist? Maybe this is your workout mix or you want to set the mood for going out on a girl's night. Whatever your reason, make sure you identify that is, because it's the foundation for all the other rules. It also has the added benefit of making difficult song choices easier, because you understand the playlist's raison d'etre - it's reason for even existing in the first place. If you take a moment to think about it, I think most people instinctively know what songs they'd put on a Party-themed mix versus what they want to listen to while they're studying for a test. You can be really creative with this. There's an astrologer I follow on Twitter, Chani Nicholas, who builds playlists as a horoscope for each sign (which are amazing btw - if you're on Spotify, just search for #CosmicPlaylist). I've seen fellow witches/pagans build "Money Manifestation" playlists filled with money themed songs. Personally, I have a playlist with all the songs I think would be great to build a burlesque routine around. Anything goes when you're choosing the theme. And the more specific you get, the more targeted your playlist will be, which means you'll have to do less editing in the long run.
- Remember the "Vibe." Knowing what vibe you want for your playlist is simple as asking yourself one simple question - "How do I want to feel while I'm listening to this playlist?" I say that it's simple, but it's probably one of the most complicated questions a person can ask themselves, mostly because a lot of people are afraid of feeling their feelings (but that's a rant for the other day). Yes, you absolutely can create a playlist of songs that make you cry (in fact, I'd encourage it, just for the cathartic benefits alone), but most people are building playlists to set the mood for happy times, like birthday parties or road trips. Remembering the vibe requires you to think critically about the emotional impact a song has on you. For instance, I was talking to the coworker I was traveling with about Lana Del Rey - we both like her music, but I think he put it accurately when he said that he feels like he wants to kill himself with a Twizzler afterwards. All of her songs have a melancholic quality to them and - let's face it - melancholy is just romanticized sadness, my friends. So if you want to feel sad and wistful about an ex, by all means, load it up with some Lana Del Rey, but she probably doesn't belong on a Hype Mix. Another thing to remember about the vibe may be that you're looking for a certain type of music - a certain genre or maybe a specific sound. Pandora used to be good about this, when they were true to their whole goal about recommending songs with the same "musical DNA." Although, that didn't always work. I remember wanting a playlist with pop songs that had a Middle Eastern flair to it, based on "Beautiful Liar" by Beyonce and Shakira. Unfortunately, Pandora interpreted that musical DNA as "more Beyonce, please." Don't get me wrong - I like me some Queen Bey, but that's not what I was going for and it's the primary reason why I believe human ears are crucial to the playlist creation business.
- For working out, use the beats per minute (BPM) as a guide. There have been numerous studies on the impact of music on a person's activity intensity while working out. The higher the beats per minute, the more intense the workout. The reason for this is that the body subconsciously matches the rhythm of the music, so if the music is moving faster, the body will naturally move faster or with greater power. You can use this to your advantage while building your work out playlists. There are plenty of resources out there to identify what BPM is right for each type of workout but a rough guide would be this: 140+ BPM songs are great for high intensity workouts (running, HIIT, cycling, dancing), 100-139 BPM are going to be for moderate intensity workouts (endurance running, strength training, power walking), and under 100 BPM are best for low intensity workouts (yoga/flexibility, swimming) and warm up/cool down cycles. The BPM does not have to impact the vibe - as we've seen, there are some great sub-100 songs that are perfect for pushing you during a work out. My recommendation is to order your playlist (if possible - if you're using the free version of Spotify, random is mandatory on the app) in a way so that you use the lower BPM in your warm up and cool down phases, then move gradually between moderate intensity and/or high intensity songs, depending on what your needs are.
- Limit the list to two songs per artist. This is one of those arbitrary rules that I've found just works in reality. If you love an artist, one song is too little but three songs makes it seem like the playlist only has that artist. I don't know why that happens, it just does. Variety is the spice of life and when you are trying to limit how long the playlist is, these arbitrary rules pay off in the long run. Limiting an artist to only two songs requires you to get really picky on which songs truly fit your theme and vibe for playlist. You start to notice little things about the songs - for instance, maybe a particular lyric hits you harder than you realized or the background music is just a tad slower than you want for the mix. In finding that perfect song by your favorite artist for your go-to playlist, you'll discover songs you never knew existed. More than likely, the artist you love to hear on the radio is way more prolific than the 2 or 3 singles they put out a year. So go ahead and explore. Your ears will thank you.
- Edit, Edit, Edit. It happens - you don't always get a playlist right the first time. Sometimes, after listening through once or twice, you realize a song that you absolutely love just doesn't fit. That's okay. Kill your darlings....or at least move them to a playlist where they fit better. You don't have to put all your favorite songs on a playlist - I've done that and it is an emotional roller coaster not for the faint of heart. If you find yourself skipping a song a lot on a playlist, that's a good indicator that it may not belong there. Likewise, it's normal to get bored, especially if you have a "go-to" playlist that you're always listening to. It's okay to remove songs as they get overplayed and add new ones as you discover them. There's a reason why music apps (like Spotify and Pandora) have a "like" button - it's so you can find those songs again when you want to. I also recommend using this button liberally when you're listening to playlists made by other people or by the app company, as this is a great way to discover new music, even if you don't have a plan for it yet.
- Know your limits (even if you don't think you need them). This is the master rule to remember when creating a playlist. Sure, maybe you don't have a song limit. Maybe you're not going to exclude genres from your list. Maybe you don't have a desired song length. That's all well and good, but in practice, you'll know when you've strayed because you just don't enjoy listening to the playlist anymore. Always remember what your original intention was. Always consider whether or not the playlist is meeting your needs and act accordingly. Sometimes that means you have to start over. Playlist creation is an art and, like all good art, you get better by doing. So if you don't what your limits are, what arbitrary rules you have for your own playlists, I recommend going out and breaking some eggs until you find what works.
And that's it. I hope these tips are helpful and informative - now go have some fun!
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