When it comes to organizing music, we are all pretty different in our individual systems. Some prefer just a saved library of every single song, some like playlists and others may stick to good old-fashioned physical copies. Whether or not you have transitioned into streaming services, leaving your “burning a disc onto the computer” days behind you, each of us has a routine that works for our preferences. These music routines are able to facilitate and represent a change of pace by changing with the weather just the same.
Songs stick with us at different points of our lives based on what we are looking for.
My system consists of the creation of almost weekly playlists of what I want to hear at the time, along with new songs I have discovered. This system shows exactly what I’m going for and when, giving me a tool to look back on.
My playlists change with the weather. They are a direct product of both what is going on in my life and what the temperature is like around me. In cool air, I look for warm music. I long for sweet, folksy Crosby Stills and Nash songs to carry me through a chilly day. As a music fan, songs are simply embedded into my daily routine. They change pace just the same as I do when the weather shifts.
Fleetwood Mac songs play a part in all of my October playlists, many of the same being added back for the second week in a row. “Rhiannon” emits a completely different feeling when played on a brisk autumn afternoon than it does on a blazing summer evening. The witchy ways of Stevie Nicks are all too fitting for the Halloween season and signify a change of spirit when organized into my daily fall mix.
Simon & Garfunkel are also more prevalent in my playlists during the final months of the year. A classic duo, powerful words and acoustic guitar mix together to formulate a dream of a fall soundtrack. Even if I go for the shuffle option and stray away from my playlists, I still often find myself scrolling to find “A Hazy Shade of Winter” as soon as the temperature drops below 60 degrees.
No matter how you organize your music, there is always a certain time for a specific song or artist to hit just right. The changing of seasons reflect songs resonating at different points, revealing themselves when the time is just right. If you shuffle your whole library, make playlists or pop in a CD, chances are your deciding choice will reflect life as it is right now: able to be changed just the same.
Lauren Patterson is a sophomore studying journalism. Please note that the views and ideas of columnists do not reflect those of The Post. Want to talk to Lauren? Tweet her @lpaatt.
