#monthly rotation playlist

[talonpaw]

i will be so happy to be RID of april. this month has felt eight years long… this past week has been at least three years 😭😭😭😭

[agentmmayy]

january & february rotation

i mostly listened to songs i’ve had on repeat last year these past few months, but here are some new ones i enjoyed!

love u already - fleurie: i haven’t met you yet but i love you already!!!!!!!! dreamy and wistful and so hopeful i love it 

one i wanna be with - trella: oh bop!!!!!!!!!!! this ENTIRE SONG just makes me so happy!!!!!!! it’s so full of love!!! every lyric hits but especially i can’t help but wish we met before we did

i know what love is - honeybee: this song is so mellow and sweet i adore it. i’m always a sucker for love songs like this. it jumped me right from the lyric you gave me your heart like you had it to spare. also i am obsessed with how this song mirrors the classic i wanna know what love is

i walked a mile in my room - miki ratsula: when i tell you i still haven’t recovered from this!!!! will you take me as i am will you love me still tomorrow? this song has me by the throat. still not even fully processed the TITLE jesus. 

california - lisa mitchell: this song is on a playlist @152glasslippers made me and it’s been stuck in my head for the past 2 months. obsessed with how in this song california isn’t just a place it’s a state of being and of mind. california is just a placeholder!!!! a name put to something unnamable so it can become tangible!!!!! the lyric that hit me the most was shadow weighs a ton bc wtf. it’s longing and hopeful and also at the same time foreboding? 

petals on the moon - wasia project: they had me at moon what can i say. it has such an infectious beat i want to skip along to it. this song makes me think of walking down a busy sidewalk during a cool windy day and people-watching and reflecting the entire journey until getting home. it’s whimsical. hand down favorite part is i feel like i can’t help but always feel so blue but in the end i know i must keep pulling through. it’s the epitome of i can’t go on, i’ll go on!!!

let go - stories, amelia mclean: this song is so gorgeous and gentle not only with the lulling chords but also the vocals and the continuous build up and release. 100% have cried to this a few times in the last month. it’s accepting and comforting and encouraging 

empty vessels - lilli furfaro: THE LYRICS IN THIS SONG ARE INSANE!!!!!!! i literally cannot wrap my head around it. it’s just so good. the entire concept of being empty and being filled up with love again and again only to pour it out again and again and repeat the cycle?????? not having a purpose or being used until that love comes along???? at least it means i’m useful now and then??? i was made to pout out all my insides??? i‘ve been sitting in your highest cupboard???? i was built to hold the weight of safety??? MY BELLY FILLED WITH RICH ANNOINTING OILS???? YOU SNAP ME BY THE NECK TO BREAK THE SEAL????? I AM CRAWLING ON THE CEILING!!!!! CHEWING ON DRYWALL!!!!! WAILING AND SCREAMING AND SHAKING!!!! this is another one of those crazy, destructive love songs that i eat up every time 

always & forever - lilly kershaw: the natural follow up to empty vessels. each lyric blew my mf mind but especially you said you’re gonna love me full and i said how could that be when i’ve never been whole and i’ve never been free. like????? 

antiques - holden laurence: god the desperation in this makes me want to claw my chest open and rip my heart out. the beat fucks in this jaunty rhythm that’s such a juxtaposition to the haunting lyrics and vocals. then the bridge?????? i promise to be strong i promise to believe in love that lingers on i’ll see you in my dreams. I’M CALLING THE POLICE. i have no ground to stand on for this opinion and not to blorbo this but i will. this is a tess/joel song. not only because of how apocalyptic this feels (which is a whole other discussion) but also meet me in the space between all the words unsaid when we could not speak meet me i’ll be waiting for you there. thanks for coming to my ted talk

the subway song - delacey: bawled my eyes out listening to this one for the first time whew babey! take me home i feel homesick i don’t know where i’m going too many faces but none i know and i’m alone. excuse me!!!!!

[spidersinyourshoes]

Phantom Troupe music headcanons because i cannot stop projecting my interests onto them

in honor of me creating 6 different playlists today, here’s my thoughts on what type of music the Phantom Troupe would be into :>

Chrollo

Likes classic goth bands such as The Cure and Bauhaus, and is also really into classical music

Avid collector of the most obscure type of music that no one has ever heard of

Like what do you mean the first hour of your playlist is just Gregorian chants??

Listens to artists who have roughly 7 monthly listeners, and somehow he is 3 of them

Also an insane music nerd

He just somehow knows everything about different genres and their societal significance

Will also go into long rants about music based subcultures and their relevance

Nobunaga

Bit pretentious with it lol

Just doesn’t get modern music

Big fan of anything from the 70s or 80s though

Any song he can get nostalgic over tbh

Probably likes Johnny Cash as well??

Just picture any music that you’d hear at a suburban barbecue organized by single dads and he’d know all the songs by heart

Feitan

I don’t see him as someone who listens to a lot of music tbh

But when he does it’s some obscure shit

Probably more into instrumentals than vocals

Again, doesn’t care much, just know that it has to sound haunting or moody, otherwise he’ll turn that shit off

Shalnark swears he once saw him nodding along to Elton John but no one believes him

That did happen actually

He blames Phinks

Machi

Another one who doesn’t listen to a lot of music, but does have a few playlists she rotates between

Went through an emo phase when she was younger and still knows all of the lyrics to basically every Paramore song

Now she’s more partial to artists like Lana Del Rey and Girl in Red

Likes chill songs that aren’t too intense, just here for some good vibes that don’t distract too much

Phinks

Dad rock.

That’s it. That’s the headcanon

Single-handedly responsible for half of Led Zeppelin’s streams

Argues with Nobunaga over who has the better taste in music even though there’s actually a lot of overlap in their tastes

Has a guilty pleasure for emotional ballads as well but he’d sooner die than admit that out loud

Shalnark

Listens to everything

And when I say everything I mean everything

Has about a million playlists all for hyper specific scenarios and moods, but the only playlist he ever actually listens to is just a massive collection of all his favorite songs

It’s definitely over 50 hours long, and will switch from Britney Spears to Pierce the Veil, then the entire Shrek soundtrack, followed by old school country, of course some lo-fi beats, and then goes right back to ABBA

Everyone hates it but he loves it

If it sounds good it’s going in his playlist

Half of the songs he listens to are in languages he doesn’t even speak

Franklin

Chill music because he’s a chill guy

Likes the blues and jazz

But can also appreciate some 90s grunge

When driving, he’s the only one allowed on the aux because no one else can be trusted to play music that everyone will enjoy

Somehow he just knows exactly what songs to play with different people so that everyone can enjoy themselves

Shizuku

Unironically listens to elevator music

Another one of those ‘If I like it, I like it’ people

Really doesn’t care about genres or what’s popular

But I do think that Sufjan Stevens is one of her top artists every year

Does tend to listen to the same song on repeat for hours without even realizing it though

Pakunoda

Her taste in music is timeless and classy, much like herself

To her, it’s important that music shows emotion or tells a story

Debussy and Chopin are some of her favorites

She likes smooth, elegant music, perfect to dramatically sip wine to

Also prefers vinyl records over their digital counterparts

Honestly her music is the perfect ambience for planning heists

Bonolenov

Bono, being the walking music instrument he is, has a very deep connection to music

He has an insane sense of rhythm, and likes his music to be very rhythmic as well

The type of music you can dance to

While nothing will ever beat the music from his own tribe, he also loves exploring traditional music from different cultures all over the world

Preserving that type of music is very important to him

He can probably deduce a songs hidden meaning or secret story very easily, even if others are struggling to even comprehend what they’re listening to

He can certainly appreciate the artistry of different genres as well

But culturally significant music will always interest him most

Uvogin

All genres of metal and rock

As long as it’s loud, he’ll like it

Definitely the type of person to listen to Motörhead at 3AM and fall asleep to Black Sabbath

Could definitely do the vocals in a metal band if he felt like it

Also listens to Frank Sinatra religiously

I’m sorry I don’t make the rules that’s just how it is

Kortopi

Probably really likes very experimental stuff

Something that’s unconventional and just a tad eerie

Has never made a playlist once and doesn’t plan to

Just picks a song he likes and then listens to whatever’s suggested next

Probably listens to haunted house music to relax

Like out of tune organs with creaky doors in the background

The occasional whisper of a ghost

Everyone thinks it’s really weird but he’s enjoying himself lmao

And of course, they are all theater kids in their own right, so play any song from broadway and they’ll sing along (some more enthusiastically than others)

[m00nlight-ramblings]

BG3 Companion Modern AU Headcanons

These random thoughts popped into my mind and I had to write them down. I love these little weirdos, and some of them probably don't make sense but OH WELL.

Should I do a Part 2 with more companions?? Let me know - my inbox and requests are open!

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Astarion

This dude's got iPad kid energy - he loves to scroll Tiktok for hours.

He gets bi-weekly pedicures. And not the basic kind - the full on 1.5 hour long with the massage and the mask and the exfoliation.

His favorite holiday is Halloween. He plans his costume starting in August.

He'd be the type of person to be walking through a mall, see a Claire's, and spontaneously decide to get his ears pierced idk.

Is really into metal. Like, you'll come home and Metallica will be blasting and you walk into the bedroom and he's folding laundry and just like, "Oh, HELLO, Darling!" but will have to scream it over the volume in which he's listening to music

Will truly take an hour picking out the perfect wine to pair with your dinner...he's definitely a wine snob.

The cheapest article of clothing Astarion owns is from Banana Republic and it's an undershirt...everything else is ~*very fancy*~

Loves watching all types of vampire movies/TV shows. He can often be heard saying, "Oh no, they got that all wrong" under his breath.

He definitely reads like 1-2 books a week. He's recently really gotten in spicy smut books (he definitely got recommendations from BookTok).

For sure falls asleep to ASMR videos.

Gale

This man loves HGTV *queue Home Depot commercial music*

Has the most absolutely beautiful, clean home you've ever seen with about 30 bookcases CRAMMED with books. The books are the only disorganized thing in his home because he constantly is reading them, so alphabetizing them is useless.

Pinterest is his most used phone app. His boards are carefully curated. That man has a recipe/inspiration pic/quote for EVERYTHING.

Definitely volunteers at the animal shelter once a month. Often times has to talk himself out of bringing a cat home.

LUSH is his favorite store at the mall. He loves them bath bombs.

He THROWS DOWN at holiday parties...Christmas? Thanksgiving? The table is SET. The decorations are UP. He's wearing an APRON because he's been cooking ALL day. The playlist is PERFECT.

Speaking of holidays, he has matching pajama sets for everyone in the household. For every. Holiday.

Fall is absolutely his favorite season. "Sweetheart...have you ever watched 'When Harry Met Sally'? Perfect autumn movie...also I bought a new scarf today to go with my new peacoat. And mittens. And a new hat...it's getting cold outside."

He definitely has a Live. Laugh. Love. adjacent sign somewhere in his home

He definitely needs glasses to read. And he for sure has those librarian chains so that he can just take them off and they hang, instead of losing them.

Karlach

Absolutely loves to eat meals watching Youtube videos.

Imagine her in Times Square? She tears the M&M's store UP.

Is obsessed with documentaries. She often says things like "I can't believe there's so much stuff to LEARN out there!"

Definitely has a Squishmallow collection. And she rotates which one she sleeps with every night so they all get a chance.

Is absolutely the worst cook of all time but tries really really hard...however, she can make a mean boxed mac n' cheese.

Has an obsession with sugary cereal. There's always Cinnamon Toast Crunch or Fruity Pebbles in her cabinets.

Certified Switie for SURE.

Is really into astrology. Definitely has said, "Oh, you're just saying that because you're a SCORPIO" or the like many, many times.

Absolute Starbucks addiction (venti iced caramel macchiato, extra caramel).

Has monthly "girl's nights" (but everyone is invited) at her place. The rules are: pajamas only, junk food, romcoms, and a playlist of the best pop songs in the past 20 years.

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How'd y'all like it...should I make a part two with other companions?! Remember my inbox is open and I'm accepting requests!! I'd love to write some stuff so send it in!

[cadaverre]

green tea + pistachios + pinterest + making a new monthly playlist is my dream blunt rotation

[bluenews]

Welcome to THE BLUE NEWS, Blue Harbor's best ( and only! ) newspaper, circulating weekly; otherwise known as @blueharborhq's extras blog. Consider this post a short introduction to the blog and all of its upcoming features!

MONTHLY COLUMNS.

Every month, we will be posting a big update to keep all Blue Harbor residents in the know with what's going on in this small town! We'll be posting updates from the weather, to notable events, to local shop sales and more! Feel free to use this knowledge to spice up your IC threads.

ASK MEMES.

We all love a chance to further understand one another's characters. From time to time, we'll be hosting ask meme weekends, where muns are free to opt their characters in to be asked questions ( taken from a list which we will provide ) that they can answer IC. These weekends will be planned in advance, and specific instructions to opt in will be shared once the time arrives, so stay on the lookout!

RADIO PLAYLISTS.

Music brings people together! Thus, we've decided to share a short playlist with the group on a weekly to bi-weekly basis! We'll gather songs from your character blogs, the OOC Discord recommendations channel, our own personal favorites and etc. to keep everyone in the loop on what the town is listening to. IF YOU WOULD LIKE A SONG FEATURED, FEEL FREE TO SHARE IT VIA YOUR CHARACTER'S BLOG OR THE OOC DISCORD, OR YOU CAN SEND IT TO US VIA THE BLUE NEWS' SUBMIT BOX. These playlists will be short, so if you don't see your song featured one week, please look out for it the next! We promise to get to all shared songs eventually if a backlog occurs.

UPCOMING / IMPORTANT DATES.

Every event deserves to be celebrated in Blue Harbor! With this, we'll be highlighting important IC dates such as character birthdays, holidays, group events, the changing of the seasons, etc. Character birthdays in particular can also be found on the Blue News blog on the fifth link at any point in the year.

BREAKING NEWS.

Just like a real newspaper, The Blue News will be posting important news updates of town happenings! Whether admin created for plot-drops, or submitted by the paper's vigilant readers, no story is too small for Blue News!

FARMER'S MARKET.

Down at the farmer's market, the stalls rotate twice each week — Wednesday and Friday! CHECK THIS PAGE TO SEE THE CURRENT STALLS.

JOB LISTINGS / BUSINESS HIGHLIGHTS.

There are businesses a-plenty in Blue Harbor, likely looking for new employees to fill their open positions and customers to keep the doors open. Here we'll be sharing occupation recommendations for new ( or existing ) characters, as well as highlighting businesses within town that may be having special sales in character. Feel free to use this information to spice up your threads! IF YOU WOULD LIKE YOUR CHARACTER'S BUSINESS TO BE FEATURED, PLEASE SEND IT TO US VIA THE BLUE NEWS' SUBMIT BOX! Please fill out the appropriate form, found here, and we will compile the post for you.

Any new features of this blog will be added ( and announced ) as time goes on. As with anything, member feedback is extremely appreciated & any comments or concerns can be directed to the main or either admin!

[digitalis-obscura]

tagged by @limbreaper (hiiiiii) to share ten songs i've been listening to lately. i just made a new monthly playlist so i think it has. exactly ten songs on it rn lmao. ft my commentary, because i'm bored waiting for my laundry to run, and i think my taste in music is fucking excellent

SHAKE by Thousand Below: new single, i am Looking to see if there's an album announcement coming because their last album wrecked me as a person

Spit You Out by The Anix (ft Daedric): idk this one's just vibey. my version of vibey tho

The Gates by ZHU and Zero 9:36: okay hear me out, the bass in this goes hard as fuck in my car and zero 9:36 is good

Afterthought by Silent Theory: another new single, again i am 👀 about a new album maybe (i need new music soon or im going to die)

NAIL5 by Wage War: sometimes you want a song that is just screaming. wage war has delivered. yet another new single. i've gotten so many singles this week but no fucking albums. please. this one is divisive even amongst fans of the band. because they're cowards

House On Sand by NOTHING MORE (ft I Prevail): single. nothing more is usually hit or miss but they have not been missing lately. album pwease 🥺

Don't Tell Me by Disturbed (ft. Ann Wilson from Heart): remember when everyone went apeshit about the disturbed cover of sound of silence? go listen to this song, it'll blow your fucking dick off. ann wilson marry me.

Cold By Dark Divine: actually i'm rotating this whole album, i tried to listen to it when it first came out but the stars were not in alignment for me to Get It. i get it now tho baby

How To Ruin Everything (Patience) by Bayside: idk this one was on my discovery playlist this week and it kinda fucks

oh that's only nine actually. honorable mention then to Creatures in Heaven by Glass Animals, it's not on my playlist because it's not my usual day to day music but glass animals fucks incredibly and this song is ruining my life

izzy you already tagged half my usual tags lmao, i'm tagging @voidofthestars @youreverydayghost @romanticslimecreature @voodoopunx

@maandarinee @iamjessemccartney @nebulousbeing and @annebonnydyke as well as anyone who wants to do it, feel free to say i tagged you

[deadthehype]

A collection of my favorite songs at the moment. Inspired by my weekly music rotation tag from last year and RNC Radio’s playlists.

This could be the start to having a monthly updated playlist. My laziness might kick in and this could be a one-and-done idea. Either way, fuck with me.

[1892]

just listened to a bunch of three 6 mafia songs (tbf just their hits so far my bad) are there other artists should i listen to, do u have any specific albums i should listen to? ty ur music posts always make me wanna listen to whatever artist/album ur talking abt 😁

yes dude yes. i'm not the most familiar with memphis rap (three 6 mafia excluded i do love mystic stylez) i will elevator pitch these albums to you also. ALSO never be ashamed about liking the hits bc often they're hits for a reason imo

i will recommend u Three albums. and a playlist

1.

amerikkka's nightmare by spice 1...i got this on CD for christmas this year. perfect bay area project. one of my fav albums ever, it's premium gangstarap...g-funk infused. so creative & energetic & his flows are pretty forward thinking for 1994. it's his best album imo. if you want a specific song to start with i'd start with either bustas can't see me or strap on the side or murder ain't crazy. production is fucking phenomenal.

2.

wwcd by griselda. premium coke rap lol. the griselda guys' collaborative magnum opus imo. it's their only full album all three of them but they're all made collab albums with each other at one point or another. on this album they are all top of their game 100%. the only. only. critique i have of this album is them including eminem on a remix after the outro. just doesn't fit on the album at all imo. otherwise it's a 10.

3.

take cover, mafiosos. one of the single most underrated artists ever lol. like 100 monthly listeners on these guys, but they've made THIS album. it's near perfect. bitch made is a good place to start

and then the playlist i'm gonne recommend is:

the vibe – playlist i made for playing when i'm with ppl & have aux

march 24 – my current rotation

okay thanks for listening omg. <3

[the1975attheirverybest]

omg, and to like add to the previous ask i like need to know more about how and what matty listens to music. is he a monthly playlist kinda guy, mood-based playlist, just one big fuck off playlist with everything on, albums in full? i need to know!!! but also who is he listening to because obviously he had his emo phase and listened to a lot of UK garage music and ambient stuff like brian eno and obviously he's big on listening to the artists on dirty hit but I need more! and is he the kinda guy to have stuff on loop like both yesterday and today I've had god loves you by jpegmafia on repeat

i also just wanna like parasocialy share my music taste with him - 🐸

BESTIE YOU HAVE COME TO THE RIGHT PLACEEE!!!! When I tell you that I have EVERY. SINGLE. SONG/ALBUM/ARTIST HE HAS EVER MENTIONED documented, analyzed etc. it’s legitimately INSANE how much time I’ve spent on this and I think if anyone else found out, they would be kind of terrified. BUT, I promise it’s for good reasons, hahaha. Like, I ABSOLUTELY LOVE AND ADORE when he discusses his musical influences, why he likes what he likes, how he related to the American music culture in comparison to UK garage music, emo, and stuff he grew up on. Like all of that is so, so fascinating to me and helps to frame his artistry and put into context.

I think there are definitely classics that he has on rotation! Like My Bloody Valentine- Loveless; Tango in The Night- Fleetwood Mac. Voodoo- D’Angelo. BUT, based on his “songs from my life” highlights on insta, I think he’s also somewhat of a mood listener. Like, remember the Spotify playlists that are linked on the 1975 account? “At your heaviest”? Or the crazy long playlist he made to celebrate Biden being elected? He def makes special little playlists for specific moods and occasions. Maybe, like, “date night in” playlist of songs to play when cooking/ chilling/ having a date night at home. Def has music he listens to when making a new record. Whether for inspo, or because it resembles the sound that he’s going for, or because it puts him in a specific headspace.

And let us not forget!!! One of my favorite things about Matty is that he is, first and foremost, a fan!! He LOVES music and loves to talk about it and analyze it and consume new stuff. So, if The Arctic Monkeys or Phoebe Bridgers or someone he is a fan of puts out a new record, you best believe he’s streaming it, posting about it on Instagram, obsessing over his fav song, sharing it with the guys.

Like, do you remember that segment from Apple Music where he and Zane Lowe had this Instagram chat about “best rapper of all time” and Matty had divided his answer into 3 categories and was nerding out? He’s definitely get like that. Fastidiously making playlists based on extremely niche categories that only he finds obvious and intuitive and like getting into debates with friends about what belongs where….HES A TOTAL GEEK AND WE LOVE IT!!!

[transparencyboo]

Legit never got the appeal of Spotify.

I've collected all my music on my computer for the last 20 years. It's still there, I can listen to it for free. I can transfer it to my phone and listen on the go. I have 250+ albums on there. I don't need to pay a monthly subscription or phone bandwidth to access it, it's just there. I rotate my old favorites, I savour and linger on new ones. There is no scenario where I would spend more money on music per month than what Spotify asks, and if I did I'd gladly be using it to go crate digging at record stores or support small acts on Bandcamp.

To me, Spotify is an odd luxury; a convenient solution for dynamic party playlists. I admit I am absolutely too cheap for Spotify, I don't even need the moral argument, I just think the service is fundamentally broken and redundant for any of my needs.

I feel like Spotify's most notable trait is how they barely pay their artists at all, so start a music library. Buy and/or download the songs you like, stick them in and app like iTunes or MusicBee and boom! They're right there on your hard drive and they'll never get region-locked or delisted and you'll never have to hear an ad when listening to it ever.

What are you paying monthly for Spotify? Make that your monthly music budget to buy from Bandcamp or what have you. Then the songs are yours to keep and the artists actually get a substantial cut (at least by comparison).

Maybe you can't afford a bunch right away - that's fine! Build your early library from old CDs or YouTube rips or whatever so you've got stuff to listen to. Giant Record Companies hosting already-millionaire artists don't need your money anyway.

Seriously you can do it. If you could make all your Spotify playlists you can make a music library. Unless you've just been listening to those algorithmically generated playlists, in which case I guess you and Spotify deserve each other.

[talonpaw]

i know we’re already halfway into 2024, but i JUST realized i forgot to do this…

i’ve started creating monthly playlists— no specific genre, just compiling every single song i have on rotation during a particular month. helps to serve as a time capsule and a glimpse into my past self’s psyche.

and 2023 is the first time I’ve documented a full year of playlists! presenting…

my year in lists: 2023

(january 2023! a moody and downtrodden winter. lots of Carly Cosgrove, as they played a show with a local band that i’m fond of… also featuring AJJ’s Knife Man! that album always seems to pop back up in dark times…)

(february 2023! still gloomy, but a bit more upbeat, a little more angry! highlights include: Joyce Manor as i saw them open for PUP, and the new Paramore album! i also revisited Laurel Hell by Mitski this month…)

(march 2023! highlights include: new Gorillaz AND new 100 Gecs???? plus Gorillaz self-titled… was also in a midwest emo mood, with Pet Symmetry, Mom Jeans AND Slaughter Beach, Dog 😭)

(april 2023! this one’s a breakup playlist, but i’m not sure if you’d be able to tell just by looking at it… highlights include the Romance is Boring (Los Campesinos!) + Three Cheers for Sweet Revenge (My Chemical Romance) combo…)

(may 2023! this one’s pretty sparse, i just moved back home…)

(june 2023! fun mix of pop and rock! you can tell that spiderverse came out this month 😭 was also listening to AJJ’s Disposable Everything from late May!)

(july 2023! this one’s just kinda Weird. i don’t think a single artist appears more than once. my camp counselor era…)

(august 2023! this month was also a Blur!)

(september 2023! this one was so short because i was mostly just listening to Beast Monster Thing (Love Isn’t Love Enough) by car seat headrest over and over and over and over and…)

(october 2023! the FNAF month! misc. indie, featuring some spooky songs as well)

(november 2023! THE big, stressful event! this one reflects my messy headspace at the time. featuring two songs from public void by Penelope Scott. this month also contained not one, but two miniature roadtrips with my future partner…)

(december 2023! no December playlist is complete without multiple songs from the Los Campesinos! Christmas EP.)

[jranimator]

Demystifying Spotify for Independent Artists

The music industry has undergone a massive transformation in the past decade, and Spotify has emerged as one of the most influential platforms for artists. For independent musicians, Spotify offers unparalleled opportunities to reach global audiences and establish a thriving career. However, navigating the platform effectively requires a thorough understanding of its features and tools. This guide will help demystify Spotify, empowering independent artists to leverage its potential and grow their music careers.

Maximizing Royalties from Spotify Streams

Spotify’s royalty system can seem opaque to many artists, but understanding it is essential to optimizing your revenue. When you receive royalties from Spotify, the payout is based on factors such as total streams, your percentage of the platform’s streams, and agreements with your digital distributor.

While Spotify operates on a pro-rata system, independent artists can maximize earnings by focusing on increasing their listener base. Start by engaging directly with fans through your Spotify profile. Personalized playlists, release calendars, and even virtual live sessions can help keep your audience engaged. Collaborative playlists, where you feature other artists in your genre, can also drive cross-promotion and attract new listeners.

Electronic Press Kits: The Secret Weapon for Artists

As an independent artist, standing out in a crowded marketplace is no easy feat. This is where an electronic press kit sample can come in handy. Think of an EPK as your professional music resume. It showcases your best work, highlights your achievements, and presents your brand in the best light to potential collaborators, venues, and media outlets.

A typical EPK includes essential elements like:

A compelling biography that tells your story.

High-quality press photos suitable for promotional purposes.

Links to your top tracks or most successful albums.

A list of past performances, awards, or collaborations.

Spotify statistics, such as monthly listeners or popular playlists featuring your songs, can also be included in the EPK. These metrics demonstrate your growing popularity and are especially compelling for booking agents or playlist curators.

Uploading Music on Spotify Without Hassle

Getting your music onto Spotify is one of the most critical steps for any independent artist. To put music on Spotify, you’ll need to use a digital distributor such as DistroKid, TuneCore, or CD Baby. These services act as intermediaries, uploading your music to Spotify and other streaming platforms while ensuring compliance with metadata and copyright standards.

Before uploading, make sure your tracks are mastered professionally and meet Spotify’s technical requirements. The metadata (track title, artist name, and album details) must also be accurate to ensure your music is discoverable. Additionally, optimize your artist profile by adding a high-resolution image, bio, and links to your social media pages. A polished profile increases your chances of being noticed by playlist curators and fans alike.

To boost visibility, consider pitching your tracks for Spotify's curated playlists. The Spotify for Artists dashboard lets you pitch unreleased music directly to playlist editors. This feature is invaluable for independent artists aiming for placements on popular playlists that can dramatically increase streams.

Mastering the Pitching Process in Music

One of the most effective ways to grow your presence on Spotify is by pitching your music to curators. But what is pitching in music, and how can you excel at it?

Pitching is essentially presenting your music to decision-makers like playlist curators, radio hosts, or licensing professionals. The goal is to convince them that your song deserves a spot in their rotation. A well-crafted pitch highlights the unique qualities of your track and explains why it resonates with your target audience.

To start, identify the playlists most relevant to your genre. Avoid mass emails; instead, personalize your pitch by referencing the playlist’s style and explaining why your music fits in. Include a brief, engaging description of your song, links to your Spotify profile, and your latest EPK.

Timing is critical for a successful pitch. Reach out to curators well before your release date to give them time to review your track. Use Spotify for Artists to track your submission status and measure the impact of playlist placements on your streaming numbers.

Breaking Down Spotify Royalty Reports for Better Insight

As your music gains traction on Spotify, understanding your earnings becomes vital. A royalty report spotify provides detailed insights into your revenue streams, helping you track your growth and identify opportunities for improvement.

Royalty reports include data on:

Total streams and geographic distribution of listeners.

Payouts from different countries or regions.

Revenue earned through premium versus free-tier listeners.

By analyzing these reports, you can tailor your marketing strategies to focus on regions where your music performs well. For example, if your streams are surging in a specific city, consider targeting that area with social media ads or planning a live performance.

It’s also worth noting that royalty reports can uncover areas where additional effort is needed. If streams are low despite significant marketing efforts, you may need to revisit your promotional strategy or collaborate with artists who can introduce your music to new audiences.

Final Tips for Independent Artists on Spotify

Spotify offers an array of tools to help independent musicians succeed, but consistent effort and strategic planning are crucial. Here are a few final tips:

Leverage Spotify Canvas: Create short, visually engaging videos that play in the background of your tracks.

Utilize Spotify Ads: Run audio or video ads to promote your latest releases to a wider audience.

Monitor Listener Trends: Use Spotify for Artists analytics to track your performance and adapt your strategies accordingly.

Engage with Fans: Respond to comments, share behind-the-scenes content, and keep your listeners invested in your journey.

By combining these strategies with a clear understanding of royalties, pitching, and the tools at your disposal, you can make the most of what Spotify offers.

Conclusion

Spotify has become a game-changer for independent artists, offering the tools and reach needed to thrive in today’s music industry. By mastering the platform’s intricacies—whether it’s understanding royalties, crafting a professional EPK, or pitching your tracks—you can elevate your music career to new heights.

Are you ready to take the next step? Start by implementing the strategies discussed above and watch your Spotify presence soar. Share your experiences or challenges in the comments below!

[randomvarious]

Today's compilation:

Vox: Class of 96 1996 Britpop / Power Pop / Alternative Rock

Remember the era of the freebie CD, folks? Music magazines liked to pump these things out on about a monthly basis to be packaged with their own issues, and while we may not have fully appreciated them as they were being distributed to us at the time, in retrospect, they actually really serve as very important pieces of ephemera that, in totality, can authentically document what a whole part of a certain time period sounded like. I closed out last week's comp run with one of these things from UK music magazine Q, which provided a short list of what the publication had deemed as the best tracks in the UK for 1997, and this week, I'm kicking off with another one of these freebie CDs, from what was once one of Q's biggest competitors, the now-defunct Vox, which is obviously not to be confused with the liberal news site of the same name that's still very much around today.

But while that Q CD dealt with 1997, this Vox one tries to tackle 1996. And once again, although this comp isn't nearly as good as the Q one, it still nevertheless reinforces my opinion that the UK's alt rock landscape of this time period was of a *much* higher quality than the US's. Grunge had led the way throughout the early-to-mid-90s in America, but once it fell off, we were left with what was basically this empty void of nothingness, or as Thom Yorke once put it, 'fridge buzz.'

From the 1998 Radiohead tour doc, Meeting People Is Easy:

There's a line in "Karma Police" about 'he buzzes like a fridge.' And to me, when you're driving around in America and you have the alternative stations on in the background or in your hotel room or whatever; and it's just like a fridge buzzing. That's all I'm hearing. I'm just hearing buzz. It's really odd. It's kind of funny, though, really. You just have to laugh.

So, I really think where American alt rock radio programmers screwed up in the post-grunge era was when they collectively decided not to fully embrace Britpop. It could've been such a great, contrasting commercial successor to grunge, but instead we tried to replace it with Third Eye Blind and such. And not to throw too much shade on them, specifically, because "Semi-Charmed Life" is still, and will always be, the fucking jam, but 3eb is just not nearly in the same stratosphere as what so many Britpop bands were doing at the same time. Alt rock radio would give us glimpses of Britpop with some Radiohead, Oasis, and Blur singles, and to be clear, those three are really the royal triumvirate of the whole era, but there really was so much more to it than just some of those bands' songs and The Verve's "Bitter Sweet Symphony."

And this Vox CD from 1996 offers up some of those bands that Americans are undoubtedly less familiar with, like Suede, Kula Shaker, and Ash, who were leagues better than pretty much every other alt rock radio group that got played in the US. Don't get me wrong, I very much love to wax nostalgic about the American 'fridge buzz' too, but this Britpop sound was just so much richer and more dynamic, overall, and it's a total shame that it didn't get a significantly larger chunk of the American alt-rock radio pie than it did, because I think we would've been much better off with having something like Suede's Bowie-channeled "Trash" in constant rotation—one of their most popular songs, but still never charted Stateside in any capacity—rather than, like, I don't know, the super dorky "Hey Leonardo (She Likes Me for Me)," by Blessid Union of Souls?

All in all, this CD honestly still isn't *that* great, and if compared with a generic American alt rock radio playlist from the same year, I still might prefer the American radio one instead. But that would really only be purely for nostalgic reasons, because when I take these rose-colored glasses off, even though some of the music on here definitely feels a bit clunky, it's still a whole lot more substantive than just about everything else that American alt rock radio was serving us up at the time. And that really just goes to show how drastically the programmers were missing the boat by back then, because second- and third-tier Britpop bands were, I think, inarguably, qualitatively outshining whatever American stuff was being put into the heaviest of rotation. And unfortunately, a whole lot of us ended up missing out on some *very good* Britpop tunes as a result of that decision-making 😔.

Highlights:

Suede - "Trash" Kula Shaker - "Smart Dogs" Ash - "Oh Yeah" Geneva - "No One Speaks" Super Furry Animals - "Hometown Unicorn"

[spinstrackingsystem]

Brooke Moriber’s “Nashville in New York” Set to Debut at The Bitter End

On Saturday January 13th at 6:30pm, join discerning music aficionados at the legendary The Bitter End on Bleecker Street in NYC for the inaugural installment of New York native and current Nashville resident Brooke Moriber’s new bi-monthly Songwriters in the Round series “Nashville in New York”.  Get tickets on The Bitter End’s website here. The former Broadway star and current Reviver Records Country music sensation will host and perform at this intimate acoustic storytellers style performance event; also featuring the talents of award winning songwriters Jeff Cohen and Kara DioGuardi, plus a special appearance by members of the 615 Collective – which includes tunesmiths Aaron Goodvin, Sarah Darling, Michael Logen and Nicole Witt. Brooke Moriber is a singer/songwriter who has paved an unconventional path for herself in Country music. After getting her start at a young age professionally as a native New Yorker performing on Broadway, Brooke turned to songwriting as a teenager to cope with losing her eyesight to a rare eye disease. When the disease went into remission after a difficult four years, Brooke began traveling to Nashville to tell her own stories. She went on to release her first single “Cry Like A Girl” independently in 2019, and later signed with Nashville’s Reviver Records. Praised for her “clarion voice” (Associated Press), Moriber’s music has been in rotation on many Music Choice channels and has been featured on Spotify’s New Music Friday Country playlist ( Read the full article

[newmusicweekly]

From New York to Nashville, Reviver Records Recording Artist Brooke Moriber Making Her Mark in Country Music

Born and bred NYC native and current Nashville resident Brooke Moriber is returning to her roots this winter for two special shows. First, the burgeoning young Country star will be playing on Thursday December 7th for the “Nash Meets Patch Honky-Tonk Showcase” presented by Planet Of Sound Promotions at 89 North in Patchogue, NY on Long Island.  Then after the new year, see Brooke perform as part of the new bi-monthly “Nashville in New York” Songwriters in the Round series, which will also feature Jeff Cohen, Kara DioGuardi and members of the 615 Collective including Sarah Darling, at the legendary The Bitter End on Bleeker Street in NYC on Saturday January 13th at 6:30pm. Brooke Moriber is a singer/songwriter and native New Yorker who has paved an unconventional path for herself in Country music. After getting her start at a young age professionally performing on Broadway, Brooke turned to songwriting as a teenager to cope with losing her eyesight to a rare eye disease. When the disease went into remission after a difficult four years, Brooke began traveling to Nashville to tell her own stories. Praised for her “clarion voice” (Associated Press), she went on to release her first single “Cry Like A Girl” independently in 2019, and later signed with Nashville’s Reviver Records.  Moriber’s music has been in rotation on many Music Choice channels and has been featured on Spotify’s New Music Friday Country and Country Christmas playlists (“Little Read the full article