You have the world’s music library at your fingertips…now what? When faced with endless options, you need a place to start. Enter playlists.
I work in catalog development for a record label. In the world of music a catalog is the collection of repertoire or songs. My job is to re-monetize the label’s existing songs. We do this through compilation records and creating playlists. A playlist, while not physical in nature like a CD nor a transaction like a purchase of a song download, is very much a product and is increasingly becoming an important part of how we consume music.
A playlist lives on a streaming platform like Spotify, Apple Music, and even YouTube. These platforms are our vehicle of delivery. The playlists are our content, our songs.
What is a playlist for? I’ve answered this question on a broad scope, but also included some additional insight on Christian music playlists since that is the genre I work in. Insights for Christian music playlists are in italics.
Worldview: Music is portable. Take it wherever you go. You don’t need to own it, but you need 24/7 access to all the best tunes (and thousands more). The world’s music library accessible at your fingertips. Music that reflects my faith.
Who Are Playlists For?
- Music consumers who are part of the early adopters of streaming music platforms. (I think streaming music platforms as a whole are about to enter the early majority.)
- Music listeners who are looking for suggestions on what to listen to. Love Top 40, love acoustic, love classical, love 80’s punk rock, love indie worship bands? You name it, there’s a playlist./li>
- Those who don’t have the time to create their own playlists.
What Are Playlists For?
- Discovering new songs.
- Rediscovering old songs.
- Convenience.
- A Shared Experience: at home with the family, sharing playlists with friends
- Pass the Time: Driving during your commute, working in the office
- A playlist for every mood…hits, studying, traveling, sleeping, workouts, and hundreds more.
- Playlists are the soundtracks to you life.
- We want to turn you from a casual music listener to someone who can’t live without it.
- Worship music for when you can’t make it to church.
Where there is a fit?
Everyone has a favorite song. Songs are nostalgic. Streaming offers a new level of portability. You’re no longer confined to the space on your device. Playlists help customize the streaming experience and allow you to find what you want faster. Love country music? Visit the country genre page for dozens of recommendations. Christian music listeners appreciate curated playlists. They signal a playlist where they can be assured that there are no suggestive or explicit lyrics and that the lyrical content shares their beliefs.
Where there is a mismatch?
Sometimes a playlist cover, title, or songs don’t match what the listener was expecting, sending them on a hunt for another playlist. Not all streaming platforms are created equal. Some look better, others have better playlists, and others offer a better user experience. There is no perfect platform…yet. Christian consumers are slow to migrate to new technologies. They are lagging behind listeners of other genres in streaming. The lag is expected and ideas are being generated on how to get them there.
If you haven’t tried streaming music yet, that’s my assignment for you. If you have an Apple device, you can try Apple Music for free for 3 months. Or you can try Spotify, which has a free ad-supported option.
If you need a great playlist to get through your workout tomorrow or some upbeat tunes to write you next post, check out this playlist on Spotify.