I Let Spotify Control My Week
A few years ago, I accidentally turned myself into a musical guinea pig.
For one month, I dedicated each week to a different genre and documented the experience on Spotify: how I felt, which artists surprised me, and whether the music affected my mood, creativity, and productivity. At the time, I rotated through my four favorite genres: Hip-Hop, Rock, Classical, and Trance. Though "genre" is doing a lot of heavy lifting, considering each one contains an endless labyrinth of subgenres.
Recently, after a conversation with a friend about music's ability to paint your day, I found myself wanting to revisit the experiment.
The only problem this time around? I no longer have the luxury of a full month. Adulthood has a funny way of robbing your free time. So instead of four weeks, I gave myself one. I’ll take some authority back for myself (ha!).
On Monday morning, I woke up, surrendered control, and decided to spend a week on various artists’ radio stations, following wherever Spotify took me. No skipping ahead to familiar favorites. Just me, and the possibility of discovering something I didn't know I needed.
My goal wasn’t necessarily to find new music, though that inevitably happened. It was to break myself out of routine, follow the invisible threads that connect artists across genres, and rediscover what made me fall in love with music in the first place. Because if there's one thing I've learned, it's that every stage of life seems to come with a new soundtrack, and somehow, I find myself falling in love with music all over again.
This week’s lineup:
Monday: Björk (Avant-garde, electronic, art pop)
Tuesday: Jimi Hendrix (Psychedelic rock, blues-rock)
Wednesday: MF DOOM (Underground hip-hop)
Thursday: Erik Satie (Ambient, melancholic, minimalism)
Friday: Wrap Up of all Artist Radio
Monday: Björk Radio
The Vibe
Today felt like I had wandered into another time, another dimension entirely. Every moment, every conversation, even the quiet exchanges I had with myself, felt trapped inside a whimsical dream. Everything glistened with meaning, as if the stars were leaving little notes in plain sight. I had the best writing ideas while listening to “Mysteries of Love” by Julee Cruise, had a serene evening drive with the windows down to “Talk Show Host” by Radiohead, and contemplated for a while whether I should drop everything to become a record producer while listening to “Preservation” by Eartheater.
Listening to Björk’s radio felt like letting color run through my veins. Not seeing color, but deeply feeling it as it flows.
Artists I Discovered
Broadcast
Cibo Matto
Julee Cruise
Song of the Day: “Know Who You Are at Every Age” by Cocteau Twins
One Random Thought
I checked each song's BPM on the Radio playlist, and it completely changed the way I listened. Seeing the tempo behind the music made it easier to understand why certain genres feel energetic, meditative, chaotic, or somewhere in between.
Tuesday: Jimi Hendrix Radio
The Vibe
Today, I felt like a lone wolf, like I could accomplish anything. I woke up to "All Along the Watchtower" by Jimi Hendrix, which has to be one of the greatest songs to start the day. Within minutes, I was air-guitaring my way through the house. There is something about Jimi Hendrix Radio that gives me an unexpected sense of confidence. I've always felt more connected to myself when listening to rock music. There's something primal about it. It's unapologetic, untamed, and completely free.
My dad was a musician. He played guitar and piano, wrote poetry, and my love of music comes from him. When I was 13 and deep in my rock-and-roll phase, Lords of Dogtown came out. The soundtrack practically became the soundtrack to my life: Foghat, Deep Purple, Black Sabbath, The Jimi Hendrix Experience, and countless others. Listening to Jimi Hendrix Radio today felt like revisiting a part of myself I hadn't seen in a while.
I also had a huge client call today. To get in the zone, I spent a few minutes jumping around to "Break On Through (To the Other Side)" by The Doors. As ridiculous as it sounds, it worked. Some people meditate before a big meeting. Don’t get me wrong - I love meditation, but getting my heart rate up before a big meeting is clutch. Apparently, I need Jim Morrison screaming at me to walk through the metaphorical door.
Artists I Discovered
Jethro Tull
The Animals
Cream
Song I Couldn't Stop Replaying: ” Planet Caravan” by Black Sabbath
One Random Thought
I need to practice guitar more. Sorry, Dad!
Wednesday: MF DOOM
The Vibe
Today was chaotic, not because I woke up to MF DOOM, but because I woke up to excruciating dental pain.
Despite the pain, I decided to spend the day with MF DOOM Radio and get on with it. There's something strangely motivating about DOOM's music. It doesn't inspire you in the traditional sense. It's more like having a slightly unhinged friend by your side, reminding you to keep moving forward, no matter what's in your way.
On the drive to and from my appointment, pain in tow, "Doomsday" by MF DOOM and Pebbles The Invisible Girl came on, followed by "Luv (sic) pt. 2" by Nujabes. The transition felt like moving from one state of consciousness to another. DOOM kept me pushing forward, while Nujabes gave me a moment to sit and think.
One of my favorite discoveries from the radio was "Never Catch Me" by Flying Lotus and Kendrick Lamar. It sounds like a panic attack and a spiritual awakening happening at the same time. Somehow chaotic and uplifting, which felt appropriate for the day.
What I like most about MF DOOM Radio is that it rewards curiosity. One moment you're listening to dense, intricate rhymes, and the next you're drifting through something completely unexpected. It feels less like a playlist and more like wandering through MF DOOM’s imagination.
Artists I Discovered
Nujabes
Grand Puba
Viktor Vaughn (IYKYK)
Song I Couldn't Stop Replaying: “Luve (sic) pt2” by Nujabes
One Random Thought
I would love to write, produce, and rap my own hip-hop song.
Thursday: Erik Satie
The Vibe
Today, I am a beautiful flower growing in the garden of life. Everything is ethereal, can be better, and will be better.
Although today had a few downs, it also had a lot of ups, and I'm happy for that. Everything I did suddenly felt romantic, like I was living in a period film. Every movement I made was in cursive. A walk to the garbage can became a delicate dance. Meditating felt deeply soothing. Even getting ready for bed felt lovely.
Maybe it was the music. Maybe it was the realization that not every day needs to be extraordinary to be meaningful. Sometimes life softens around the edges, and ordinary moments reveal themselves to be subtly beautiful.
Artists I Discovered
Video Days
Lysander
RIOPY
Song I Couldn't Stop Replaying: “Idea 10” by Gibran Alcocer
One Random Thought
The best way I can describe how this radio made me feel is that it made me want to dance in the middle of a field at sunset somewhere in England, with the hills of Wales stretching across the horizon behind me.
Friday: Wrap-Up
Radio Station Winner: Björk Radio
Favorite Discovery of the Week: “Come to Me” by Björk
Most Beautiful Song: “Elephant Woman” by Blonde Redhead
Artist I Need To Explore More: Aphex Twin
Best Radio to Start your Morning: Jimi Hendrix Radio
Best Song to Contemplate Life: “Luve (sic) pt2” by Nujabes
Final Thoughts
What surprised me most wasn't the music itself. It was how quickly different genres changed the way I moved through the world. Björk made me creative, Jimi made me feel ambitious, Erik made me notice beauty, and MF DOOM made me curious. The music didn't change my circumstances, but it changed the lens through which I experienced them.
