Matt Gemmell

Played

I was tweaking my playlists tonight, as I often do, and it occurred to me to wonder whether other people organise their music the same way as I do; i.e. according to mood.

Aside from the usual Top Rated, Most Played, Recently Played, and artist-specific Smart Playlists, I have the following playlists in iTunes and on my iPod:

  • Ballads - Melodic songs, leaning towards medium rock and pop-rock. E.g. Drops of Jupiter, by Train.
  • Continuance - Affirmations and perspective, to remind me that life goes on and even the worst of days will eventually pass. E.g. Here I Go Again, by Whitesnake.
  • Genius - The best of the best, across all artists. E.g. Sultans of Swing, by Dire Straits.
  • Guaranteed - Songs which will never be skipped, and must always be allowed to play through completely uninterrupted. The elite. E.g. Dancin’ in the Moonlight, by Thin Lizzy.
  • Hardcore - Hard rock and metal; the playlist of my summer placement with Steve, Lauren, Colin, Stevie, Iain, Stevo et al. E.g. Ain’t Talkin’ ‘Bout Love, by Van Halen.
  • Keyboard Glory - Songs which showcase and/or are lead by strong keyboard and piano parts. E.g. The Way It Is, by Bruce Hornsby & the Range.
  • My Hero - Dramatic and self-aggrandising stuff; the music of true legends and movie confrontations. E.g. Duel of the Fates, by John Williams.
  • Nifty - A subset of Genius, designed for quick gratification. The crowd-pleasing compilation from the annals of Genius. E.g. The Whole of the Moon, by The Waterboys.
  • New Music Wednesdays - My latest batch of acquisitions at any given point, for absorption.
  • Rrrromantic, OK? - Unashamedly romantic stuff. And yes, it’s a Pepe reference (remember, he’s not a shrimp). E.g. Every Breath You Take, by The Police.
  • Slush - Cheesy pop and disco stuff we all love but often won’t admit to having in our collection. E.g. I Want to Dance With Somebody, by Whitney Houston.
  • Way Down - Songs designed to crash the mood into the darkest depths of despair, for cleansing and empathic purposes. E.g. Carrie, by Europe.

Anyone else create playlists like that?