10 of the best artist-curated playlists on Spotify
In the old wife’s tale, they always say that you can judge a lot about a person from their shoes. I’d wager that you can tell much more about them from their Spotify playlists. The art of curating a mixtape is a spiritual one handed down by the elders. There is alchemy in the magic of the mix, there is a story and a frisson of something that you just can’t quite put your finger on.
When it comes to the artists we love, these playlists prove even more insightful. They lift the lid on secret influences, show you the sounds that may have been incorporated into their latest outings, and reveal a level of class or lack thereof. And in a less cynical sense, they are also gifts from our esteemed music heroes. They are little labours of love that aim to share the great connective balm of music. If that isn’t nice, what is?
Thus, below we have perused the many profiles on Spotify and brought you some cracking playlists to listen to, pull apart, and learn from. Whether it’s mellow mood music from your new favourite indie band or a touch of avant-garde exploration for when your own tastes have turned a little stale, we’ve captured the chocolate box of our musical lives with the selection below. Enjoy.
10 of the best artist-curated playlists on Spotify
Courtney Barnett
Who doesn’t love Courtney Barnett? She is an artist who has gently shouldered her way into the rarefied realm of being universally beloved. Lyrical fans will love her unique storytelling, she’s got enough attitude to satiate those after a rocking jam, and even mellows it out with lush rhythms for the bedroom-bound gang.
Her playlist, therefore, is also suitably eclectic. Mixing her favourite tunes from her indie contemporaries with jazzy cuts and some avant-garde nuggets from around the world, this is a treasure trove of varied delights. Above all, it also reveals Barnett’s penchant for a touch of humour and humanity in her song choices.
Father John Misty
Music’s modern novelist, Father John Misty, is a man with an eye for grand scope. Riddled with romanticism, his own swaggering back catalogue is a cinematic experience that turns making a coffee on a Tuesday afternoon into a movie scene of some sort. Thus, you can imagine how carefully considered his playlist is.
As a man who endorses micro-dosing, each nugget is a little drip of swirling energy. Among the many new, colourful experiences that the playlist provides are singer-songwriter classics from Bob Dylan and the brilliant collaboration of Nancy Sinatra and Lee Hazlewood. Of course, there’s also a sleazy touch of Serge Gainsbourg in there too.
Fleet Foxes
Fleet Foxes are a band that occupies their own mood in any case. When I was previously tasked with coming up with Far Out’s autumn playlist, it was hard to think of another band other than the golden leaves gang and they’re gorgeous, warming folk ditties. Their playlist is no different.
Resplendent with dreamy soul, 1960s escapism, sounds from around the world and the fitting open fields and naturalism vibe that tracks like ‘Sweet Thing’ by Van Morrison provides, this is the ideal playlist for when you want to mellow out in style. Pop it on to brace a frosty morning with a solid dose of coffee steam romanticism.
Frank Ocean
Frank Ocean’s Blonde was lauded as one of the finest albums of 2016. The record saw him push on into a more eclectic sound and the playlist that revealed his inspirations is a snapshot of Blonde’s constituent parts. If you were to throw these songs into a blender, the resultant smoothie would be akin to the wholesome treat that Ocean served up.
Ocean being Ocean, the outing is a sexy mix of cool sounds ranging from Frank Sinatra to Japanese Breakfast and Yo La Tengo. Naturally, he also includes a snippet of Karen Dalton, a folk star who seemingly features in every single artist playlist ever curated. It all makes for a wild ride.
Future Islands
Future Islands have always been somewhat of an enigma. They offer up summery indie with a new wave feel, however, their live performances hint at something rather more manic. This adds a huge slice of interest to their whopping eight-hour driving playlist.
The journey kicks off in classic style with ‘Right Down the Line’ by Gerry Rafferty, and it never lets up thereafter. This epic assortment is easily one of the finest playlists on Spotify. Should you choose to use it on a road trip, then you’ll spend half of your time excitedly proclaiming, ‘I haven’t heard this classic in ages’ and the rest of the time appreciating songs that had previously passed you by, and falling in love with anthems you haven’t heard before.
The Last Shadow Puppets
The mood board that the boys from The Last Shadow Puppets have cooked up is a fantastic way to find new music if you’re a fan of their work. Miles Kane also shares a similarly cracking playlist from his personal account, but the added interest here is wondering who among the duo picked a certain track.
Simply titled What We’re Listening To, the assortment of gems lifts the lid on the inspirations behind their magnificent second album Everything You’ve Come to Expect. Moreover, the playlist gets the mouth watering at the prospect of the buddies coming up with the third chapter to their cinematic side-project.
Phoebe Bridgers
Phoebe Bridgers has never been shy about sharing her musical tastes with her fans. She has endlessly professed her love for Elliott Smith and fangirled over The 1975. Based on her playlist, you can also add Arlo Parks to the list of her musical loves, and you might want to add Perfume Genius to it while you’re at it.
She frequently updates the list to keep her fans up to date with her newest infatuations. And to bolster the rota of indie’s freshest voices, she throws in classics from the likes of Bob Dylan, John Prince and Guided by Voices. This is ideal bedroom music for when you want to whisk up a bit of atmosphere.
Wilco
As stalwarts of the music scene since their 1995 debut album A.M., Wilco have been actively shaping our record collections now for almost 30 years. In fact, Jeff Tweedy almost seems to see it as his public duty to shine his share of the spotlight on fellow acts trying to make a name for themselves.
Their Wilco Recommends playlist might ironically start with a slew of songs they crafted themselves, but the constantly updated list visits all the best new releases. Whether it is post-punk cuts by Dry Cleaning or bopping pop from their mates in Spoon, it is all there to feast on.
Waxahatchee
Waxahatchee’s Katie Crutchfield is a playlist aficionado. She has a smorgasbord of classics available for your perusal and each of them is worth your time. However, the epic creation we’ve chosen to share is her carefully crafted Good Morning list. After all, you can’t beat a purpose-built offering
She begins your day with the mellow but catchy beauty of ‘Mexico City’ by Jolie Holland and M. Ward before moving on to the always-welcome Andy Shauf and for the next 51 minutes, she eases you into the morning. With each track flowing into the feel of the next, there isn’t a skip in sight here.
Moon Panda
Moon Panda offered up one of the sweetest songs of 2020 with ‘Slow Dive’. It was an anthem that conjured up the notion of old mixtapes being gently rolled out of speakers in a long drive. Thus, they fittingly provided more of that same feel in their Moon Panda Chiller playlist.
If you weren’t already relaxed, then you will be once you get your nose into this breezy balm. Perfectly typified by Black Sabbath’s ‘Planet Caravan’, these are tracks that aim to bottle up a dose of moodiness. As the description states: “Gather around the lava lamp, look up at the stars, drive at sunset with all the windows down.” They’ve nailed that spiritual sentiment.