Hey everyone,
I love music. This year I’ve discovered some gems.
With music, it’s so easy to hit shuffle on our playlist, then get trapped into skipping songs that we’re sick of. As I’ve seen, it seems like over time, my playlists always deteriorate.
My guess: hitting “shuffle” more than “add to playlist.”

It actually takes work to discover new music instead of just skipping to something we’re familiar with. I do this all the time, but it’s so easy for us to not give songs a shot. Simply because we haven’t heard them before.
Our brains wants to skip to a song that we’re guaranteed to enjoy jamming out to, versus an unknown, but we should resist this urge.
A former coworker of mine made a bet with his friend that every week, they’d listen to a new album and post any new jams in the playlist. He said it changed his life.
Making new musical discoveries has probably also changed my life: I’ve gained a better appreciation for more music as a whole, diving into diverse genres and listening to the full albums.
It’s why I’m an aficionado of a wide breadth of music: country, classical, pop latino, 80’s, hair metal, alternative, rock, and hip hop. There’s a wide world of music out there— you just need to explore.

Here’s a simple way to start: find a song you like, then listen to that entire album. I’ve been amazed at how many songs never reach the radio but make the album.
Remember those songs on the radio that used to suck but then somehow we were singing along with in a few weeks? This is the mere exposure effect: the more we’re familiar with something, the more we tend to like it.
First impressions never tell the full story. Whether it’s with people or music, the first encounter typically isn’t spectacular.
Try to remember your first impression of someone. Whether it’s your friend or just an acquaintance, it’s probably a bit hazy (unless you met a real asshole). It’s only after spending significant time with someone that the relationship really begins to sing.
Same with music. Listen to each song at least twice, so you get a better impression. Listen to the album on repeat.
Add the best new songs to a new playlist that you can shuffle and enjoy, but not be overplayed. The key is to always be adding more, so you’re constantly wanting to listen to all of your songs, not a select few.
Growing up listening to the radio, transitioning to album listening is an adventure of its own. Here are my favorite albums from 2022. The two Spanish ones have greatly helped me learn and speak Spanish.
To Summarize
The goal: discover great music and never be disgusted by your own playlist.
Steps:
Find your favorite song right now, then listen to the entire album.
Listen at least two times.
Add the best songs to a new playlist.
Repeat every week. Always be adding and wandering the world of music.
Your Feedback
I’d like to get some suggestions from you guys, so please leave any music suggestions in the comments!
Happy Cochlea,
Baxter
To read this on my website, click here.