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Q1 – 2024 Playlist

by Robert Hyma
written by Robert Hyma

Q1 2024 ended up being one of those playlists that can change any mood for the better. The first track is “This Time Around” by Beauty Queen, a vibing pulser that starts any drive or walk with cares and worries falling away. “Hush” by The Marías is that droning, feel-good club music that you reach for your best and bassiest headphones to listen to.

Thematically, some gems pad the middle of the playlist, including “She’s Too Good For You” by Audio Book Club and “Hater’s Anthem” by Infinity Song, reflective and critical pieces about pedestal-placed love interests and the rampaging hating ways of haters. Since the end of the playlist coincided with a busy finale to a college semester, a classic angst-ridden guitar ballad “Now I’m Ready to Win” by Tokyo Police Club became a foundational repeat track; all the better to amp up for exams and final projects with.

Rounding out Q1 were a few surprises. Justin Timberlake’s latest album, Everything I Thought It Would Be, is a fantastic listen, but the hard-hitting “Sanctified” ultimately made the cut in terms of replay-ability. The final surprise featured one of my favorite bands from the early 2000s, Shout Out Louds. Filled with nostalgia, “The Comeback – Revisited” is a softer iteration of their original hit song but with the echoing thoughtfulness that comes from experience and reflection. If nothing else, the last track asks what comes next after considering where it all started from.

What better way to think about the first 3 months of 2024 than with a new, shiny playlist to tote around?

Click on the Spotify banner below to give it a listen!

  1. “This Time Around” by Beauty Queen
  2. “Fumari” by Peach Tree Rascals
  3. “Hush” by The Marías
  4. “idwtgtbt” by the booyah! kids
  5. “I Gotta I Gotta” by flowerovlove
  6. “Open Up Wide” by Dizzy
  7. “Best Interests” by Carmanah
  8. “She’s Too Cool for You” by Audio Book Club
  9. “Tightrope” by bennytheghost
  10. “Switch” by Biig Piig
  11. “Karma Tattoo” by Jenny Mayhem
  12. “Paint Your Nails Blue” by Dirty Nice
  13. “Ready to Win” by Tokyo Police Club
  14. “Sanctified (feat. Tobe Nwigwe)” by Justin Timberlake, Tobe Nwigwe
  15. “The Comeback – Revisited” by Shout Out Louds

***

Q1 – 2024 Playlist
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Q4 – 2023 Playlist

by Robert Hyma
written by Robert Hyma

The finale playlist of 2023 let the dam loose in terms of new and vibrant music. Maybe there was a sudden influx of new releases, or that Spotify’s Discover Weekly playlist was sandbagging most of the year, but through the floodgates surged new artists and hit songs that kept coming in strong. Quarter Four 2023 is an eclectic collective of moody and transient tunes best played in the background of every facet of life.

Let’s start with “BURY YOU” by Ari Abdul, a go-to track to just feel damned cool about a possessive relationship (and how about that album art? It’s like a GQ featuring a glam-up of the dead girl from “The Ring” and totally awesome). “Winona” by Miloe, Jamila Woods, & Vagabon is surprisingly layered and reflective piece infused with a catchy trio of voices that sets this song afloat to another plane. “buzz cut” by lovelytheband and MisterWives is a collab that comes with the guitar rhythm of a hit Pheonix track, and who doesn’t love that?

Rounding out the playlist are some emotionally apropos tracks like “Worrying” by Clean Cut Kid, a sobering and campfire sing-song track about the waste of worry and anxiety. Chappell Roan sings another sex anthem in “Red Wine Supernova”, followed by another anthemic declaration of human nature “Human Being” by Arkells & Lights.

This has been my most played playlist for just about any endeavor. So click the Spotify banner below, skip through the tracks that resonate, try the others, and see if there’s something that winds up on a playlist of your making. As always, comment below to mention new faves, suggestions of your own, and anything else you felt while browsing the tracks below.

2023 music over and out!

  1. “Sylvania (Nanana)” by Bay Ledges
  2. “Close to Me” by Hembree
  3. “Slide Tackle” by Japanese Breakfast
  4. “BURY YOU” by Ari Abdul
  5. “Winona” by Miloe, Jamila Woods, Vagabon
  6. “Coming Attractions” by Nodaway
  7. “buzz cut” by lovelytheband, MisterWives
  8. “Out of Vogue” by Fever Dolls
  9. “MANGO” by Grace Mitchell
  10. “Yellow Brick Road” by Dylan Cartlidge
  11. “Moonshine” by Hippo Campus
  12. “Siddhartha” by Dead Emerson
  13. “Worrying” by Clean Cut Kid
  14. “Red Wine Supernova” by Chappell Roan
  15. “Human Being” by Arkells, Light
  16. “Patio” by George Moir
  17. “Sunday” by Sea Lemon
  18. “Technicolor” by Teddi Gold
Robert Hyma’s Q4 2023 Playlist

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Q3 – 2023 Playlist

by Robert Hyma
written by Robert Hyma

Then, there was Quarter Three of 2023. You’ll notice that there isn’t the usual number of tracks in this playlist. That’s largely because it was a time of summer fun and, honestly, not finding much that piqued my musical interests. Often, finding new music is a lottery draw and either music hits or doesn’t. I went back to HONEYMOAN as filler since I was in love with this band for most of 2023 (still am, but shhh…). The New Pornographers released a new album and I found it difficult to keep on repeat other than a few selections. “Continue as a Guest” has a faraway view of existential crisis, reverberating like a metronome with its melodic electric guitar rhythm. It was the epitome of this playlist, I have found.

Some surprises wandered onto my repeat list, including Lizzy Farrall’s “Barbados”, a surprising bop that sounds like something out of the early 2010s. A country song recommendation by Ethan Tasch made its way into the mix, which sounded anything but the genre tagged, and became a great city-drive background track. “Grade A” by spill tab & JAWNY is an absolute jam and worthy of any pick-me-up playlist out there, while “Bloom” by Matilda Mann is an acoustic-guitar ambient song that’s both contemplative and contemporary in an addictive way.

It’s a shortened offering this time around, but no less enticing. Click on the Spotify logo below for a listen!

  1. “Continue as a Guest” by The New Pornographers
  2. “Barbados” by Lizzy Farrall
  3. “Gym Song” by HONEYMOAN
  4. “Grade A” by spill tab, JAWNY
  5. “Bloom” by Matilda Mann
  6. Lie Like You Want Me Back” by Yumi Zouma
  7. “Lavender” by Ashleigh Ball
  8. “Holdup” by Ethan Tasch
  9. “We’re All Gonna Die” by Joy Oladokun, Noah Kahan
  10. “Show You Off” by HONEYMOAN
Robert Hyma’s Q3 – 2023 Playlist
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Q2 – 2023 Playlist

by Robert Hyma
written by Robert Hyma

Quarter Two 2023 was lighter, fuller, and just better overall. I had found a serious girlfriend, my first year back in college was coming to a close and I was deeply enjoying my classes. The music was hitting, too. Eight months later, things have changed drastically (the girlfriend isn’t a thing any longer; the classes are still enjoyable), but the music from this particular Playlist I come to more often than all the others.

“Dirt Boy” by Peach Face & Not Charles is the perfect thumping start. Hidden gems like “Little Boxes” by Walk off the Earth and “Thunder in the City” by Future Generations became songs to stop upon when skipping through the sludge of older, macabre playlists. Add to the ear-pleasures the likes of IAMDYNAMITE and Mikaela Davis‘s harp ballad “Other Lover” and the balance of this Q2 playlist hits the highs and lows of a varied 2023.

Not to mention that HONEYMOAN became a playlist all its own in my personal collection; that band is a cacophony of sound and emotionality that strikes to the core of my musical longings. Be sure to check out “Sorry Like You Mean It” from their new album of the same name.

Like much of 2023, Q2 was a huge hill to climb. The results were a much more mundane trickle into Q3, which you can sample here. Funny how a playlist tells so much about the time it was created in our lives, you know?

Click on the big SPOTIFY logo below for the Q2 -2023 Playlist!

  1. “Dirty Boy” by Peach Face, Not Charles
  2. “Everything Goes (Wow)” by BROODS
  3. “Orpheus” by The Beaches
  4. “Still Here” by HONEYMOAN
  5. “Little Boxes” by Walk off the Earth
  6. “Pink Chateau” by In The Valley Below
  7. “Solar Power – Spotify Singles” by Glass Animals
  8. Tell Me What You Want” by Caroline Rose
  9. “Sorry Like You Mean It” by HONEYMOAN
  10. “DAYLIGHT DOOM” by MOTO BANDIT
  11. “Paresthesia” by Wild Ones
  12. “Losing My Mind” by Montaigne
  13. “Thunder In The City” by Future Generations
  14. “Colors” by Anaïs Cardot
  15. “Bloom” by IAMDYNAMITE
  16. “Other Lover” by Mikaela Davis
  17. Sleepwalkin’ – Daydreamin’ Version” by Better Oblivion Community Center, Phoebe Bridgers, Conor Oberst
  18. “Sit Right” by HONEYMOAN
  19. “Not A Go” by foamboy
Robert Hyma’s Q2 – 2023 Playlist
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Q1 – 2023 Playlist

by Robert Hyma
written by Robert Hyma

My, my it’s the start of 2024 and this playlist is finally available for public viewing. I say that as though there was a smattering of requests to make them available, which is the fanfare that I imagine my playlists will one day come to be revered for.

My playlists are a bit like the past few SNL Seasons: you didn’t feel like watching at the time, but after catching a few sketches on YouTube, they are worth catching up on.

But beyond the hype, beyond the internet masses demanding to finally have access to last year’s playlists, here’s a roundup of Quarter One of 2023:

The Collection has slowly become one of those atmospheric bands that captures complex ideas in memorable tubes, which made sense to have them open the playlist and close it with songs that remember the good times in “Rose Colored Glasses” and “Love at the End of the World”. New releases from old favorites came out in droves over the first three months of the year (thanks in large part to Spotify acting as a dental office of sorts, sending out constant reminders of when a cleaning new EP is coming up). Filling out the playlist were thumpers like Half-Alive’s “Never Been Better” and “What’s Wrong”. Vulfpeck and Fitz and The Tantrums delivered must-have tracks, and Chappell Roan is becoming one of those starlit singer/songwriters that you cram into conversation for them to check out next.

Some new ear-ticklers rounded out the first quarter selection in Tove Styrke’s “Say My Name” and Amor Amor’s “Can I Go Away”. Add to the productivity playlist the reminiscing lyrics of Laura Jean’s “Too Much To Do” and the beginning of 2023 encapsulated feelings of get-up-and-get-going as well as we’ve-done-the-best-we-could

It’s a playlist of jams and good times to start the new year and is sure to have something for everyone. Give it a listen and leave a comment with what tracks you added to your mixes!

  1. “Rose Colored Glasses” by The Collection
  2. “Never Been Better” by Half-Alive, Orla Gartland
  3. “Dressed to Kill” by The Wombats
  4. “Too Much To Do” by Laura Jean
  5. “Them Jeans” by Joe Hertler & the Rainbow Seekers
  6. “New Guru” by Vulfpeck, Antwaun Stanley
  7. “crashing down – acoustic” by Arlie
  8. “Carry You Home” by Circa Waves
  9. “I Wanna Dance With You” by Royel Otis
  10. “What’s Wrong” by Half-Alive
  11. “Can I Go Away” by Amor Amor
  12. “Good Nights” by Fitz and The Tantrums
  13. “19 in a Week” by Nieve Ella
  14. “Two Tens” by Cordae, Anderson .Paak
  15. “Honey” by Samia
  16. “better” by dee holt
  17. “Gordan Ramsey” by Abhi the Nomad, Kato On The Track
  18. “Say My Name” by Tove Styrke
  19. “Vines to Make It All Worth It” by Runner
  20. “Love at the End of the World” by The Collection
Robert Hyma’s Quarter One 2023 Playlist
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Q4 – 2022 Playlist

by Robert Hyma
written by Robert Hyma

This is it, the final Playlist of 2022. There were a few surprises, a few new tracks from favorite artists, but on the whole I found the struggle with curated playlists on streaming services limiting.

A quick digression.

The Apple Music formula is this: add a song to your library and the ENTIRETY OF THE TRACKLIST from that album will be cycled through your Made For You playlist in subsequent weeks. This isn’t altogether annoying, but you get the picture after two or three weeks of recommended tracks from the same album appearing over and over again. I get it: It’s good for the artists and for listening to tracks that you might skip should new artists pack a Made For You playlist instead, but this gets tiresome. It’s a small nitpick from otherwise helpful playlists curated by music streaming services.

Digression over.

Anyway, the good stuff from the last quarter of 2022 was noteworthy and addictively repayable:

“Shoot Me in the Grocery Line” by youproblem is a fantastic new track. It reminds me of a swath of recent female-lead artists such as ALASKALASKA and Elise Trouw that combine tantric rhythms with gunfire lyrics (I’m doing my best Pitchfork music review impression, if you can’t tell). On the newer side, Goldpark and j.flowers.mp3 hit the mark in terms of replayability, specifically with tracks like “If That’s What You Want” and “Rome, with Love (featuring Leah Cleaver, AKS & Yelfris Valdés)” Add in the familiar bombastic lyrics of another Abhi the Nomad (featuring shane doe) banger with “Cobain”, and this playlist makes for a great low-key mix to keep playing in the background for just about anything (sans family night–Explicit lyrics are the norm on my playlists, I’m afraid).

Ashamedly, this last quarter of 2022 was my first foray into the world of Taylor Swift (I know, WAY TOO late to the T. Swift party; her new album “Midnights” was excellent). I’m not giddy enough to drop an entire pay cycle to win auctioned tickets from Ticket Master, but I’ll nod knowingly that I did, in fact, miss out after all this time avoiding T. Swift fandom. I was ecstatic to find a new Halloween staple that will be playing every October from now on by the great Jeremy Messersmith titled “666”. It’s hard to dethrone “The Monster Mash”, but as a hipster update to a Halloween jam, Messersmith’s new track hits the mark and I love it.

As always, I love exchanging music and hearing what everyone else is currently playing, so please feel free to add what you’re listening to below in the comments!

Until then, enjoy this last offering of 2022. And hey, here’s hoping for another abundant year of music in 2023. Until that next playlist drops, keep well everyone!

  1. “Did I Make You Up?” by half-alive
  2. “Shoot Me In the Grocery Line” by youproblem
  3. “F**k It I Love You” by Oh Wonder
  4. “Unholy Appetite” by Barrie
  5. “Surfing in Iceland” by Goth Babe
  6. “dandelion” by Winnetka Bowling League
  7. “666” by Jeremy Messersmith
  8. “If That’s What You Want” by Goldpark
  9. “Deep End” by Dayglow
  10. “Wildest Dreams (Taylor’s Version)” by Taylor Swift
  11. “World’s Smallest Violin” by AJR
  12. “Void” by Crystal Glass
  13. “Pizza Boy” by Everything Everything
  14. “Living Life Right” by Anna of the North
  15. “Cobain” by Abhi the Nomad & shane doe
  16. “The Core” by Babe Club
  17. “Rome, with Love (featuring Leah Cleaver, AKS & Yelfris Valdés)” by jflowers.mp3
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Q3 – 2022 Playlist

by Robert Hyma
written by Robert Hyma

Can you believe it has been 3/4 of 2022 already? That question can be taken in two ways: either it is shocking how fast time is moving, or (in this case) it can’t move FAST ENOUGH because:

Guess what?

It’s time for another playlist!

For the Q3 2022 playlist, I was between a rock and hard place in terms of variety. There were great new artists like gglum, Lizzo, The Wrecks, and Lights. There were also amazing releases from established favorites like Strabe, Anna of the North, Rubblebucket, Sure Sure, and Young the Giant.

But there are times when you find a new artist you can’t get enough of. All I wanted to do was cram as many amazing tracks as possible into this playlist from this new artist: corook.

Often, I’ll find a new artist and listen in disbelief that an entire collection of songs can be so good and, yet, remains relatively unknown (at least by viewer count). Corook needs more plays, simple as that. Particularly, I fell in love with “Snakes” and “hell yeah”, as well as the emotionally/politically charged “it’s ok!”. Anyone who has ever been in a longterm relationship has felt like the track “BDSM”. Just an amazingly relatable artist with incredible sound and lyrics.

Below is the track listing for the Q3 -2022 Playlist. There’s bound to be something in here for everyone!

And as always: Spotify and Apple Music links are available at the bottom of the page. Let me know in the comments what songs you liked, didn’t like, found surprising (please say corook *smiles*). Enjoy these hot new tracks!

  1. “Paths in the Sky” by Metric
  2. “Brass Band” by Jukebox the Ghost
  3. “W.I.F.I.” by Wildermiss
  4. “Hang Around” by Echosmith
  5. “Ramona” by Jukebox the Ghost
  6. “Symphony” by Imagine Dragons
  7. “Weak Teeth” by gglum
  8. “Tomorrow” by Young the Giant
  9. “Too Dramatic” by Ra Ra Riot
  10. “About Damn Time” by Lizzo
  11. “it’s ok!” by corook
  12. “Breathe Me In” by Strabe
  13. “Wonderful Life” by Two Door Cinema Club
  14. “Teletype” by Everything Everything
  15. “BDSM” by corook
  16. “No Place I’d Rather Be” by The Wrecks
  17. “The Walk Home” by Young the Giant
  18. “Earth Worship” by Rubblebucket
  19. “Seize the Power” by Yonaka
  20. “Reality Dreaming” by Strabe
  21. “Bird Sing” by Anna of the North
  22. “Okay Okay” by Lights
  23. “hell yeah” by corook
  24. “Snakes” by corook
  25. “Facc” by Sure Sure
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Q2 – 2022 Playlist

by Robert Hyma
written by Robert Hyma

It’s that time! Another 3 months of new music and this is the compiled playlist of everything that was a step above the rest (according to DJ Robert Hyma…not a real DJ name, just trying to get the point across that I catered this list). In Q2 of 2022, lots of new releases came from seminal favorites like Arcade Fire, Foals, and even a new album from my favorite band Bloc Party.

There were some great new finds as well. Jalle and Saint Kochi were surprises and I found myself listening to them quite often. instant crush has a great range and angst behind their sound, as well as a much more jam-based, saxophone centric band Loose Fit.

Sure Sure, one of my favorite bands from the last two years, has new EP out that is absolutely worth the listen. New tracks by Max Frost and Pomplamoose rounded out the playlist into something exciting but familiar. And, of course, a new track sung by Lin-Manuel Miranda about mothers was the musical theater cherry on top.

There’s something in this playlist for everyone and I’m curious to hear what you’ve found as well!

Below is the track listing as well as links to Apple Music and Spotify playlists.

Enjoy!

  1. “Playlist” by Besphrenz
  2. “Picture” by dee holt & Chris James
  3. “Dreams” by MisterWives
  4. “All I need” by Sir Woman
  5. “Downers (feat. Issey Cross)” by Jalle
  6. “Almost Lost” by Saint Kochi
  7. “T” by 88rising, Hikaru Utada & Warren Hue
  8. “Nightmare” by instant crush
  9. “In Situ” by Bloc Party
  10. “This Time” by Sure Sure
  11. “CHAMPAGNE” by Valley
  12. “Honey” by Abhi The Nomad
  13. “Rain On Me” by Lady Gaga, Ariana Grande & Purple Disco Machine
  14. “Ringo Starr” by Max Frost
  15. “Disposable Friends” by AVIV
  16. “Meteorite” by Anna of the North & Gus Dapperton
  17. “Stupid Drama” by Loose Fit
  18. “Unconditional I (Lookout Kid)” by Arcade Fire
  19. “Break the Rules” by Charlie XCX
  20. “Then It All Goes Away” by Dayglow
  21. “Life Was Easier When I Only Cared About Me” by Bad Suns
  22. “As It Was (feat. Sarah Dugas)” by Pomplamoose
  23. “Always Got The Love” by Cub Sport
  24. “Muthers R Speshel (Wen Yer Sad)” by Lin-Manuel Miranda & Joe Iconis & Family
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Q1 – 2022 Playlist

by Robert Hyma
written by Robert Hyma

The first Quarter of 2022 introduced some really great tracks. Some familiar favorites like Hippo Campus and Fyfe launched new albums, and there were a TON of great new finds like ill peach and Flight Facilities. Something interesting about Apple Music, the platform I’ve been using the past three months, is the emphasis on new music that comes out recently–meaning, new music from 2022 in January of this year and onwards. Spotify, I found, introduced a mix of artists and songs from past decades if the algorithm recognized your listening habits as focused on the early 2000s, 2010s, or whatever you were listening to.

Interesting the differences in platforms. *Shrugs*

This playlist has a fun balance, one I never grew tired of listening to. I hope you enjoy it as much as I have over the past three months!

As always, feel free to drop your favorite tracks in the comments below!

Q1 – 2022 Playlist:

  1. “Beautiful Life (Edit)” by Michael Kiwanuka
  2. “Get Up” by Mother Mother
  3. “Shotgun” by Anna of the North & Hver gang vi møtes
  4. “In The Eyes Of Our Love” by Yumi Zouma
  5. “DANDELION” by ill peach
  6. “Ride or Die” by Hippo Campus
  7. “Interiority” by Fyfe & Iskra Strings
  8. “Alone” by Fickle Friends
  9. “Liberation” by BUZZ
  10. “Load on Your Mind” by Fickle Friends
  11. “Altitude” by Flight Facilities
  12. “Nobody Like You” by dee holt
  13. “It’s All Right” by Jon Batiste
  14. “Move Me” by Half-Alive
  15. “Fisher Island Sound” by Beirut
  16. “Born on a Train (Anxiety Version)” by Samia & Rachael Jenkins
  17. “Wake Me Up” by Foals
  18. “Oysters In My Pocket” by Royel Otis
  19. “A.M. RADIO” by The Lumineers
  20. “Easy Target” by Jamie Drake
  21. “pool” by Still Woozy & Remi Wolf
Apple Music Playlist
Spotify Playlist

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