One of those things that gets me out of the bed in the morning and keeps me up at night is the collaborative playlists I make with a few buddies on Spotify. As a yoga instructor, listening to the same songs again and again can get a bit exhausting. About every two months or so, my friends and I throw out a new playlist. We all add to it and have a text thread that discusses the latest draft picks. It started between my cousin, Curran, and myself as a way to share music. It slowly but surely grew. Each playlist contains a different vibe every single month. I think the vibe is somewhat dictated by the weather but mainly by the team. Some team players are out on the court hitting 3s, others rest with their feet up on the bench. The playlist really hits highs when everyone participates.

Just looking back on my Spotify makes me laugh about this tradition we have started. It’s almost like Christmas morning each time a new PL drops. The first playlist began back in April of 2015. The playlist was titled “Spring Fever ‘15.” It included the core four: Curran, Joe, Cray and myself. This starting lineup is still with us today. June 4, 2015 we geared up for “Summer Vibes.” Since then, there have been 19 different playlists, 18 teammates, and lots of groovy tunes. We just closed on 2017 with “Cold Enough to Build Fires.” It had a high score of 90 new beats.

It’s kind of nerve wracking to go for the shot. Thoughts run through your head like, “Am I being a ball hog? This is the ninth track I’ve posted in a row. What if its a total airball?”  You’ll know the second you look to the bench and everyone has their ears in their hands. But when it’s a slam dunk, a standing ovation will follow. The team shoots out a note and your phone buzzes left and right. The “heard that” ear emoji or a good ol’ hang loose hand shows up right in front of your face. You’ll throw on that track, turn up the speaker, maybe do a little dance and know you contributed some great time and effort to the current music discovery.

You can tell when the playlist hits its last few seconds. Players start to get tired and time on the clock is ticking. When it’s game over, you can chalk it up for another win. This undefeated team closes the deal each and every game with an average of 61 new tracks.

The collaborative playlists are one of my favorite things of all time. Music is super good for the soul and your overall wellbeing. People who play music in their homes are more likely to interact with each other and their children. If you have any friends who enjoy the comradery of music and new songs, give this a try. I thank my Groovy Tunes teammates for allowing me to share 3 days and 56 minutes worth of music with you thus far. Keep hittin’ nothing but net.

If you want to hear our favorite pics, check out these 1,009 songs contributed by these crazy kids:

“Groovy Tunes Collab 2015-2017”
Heard that:

Playlist Tributes 2015-2017 and counting…

Spring Fever ‘15: Curran, Claire, Joe, Cray; 4/8/15-6/2/15; 78 songs

Summer Vibes: Curran, Claire, Joe, Cray, Jake, Robby Mo; 6/4/15-8/21/15; 45 songs

August: Curran and Claire; 20 songs

September_15: Curran, Claire, Joe, Cray, Caitlin Finucan 8/26/15-10/8/15; 45 songs

October’s Very Own: Curran, Claire, Joe, Cray; 10/5/15-11/5/15; 27 songs

End of ‘15: Curran, Claire and Andrew D.; 11/5/15-1/6/16; 59 songs

Shit was Lit Fam: Curran, Claire, Joe, Andrew D., Tyler; 1/12/16-4/10/16; 96 songs

Spring has Sprung: Curran, Claire, Andrew D., Andrew E., Stephen, Karli, 55 songs; 3/14/16-6/13/16 or 7/12/16

Summer Starter Pack: Curran, Claire, Joe, Andrew D.; 51 songs; 5/24/16-9/9/16

Dog Daze: Curran, Claire, Joe, Andrew D., Stephen, Maria; 61 songs; 8/15/16-9/12/16

Fall N2 Place: Curran, Claire, Andrew D., Stephen, Maddy, Chelsea; 93 songs; 9/12/16-2/15/17

Funky Fall Playlist: Curran, Claire, Stephen, Chelsea, Kemp, Michael S.; 60 songs 10/5/16-11/15/16

Holiday Szn Playlist: Curran, Claire, Stephen, Chelsea, Michael S.; 64 songs; 11/18/16-2/2/17

New Year, New Toons: Curran, Claire, Stephen, Chelsea, Kemp, Michael S., Andrew D., 63 songs; 1/4/17-3/3/17

Funky Start to Spring: Curran, Claire, Joe, Andrew D., Chelsea, Stephen, Chase; 89 songs; 2/26/17-4/20/17

Spring Turn Up: Curran, Claire, Joe, Jake, Chelsea, Stephen, Karli, Maddy, Chase; 47 songs; 4/28/17-6/11/17

Catching Rays: Curran, Claire, Jake, Andrew D., Stephen, Chelsea, Maddy; 51 songs; 6/3/17-7/31/17

Fall 17: Curran, Claire, Cray, Joe, Tyler, Chelsea; 70 songs; 9/9/17-11/16/17

Cold Enough to Build Fires: Curran, Claire, Cray, Andrew D., Stephen, Chelsea; 90 songs; 11/8/17-1/5/18