The Playlist Challenge Podcast: Recent Episodes
Wine & Whiskey Productions
The Playlist Challenge is a public music-sharing competition. The podcast consists of trailers announcing new challenges and short episodes featuring the playlist challengers as they talk about their music selections.
Eric and Robyn discuss their journey with the playlist challenge as it comes full circle, 1 year after they launched the project publicly. They give a run down of what to expect with the playlists whilst pondering Saturn Returns, revolutionary moments in life inspired by Bastille Day, and why everyone needs a July Buddy.
Listen to the playlists for this challenge vote for your favorite one at theplaylistchallenge.com. Voting begins at 9am MST Sat. 7/24 and ends 9pm MST Fri. 8/6.
In this conclusion episode, Eric and Robyn invited two special guests to join them in discussing the outcome of the Opposites Playlist Challenge. Challenge Champion, Francisco, and runner-up, Bryant, give their impressions of each other's playlists and the rest of the competition. Francisco reveals his pick for the next challenge theme and Robyn makes a special announcement!
Stay tuned for the next challenge on IG, Facebook, and our newsletter which you can sign up for on our website at theplaylistchallenge.com.
Annie's playlist is a full-circle call for action for us to do our shadow work, which means leaning into the discomfort of introspection and facing the parts of ourselves we don't like and find difficult to accept or deal with.
Listen to Annie's playlist "do the fucking shadow work" and vote in the Opposites Playlist Challenge at theplaylistchallenge.com. Voting closes on Sunday June 13, 2021 at 9pm MST.
Join our Patreon to hear Annie's bonus episode at https://www.patreon.com/theplaylistchallenge
Bryant's playlist is a folk country (with some blue's vibes) visitation by angels and demons from the heaven and hell we may or may not create for ourselves.
Listen to Bryant's playlist "Angels and Demons" and vote in the Opposites Playlist Challenge at theplaylistchallenge.com. Voting closes on Sunday June 13, 2021 at 9pm MST.
Join our Patreon to hear Bryant's bonus episode at https://www.patreon.com/theplaylistchallenge
Eric's playlist represents the split sided view of his brain as his moods shifts from can-do positivity to a glass-is-half-empty melancholy crash.
Listen to Eric's playlist "Dichotomy" and vote in the Opposites Playlist Challenge at theplaylistchallenge.com. Voting closes on Sunday June 13, 2021 at 9pm MST.
Join our Patreon to hear Eric's bonus episode at https://www.patreon.com/theplaylistchallenge
Sandi's playlist serves the purpose of helping her making tough decisions she recently faced in her personal life. What do you do when you have to choose to between leaving a place you love for an amazing opportunity or staying in the life you've built for yourself?
Listen to Sandi's playlist "Should I Stay Or Should I Go?" and vote in the Opposites Playlist Challenge at theplaylistchallenge.com. Voting closes on Sunday June 13, 2021 at 9pm MST.
Join our Patreon to hear Sandi's bonus episode at https://www.patreon.com/theplaylistchallenge
Marshall's playlist presents the listener with a series of covers of songs by unexpected artists to help introduce and ease them to songs and genres they might not normally listen to.
Listen to Marshall's playlist "Oppositus" and vote in the Opposites Playlist Challenge at theplaylistchallenge.com. Voting closes on Sunday June 13, 2021 at 9pm MST.
Join our Patreon to hear Marshall's bonus episode at https://www.patreon.com/theplaylistchallenge
Francisco's playlist is like a double entendre. It's not just a presentation in different moods with relation to temperatures and weather, but it's also a reflection on how love and romance can make us feel warm and cold.
Listen to Francisco's playlist "sun/rain vibes" and vote in the Opposites Playlist Challenge at theplaylistchallenge.com. Voting closes on Sunday June 13, 2021 at 9pm MST.
Join our Patreon to hear Francisco's bonus episode at https://www.patreon.com/theplaylistchallenge
Patrick's playlist is an exposition of opposing perspectives. But not just two perspectives. Imagine a room full of people -like a town hall- with everyone having a seat at the table to express their views.
Listen to Patrick's playlist "Perspectives" and vote in the Opposites Playlist Challenge at theplaylistchallenge.com. Voting closes on Sunday June 13, 2021 at 9pm MST.
Join our Patreon to hear Patrick's bonus episode at https://www.patreon.com/theplaylistchallenge
Erin's relationship with religion is complicated and conflicting. On the one hand, music is her religious connection. And on the other...it doesn't seem to serve her at all.
Listen to Erin's playlist "And also with you." and vote in the Opposites Playlist Challenge at theplaylistchallenge.com. Voting closes on Sunday June 13, 2021 at 9pm MST.
Join our Patreon to hear Erin's bonus episode at https://www.patreon.com/theplaylistchallenge
In this introductory episode, Eric and Robyn discuss the opposing playlists and how contrast doesn't necessarily look like two sides of the coin, but rather a tie-dye effect of mixed and mingled feelings and emotions. Other topics include how love is like a roller coaster and why we hate to love it and love to hate it, what is trash music, and how introducing a song to someone can change the meaning of it for that person.
Vote in the Opposites Challenge at theplaylistchallenge.com. Voting closes Sunday 6/13 at 9pm MST.
In this conclusion episode, Eric and Robyn share in the bittersweetness of having both lost to Adam in the Sci-Fi Vibes Challenge. They discuss the nostalgia and lost art of listening through an entire album, voter turnout, and why the Hans Solo film should have been about Lando instead. Adam shares his thoughts on winning, parenting during a curveball round, and explains his pick for the next challenge theme!
Sign ups for the next challenge are open May 17-21, 2021 9pm MST. Head over to theplaylistchallenge.com for more info on how to play.
Sandi's playlist tells the tragic story of the doomed romance between an android and humanity.
Listen to Sandi's playlist "Do Androids Dream of Playlist Challenges" and vote in the Sci-Fi Vibes Challenge at theplaylistchallenge.com. Voting ends Sunday April 25, 2021 at 9pm MST.
Join our Patreon to hear Sandi's bonus episode at https://www.patreon.com/theplaylistchallenge
Bryant's playlist is a celebration of stoner metal festivals in the back of custom painted vans, ripping bong hits and jamming out to sci-fi tunes that explore themes of monsters and unexplainable phenomena.
Listen to Bryant's playlist "Custom Van Jams" and vote in the Sci-Fi Vibes Challenge at theplaylistchallenge.com. Voting ends Sunday April 25, 2021 at 9pm MST.
Join our Patreon to hear Bryant's bonus episode at https://www.patreon.com/theplaylistchallenge
Evan's playlist shapes the story of two planetary civilizations who developed very different cultures and are now at odds with one another.
Listen to Evan's playlist "Cosmic Conflict" and vote in the Sci-Fi Vibes Challenge at theplaylistchallenge.com. Voting ends Sunday April 25, 2021 at 9pm MST.
Join our Patreon to hear Evan's bonus episode at https://www.patreon.com/theplaylistchallenge
Patrick's playlist is the soundtrack for a sci-fi RPG adventure game called Lancer where he introduces the characters, the Dungeon Master, and the overall mood and tone of the environment through the music.
Listen to Patrick's playlist "No Room for a Wallflower" and vote in the Sci-Fi Vibes Challenge at theplaylistchallenge.com. Voting ends Sunday April 25, 2021 at 9pm MST.
Join our Patreon to hear Patrick's bonus episode at https://www.patreon.com/theplaylistchallenge
Robyn's playlist tells the story of two friends who find themselves in an unexpected place and in an unexpected time with bittersweet results that force them to question everything they know about their reality.
Listen to Robyn's playlist "The Bike Ride" and vote in the Sci-Fi Vibes Challenge at theplaylistchallenge.com. Voting ends Sunday April 25, 2021 at 9pm MST.
Join our Patreon to hear Robyn's bonus episode at https://www.patreon.com/theplaylistchallenge
Sheryl's playlist draws upon classic sci-fi film soundtracks to depict the awe and wonder of the great expanse of outer space and posits what it might be like when we can travel far beyond Earth's orbit.
Listen to Sheryl's playlist "Earth to SS" and vote in the Sci-Fi Vibes Challenge at theplaylistchallenge.com. Voting ends Sunday April 25, 2021 at 9pm MST.
Join our Patreon to hear Sheryl's bonus episode at https://www.patreon.com/theplaylistchallenge
Francisco's playlist is a modern take on Hans Solo's character as someone who doesn't like to pick a side in the fight, but will if he has to because deep down he is vulnerable and human like the rest of us.
Listen to Francisco's playlist "Solo" and vote in the Sci-Fi Vibes Challenge at theplaylistchallenge.com. Voting ends Sunday April 25, 2021 at 9pm MST.
Join our Patreon to hear Francisco's bonus episode at https://www.patreon.com/theplaylistchallenge
Erin's playlist is an exploration of the quieter realm in science fiction, the subtler pondering of what it means to be human, and finding a moment to breath amidst the chaos.
Listen to Erin's playlist "time is a flat circle" and vote in the Sci-Fi Vibes Challenge at theplaylistchallenge.com. Voting ends Sunday April 25, 2021 at 9pm MST.
Join our Patreon to hear Erin's bonus episode at https://www.patreon.com/theplaylistchallenge
Eric's playlist is a trippy story of humanity rising up from the depths of the ocean as strange creatures with good intentions, but faulty logic bent on inevitable destruction.
Listen to Eric's playlist "Psy-Funk Sci-Fi Journey" and vote in the Sci-Fi Vibes Challenge at theplaylistchallenge.com. Voting ends Sunday April 25, 2021 at 9pm MST.
Join our Patreon to hear Eric's bonus episode at https://www.patreon.com/theplaylistchallenge
Sarah's playlist is an homage to all things 80's sci-fi synth and packs a nostalgic punch that will send you back to the good ol' days when film felt more magical.
Listen to Sarah's playlist "Come Homes When the Streetlights Come On" and vote in the Sci-Fi Vibes Challenge at theplaylistchallenge.com. Voting ends Sunday April 25, 2021 at 9pm MST.
Join our Patreon to hear Sarah's bonus episode at https://www.patreon.com/theplaylistchallenge
Annie's playlist is full on feminism celebrating women in science-fiction and everywhere else they "don't belong" using Ellen Ripley from the popular sci-fi horror thriller, Alien, as a role model for young girls both real and fictional as they face the monsters of the universe.
Listen to Annie's playlist "Ellen Ripley FOREVER" and vote in the Sci-Fi Vibes Challenge at theplaylistchallenge.com. Voting ends Sunday April 25, 2021 at 9pm MST.
Join our Patreon to hear Annie's bonus episode at https://www.patreon.com/theplaylistchallenge
Adam's playlist subverts mainstream science fiction by introducing perspectives of people less heard and often shut out from the genre in a hopeful pitch for the future that we can overcome boundaries set before us by people in power.
Listen to Adam's playlist "Wing's Greater Than Walls" and vote in the Sci-Fi Vibes Challenge at theplaylistchallenge.com. Voting ends Sunday April 25, 2021 at 9pm MST.
Join our Patreon to hear Adam's bonus episode at https://www.patreon.com/theplaylistchallenge
In this introductory episode, Eric and Robyn get together in a basement to discuss what science fiction sounds like to 12 different people in the form of their new themed playlists.
Voting ends April 25, 2021 9pm MST. Visit theplaylistchallenge.com to listen to all of the playlists and cast your vote for your favorite one!
You can also join our Patreon to receive special rewards and bonus content at https://www.patreon.com/theplaylistchallenge
Eric and Robyn discuss the results of the Riding the Waves challenge voting, favorite tracks, and how these playlists carried them through the emotional rollercoaster that exists within all of us. They dive into a wide variety of topics including reconnecting with artists they didn't give much credit to when they were younger like Dolly Parton and Jane Fonda while at the same time reminiscing on how powerful it is to revisit music that shaped their youth. Finally, challenge winner, Sandi, explains her pick for the next challenge theme!
Sign ups open soon! Stay tuned at theplaylistchallenge.com
Sandi's playlist takes us through a seafaring journey of stormy nights searching for the beam of a lighthouse to guide us to safety. Finally, we make it to the shore and weigh anchor with the relief that everything will be O.K.
Listen to Sandi's playlist "Anchor Me Here: A Nautical Mix" and vote in the Riding the Waves Challenge at theplaylistchallenge.com. Voting ends Wed. Feb. 24, 2021.
Erin's playlist is for the people who weren't born with gills and fins fit for swimming. It's for the ones who find it hard to navigate the waters of our tumultuous human emotions and need that extra pick-me-up.
Listen to Erin's playlist "Swimming with a Raincoat" and vote in the Riding the Waves Challenge at theplaylistchallenge.com. Voting ends Wed. Feb. 24, 2021.
Patrick's playlist takes place on a New York beach and appreciates the balance between gray vibes and fun vibes. It might feel like we're living the same day over and over again, but that doesn't mean we can't hang on to hope.
Listen to Patrick's playlist "I Don't Need You or This Lifeboat" and vote in the Riding the Waves Challenge at theplaylistchallenge.com. Voting ends Wed. Feb. 24, 2021.
Laurel's playlist pays respect to the stories of her family lineage who faced adversity long before the pandemic of 2020. The music is a reminder of the trials our ancestors faced in order for all of us to exist today.
Listen to Laurel's playlist "For the Ancestors" and vote in the Riding the Waves Challenge at theplaylistchallenge.com. Voting ends Wed. Feb. 24, 2021.
Annie's playlist is a survivor's fight anthem fueled by hope amidst immense adversity. She reminds us to find moments of gratitude even while chaos swirls around us.
Listen to Annie's playlist "Scrappy anthems, because being a human is hard" and vote in the Riding the Waves Challenge at theplaylistchallenge.com. Voting ends Wed. Feb. 24, 2021.
Whitney's playlist encourages us to seek comfort when we need it, but continue to fight because change only happens through action. It's not easy. Sometimes we're just a rubber duck clinging to the edge of a dock half deflated, half floating, but still kicking.
Listen to Whitney's playlist "Fight, Flight, and Float" and vote in the Riding the Waves Challenge at theplaylistchallenge.com. Voting ends Wed. Feb. 24, 2021.
Alexis recently underwent surgery and had a memorable wave-inspired drug induced experience shifting between a state of euphoria, uncertainty, and Western surrealism.
Listen to Alexis' playlist "Like Rolling Waves (What A Trip)" and vote in the Riding the Waves Challenge at theplaylistchallenge.com. Voting ends Wed. Feb. 24, 2021.
Even if you aren't a regular festival or concert goer, many of us are feeling the throb of missing the community experience of a live musical event. Live vicariously through Bryant's playlist, a prog-rock music festival that takes place where an ancient ocean once covered the land.
Listen to Bryant's playlist "Psychedelic Inland Beach Party" and vote in the Riding the Waves Challenge at theplaylistchallenge.com. Voting ends Wed. Feb. 24, 2021.
Francisco's playlist encapsulates the flowy features of waves with a positive reminder that after the storm, life's problems tend to calm down.
Listen to Francisco's playlist "swimming (life's waves)" and vote in the Riding the Waves Challenge at theplaylistchallenge.com. Voting ends Wed. Feb. 24, 2021.
Paulina's comfort food playlist is like a good hug to hold you in its arms when you're sad and get you to dance when you're ready to feel better.
Listen to Paulina's playlist "Ebb and Flow" and vote in the Riding the Waves Challenge at theplaylistchallenge.com. Voting ends Wed. Feb. 24, 2021.
Spencer's playlist gives space for listeners to experience sadness while taking comfort in the knowledge that there's always a light at the end of the tunnel.
Listen to Spencer's playlist "A Time to Feel, A Time to Heal" and vote in the Riding the Waves Challenge at theplaylistchallenge.com. Voting ends Wed. Feb. 24, 2021.
Evan's playlist is like listening to a radio station of songs that help you to stop resisting the current while you learn to let the waves pick you up and set you down wherever they please.
Listen to Evan's playlist "Radio Waves for Rough Days" and vote in the Riding the Waves Challenge at theplaylistchallenge.com. Voting ends Feb. 24, 2021.
Eric and Robyn are joined by previous challenge winner Evan for another roundtable discussion in this introductory episode for the new playlist challenge Riding the Waves: music for turbulent tides. They discuss everything from how people gauge their moods by colors, prodigy kids who play the drums, and how tell if you're meant to swim above or below the surface. This challenge is all about dealing with challenging emotions and times.
Listen to the playlists and vote in the Riding the Waves Challenge at theplaylistchallenge.com. Voting ends Feb. 24, 2021.
Eric and Robyn are joined by finalists Spencer and Evan to discuss how the challenge went, their reactions to each other's playlists, and the myriad of choices Evan has for his winner's award of next challenge theme pick.
The Playlist Challenge will be on hiatus until late January. Stay tuned for the next theme announcement.
Evan's playlist is like walking through the snow alone at night deep in introspection and contemplation of wistful albeit somber feelings commonly associated with winter times.
Listen to Evan's playlist "Empty Streets & Frozen Landscapes" and vote in the Darker Days Winter Nights Challenge at theplaylistchallenge.com. Voting ends Sat. Dec. 19.
Chris is back with another heavy hitting hard rock playlist that takes us through the stages of grief as we lose the light and gain the night.
Listen to Chris' playlist "Dark Horse" and vote in the Darker Days Winter Nights Challenge at theplaylistchallenge.com. Voting ends Sat. Dec. 19.
Robyn's playlist is a mashup of music to help you reflect, heal, and find comfort in thoughts of home.
Listen to Robyn's playlist "Echo Daze" and vote in the Darker Days Winter Nights Challenge at theplaylistchallenge.com. Voting ends Sat. Dec. 19.
Bryant's playlist might be best the soundtrack for a scene in a bar with sexy depressed people drinking together. His music accompanies the feelings he and many others ascribed to seasonal affective disorder through darker bluegrass and country songs.
Listen to Bryant's playlist "Moonshine and Dark Dreams" and vote in the Darker Days Winter Nights Challenge at theplaylistchallenge.com. Voting ends Sat. Dec. 19.
Sheryl loves looking up at the stars on a crisp winter night because they help her feel more connected to the world. And this time of year isn't fulfilled without a little bit of Christmas music in her ears.
Listen to Sheryl's playlist "Warm Lights and Starry Skies" and vote in the Darker Days Winter Nights Challenge at theplaylistchallenge.com. Voting ends Sat. Dec. 19.
Laurel's patron saint is Brigid of Ireland. A goddess and a saint who rules both the hearth and the highway. Laurel's playlist guides us through these seemingly opposite spaces on dark winter nights as we experience our most authentic selves in them.
Listen to Laurel's playlist "Cold Road Home" and vote in the Darker Days Winter Nights Challenge at theplaylistchallenge.com. Voting ends Sat. Dec. 19.
Spencer has spent much of his life singing in choirs and created a playlist to reflect the sense of reflection and sleepiness that he associates with winter time.
Listen to Spencer's playlist "Winter's Sleep" and vote in the Darker Days Winter Nights Challenge at theplaylistchallenge.com. Voting ends Sat. Dec. 19.
Yana's playlist is the perfect accompaniment for a long drive through the mountains when the leaves are changing, the animals are preparing for hibernation, and the sun hangs lower in the sky.
Listen to Yana's playlist "Last Leaf on the Tree" and vote in the Darker Days Winter Nights Challenge at theplaylistchallenge.com. Voting ends Sat. Dec. 19.
Eric and Robyn are joined by the previous winners Laurel and Evan for this round table introductory discussion of the new playlist challenge, Darker Days Winter Nights. Laurel won the Weird Covers Challenge and wanted to lean into the darker times with darker music. Evan won the Halloween Challenge and felt inspired by the magical wintery nights to come as the year ends. The group explores topics ranging from the changing seasons to the not-so-dichotomous relationship between life and death.
Listen to the playlists and vote in the Darker Days Winter Nights Challenge at theplaylistchallenge.com. Voting ends Sat. Dec. 19.
Eric and Robyn wrap up the 2020 Halloween Playlist Challenge by talking about some of the highlights from their favorite playlists, songs that were shocking and especially creepy, and give a little preview of the theme for the next challenge.
Sign up for and follow the next challenge at theplaylistchallenge.com.
Robyn's playlist is a jazzy, electroswing story of the devil having a party in the underworld with his goblins and ghouls when he falls madly in lust with a beautiful dancer made of fire and magic.
Listen to Robyn's playlist "The Devil and The Dancer" and vote in the Halloween 2020 Challenge at theplaylistchallenge.com. Voting ends Oct. 31, 2020.
Erin is not a big fan of the intense super scary horror either, but she does enjoy shows like Supernatural where two good lookin' dudes always kill the monster by the end of the episode. Her playlist is an homage to the scary movies and shows that mix in a healthy does of campy and comedy.
Listen to Erin's playlist "Wait...What Just Happened?" and vote in the Halloween 2020 Challenge at theplaylistchallenge.com. Voting ends Sat. Oct. 31, 2020.
Sheryl grew up learning to play classical music on the piano and as such developed an appreciation for the spookier side of classical and instrumental. Her playlist is also not without a few traditional Halloween classics.
Listen to Sheryl's playlist "Classic(al) Creepy" and vote in the Halloween 2020 Challenge at theplaylistchallenge.com. Voting ends Sat. Oct. 31, 2020.
Brook's taste in music spans across genres, which didn't necessarily help him in selecting songs to curate a playlist based on the 9 levels of Dante's Inferno. So he switched gears and focused on a haunted rockabilly thread.
Listen to Brook's playlist "Rockabilly Halloween Hits" and vote in the Halloween 2020 Challenge at theplaylistchallenge.com Voting ends Sat. Oct. 31, 2020.
Alexis is a history buff and as such, she chose to explore the history of murder ballads through music. Murder ballads are typically stories about murdering women, but in recent years there plenty of examples of the tables being turned!
Listen to Alexis' playlist "A History of Murder Ballads" and vote in the Halloween 2020 Challenge at theplaylistchallenge.com. Voting ends Sat. Oct. 31, 2020.
Evan is typically a goth soul, but in order to make a playlist fit for a Halloween party, he shied away from the 12 minute long dirges and went for music that's a little more upbeat, but still witchy and dark.
Listen to Evan's playlist "Blacklights & Bong Rips" and vote in the Halloween 2020 Challenge at theplaylistchallenge.com. Voting ends Sat. Oct. 31, 2020.
Whitney is not one for super scary horror vibes associated with Halloween, but she won't shy away from a good Hitchcock film with some candles lit and snuggled up in flannel in the grey rainy Pacific Northwest. Her playlist was curated to reflect just such an occasion.
Listen to Whitney's playlist "Spooky/soft" and vote in the Halloween 2020 Challenge at theplaylistchallenge.com. Voting ends Sat. Oct. 31, 2020.
Bryant walks us through his music selections from the folk western gothic genre and describes the journey of his playlist as a "Lovecraftian descent into madness".
Listen to Bryant's playlist "Dark Americana" and vote in the Halloween 2020 Challenge at theplaylistchallenge.com. Voting ends Sat. Oct. 31, 2020.
Laurel describes her playlist as music for a spooky evening on Halloween in the Rocky Mountains, in the desert, and on the plains beyond the 100th meridian.
Listen to Laurel's playlist "Western Gothic" and vote in the Halloween 2020 Challenge at theplaylistchallenge.com. Voting ends on Sat. Oct. 31, 2020.
In this introduction episode to the Halloween 2020 Challenge, Eric and Robyn discuss why this holiday is their favorite and dive into a preview of what to expect from the playlists.
Voting for round 1 is live from Sat. Oct. 24 until 9pm Tues. Oct. 27. Voting for round 2 will be live from 9am Wed. Oct. 28 until 9pm Sat. Oct. 31. The winner will be announce on the eve of Halloween! Go to theplaylistchallenge.com to listen to the podcast episodes, playlists, and vote!
Eric and Robyn wrap up the Weird Covers Challenge by discussing the two finalists' playlists, Chris and Laurel, which were both in the heavy rock/metal genre. This genre hasn't historically done well in previous challenges, but they proved us wrong that metal does matter! We hear from both finalists and receive the details for the theme of the next challenge.
Stay tuned for the next challenge at theplaylistchallenge.com
Erin is an aerial dancer and is always on the lookout for music fit for choreography. But aerial dance isn't your typical kind of dance, it can be unexpected and requires incredible strength and courage. Her playlist consists of music with dramatic moments of pause and unexpected rhythms from their origins that make it perfect for an airborne performance.
Listen to Erin's playlist "Downbeat Covers" and vote in the Weird Covers Challenge at theplaylistchallenge.com. Voting ends Wed. Oct. 7, 2020.
Eric, OG playlist challenger and podcast co-host, takes a swing at this covers challenge with a series of songs from his youth. His playlist takes us through a spectrum of high energy to soothing dreamy beach vibes.
Listen to Eric's playlist "Tastes More Like Regular Dr. Pepper" and vote in the Weird Covers Challenge at theplaylistchallenge.com. Voting ends Wed. Oct. 7, 2020.
Evan, a playlist challenge veteran, takes us through the throes of a torrid and toxic love affair. His goth and 80's synth inspired covers flow through the forbidden romance of dangerous passion to the inevitable consequences of the relationship.
Listen to Evan's playlist "Undercover Lovers" and vote in the Weird Covers Challenge at theplaylistchallenge.com. Voting ends Wed. Oct. 7, 2020.
Bryant has a unique taste in bluegrass, folk, video game theme music, and metal from around the world. He takes us through a cross-cultural, cross-genre tour of emotions in his covers playlist challenging genres as a social construct along the way.
Listen to Bryant's playlist "Genre Is A Social Construct" and vote in the Weird Covers Challenge at theplaylistchallenge.com. Voting ends Wed. Oct. 7, 2020.
Phil, Globetrotting Challenge winner, chose weird covers as the theme for this challenge. Phil's playlist features songs with female vocalists that swing along the spectrum between soothing and harsh.
Listen to Phil's playlist "Tinhorn Protactinium Dilemma" and vote in the Weird Covers Challenge at theplaylistchallenge.com. Voting ends Wed. Oct. 7, 2020.
Alexis views cover songs like a modern oral tradition of passing on culture and information for current and future generations. The songs on her playlist take on new meaning by the artists who cover them. The musicians' identities shape a new context for the messages of the lyrics.
Listen to Alexis' playlist "Judge a book by these covers" and vote in the Weird Covers Challenge at theplaylistchallenge.com. Voting ends Wed. Oct. 7, 2020.
Chris, a playlist challenge veteran, takes us through his exploration of covers through his preferred genre of hard rock and heavy metal. Sometimes you don't know a song is a cover until you hear the original and sometimes the original gets a face lift by the band covering it.
Listen to Chris' playlist "Duck and Cover" and vote in the Weird Covers Challenge at theplaylistchallenge.com. Voting ends Wed. Oct. 7, 2020.
Laurel walks us through her perspective on the metal genre as experienced through her family. Heavy metal isn't just for people "dressed up for Halloween" it's a healthy expression of darker human emotions.
Listen to Laurel's playlist "In Defense of Death Metal" and vote in the Weird Covers Challenge at theplaylistchallenge.com. Voting ends Wed. Oct. 7, 2020.
For this third playlist challenge, our Globetrotting Challenge winner, Phil, chose weird covers as the theme. Weird Covers meaning covers of songs that are unknown, rare, odd, bizarre, unexpected, etc. Instead of 8 songs, our challengers only had 5 slots to put their weird covers into a curated playlist.
Eric and Robyn discuss the concept of what a cover is and how they can be layered as well as speculating on how the playlists will fare in this challenge.
Follow the Weird Covers Challenge at theplaylistchallenge.com where you can listen to the playlists and vote!
In this episode, Eric and Robyn wrap up the Globetrotting Challenge by discussing the outcome of the voting, the anonymity of the playlists, their favorite travel playlists, and we hear from the challenge champion, Phil, who created The Orange Tape, as he reveals the next challenge theme!
Stay tuned for the next challenge at theplaylistchallenge.com.
Becca's playlist is full of empowered female voices with high energy tracks that keep her up and moving as she makes her way across the country to start her graduate program and express her own empowered voice as a woman of color.
Can you guess which playlist is Becca's?
Listen to the playlists and vote in the Globetrotting Challenge at theplaylistchallenge.com. Voting ends September 2, 2020.
Suber's playlist takes us on an adventure in a fantastical tale about a woman and a man who find themselves in a peculiar circumstance. And only as strange events can, these two strangers are drawn together on their journey.
Can you guess which playlist is Suber's?
Listen to the playlists and vote in the Globetrotting Challenge at theplaylistchallenge.com. Voting ends September 2, 2020.
Previous challenge champion Woody's playlist is a globetrot with a twist. He envisions traveling with an alter-ego. Who would you be if you could be a different person and where would you go?
Can you guess which playlist is Woody's?
Listen to the playlists and vote in the Globetrotting Challenge at theplaylistchallenge.com. Voting ends September 2, 2020.
Erin's playlist is an homage to the trips she took with her family when she was growing up and the music her dad used to sing along with. It's more than the trips themselves, it's the journey through life with her dad and without him.
Can you guess which playlist is Erin's?
Listen to the playlists and vote in the Globetrotting Challenge at theplaylistchallenge.com. Voting ends September 2, 2020.
Jeff's playlist is 8 songs of 12.5% each exploration, introspection, discovery, party, seduction, acceptance, rediscovery, and euphoria. These 8 songs help guide him to his favorite hangout.
Can you guess which playlist is Jeff's?
Listen to the playlists and vote in the Globetrotting Challenge at theplaylistchallenge.com. Voting ends September 2, 2020.
Phil's playlist is well known among his automotive racing community. It was created over the course of several years and is meant to provide road trippers with a backdrop of music for contemplating the passing scenery down long stretches of highway.
Can you guess which playlist is Phil's?
Listen to the playlists and vote in the Globetrotting Challenge at theplaylistchallenge.com. Voting ends September 2, 2020.
Mars' playlist reflects on the privilege of having access to travel, being in motion, changing spaces mentally and physically, heading from one destination to the next whether you're walking down the street or driving cross-country.
Can you guess which playlist is Mars'?
Listen to the playlists and vote in the Globetrotting Challenge at theplaylistchallenge.com. Voting ends September 2, 2020.
Cole takes us on a true globetrot around the world with music by artists from different countries. In a time when we're cut off from each other, we can still have international experiences through this precious common thread of humanity.
Can you guess which playlist is Cole's?
Listen to the playlists and vote in the Globetrotting Challenge at theplaylistchallenge.com. Voting ends September 2, 2020.
For this second playlist challenge, our Best Summer Soundtrack Challenge winner, Woody, tasked contestants with creating an 8 track Globetrotting Playlist or, their best travel soundtrack. Many of us are feeling the cabin fever of being stuck inside during this pandemic and with travel restrictions all over the world, what better way to escape than through music? In this introductory episode, Eric and Robyn talk about the theme and what to expect from our challenger’s anonymous globetrotting playlists. Follow the Globetrotting Challenge at theplaylistchallenge.com where you can listen to the playlists and vote!
Our first playlist challenge has concluded! Woody and Mari went head to head in the last round with Woody emerging as the champion. We hear from each finalist as they reflect on the challenge.
Woody announces the next challenge theme!
Find out how to signup and participate. theplaylistchallenge.com
Playlist challenge newbie, Amy, takes us back to a summer of intense heat riding her bike through the musically diverse streets of Chicago while also feeling the heat of a budding romance.
Listen to Amy's playlist and vote in the Best Summer Soundtrack at theplaylistchallenge.com. Voting ends July 29, 2020.
Playlist challenge newbie, Darrow, takes us through a journey of emotions including the butterfly feelings of a long ago crush, nostalgic memories of summers past, letting go and finding bliss.
Listen to Darrow's playlist and vote in the Best Summer Soundtrack Challenge at theplaylistchallenge.com. Voting ends July 29, 2020.
Playlist challenge veteran, Woody, infuses a variety of genres to tell the story of an American summer holiday that brings us together through community, food, warm weather, and good music.
Listen to Woody's playlist and vote in the Best Summer Soundtrack Challenge at theplaylistchallenge.com. Voting ends July 29, 2020.
Playlist challenge semi-veteran/semi-newbie, Mari, takes us back to last summer of 2019 when she was reconnecting with herself and her close friends after the breakup of a long relationship.
Listen to Mari's playlist and vote in the Best Summer Soundtrack Challenge at theplaylistchallenge.com. Voting ends July 29, 2020.
Playlist challenge newbie, Krista, takes us back to the summer festival scene of 2015 when she experienced catharsis and found community in a time of grief and change.
Listen to Krista's playlist and vote in the Best Summer Soundtrack Challenge at theplaylistchallenge.com. Voting ends July 29, 2020.
Playlist challenge newbie, Lucas, reflects on the meaning of summer as it relates to our relationship with time and how music can be the best mindfulness.
Listen to Lucas's playlist and vote in the Best Summer Soundtrack Challenge go to theplaylistchallenge.com. Voting ends July 29, 2020.
Playlist challenge veteran, Oanh, takes us back to the summer of 2016 and the music that shaped her experiences of friendship and love.
Listen to Oanh's playlist and vote in the Best Summer Soundtrack at theplaylistchallenge.com. Voting ends July 29, 2020.
Playlist challenge veteran, Marteene, takes us back to the summer of 2016 and the music that helped her make big positive changes in her life including connecting with her authentic-self and a romance to last.
Listen to Marteene's playlist and vote in the Best Summer Soundtrack Challenge at theplaylistchallenge.com. Voting ends July 29, 2020.
The Playlist Challenge is kicking off the first ever public playlist challenge with a theme that resonates strongly with many of us, summer time! That's right. Challengers were tasked with creating a soundtrack for their favorite summer memory. In this introductory episode, Eric and Robyn talk about the theme and give a little preview on what to expect from our challenger's best summer soundtracks.
Summer is a time for taking a break from school, vacationing away from home, and relaxing under the bright warm sun. Er, at least it was until the covid-19 pandemic of 2020 completely turned our worlds upside down. How are we coping? Well, music might just be the perfect way to bring us all together at a time when isolation is encouraged.
Follow the Best Summer Soundtrack Challenge at theplaylistchallenge.com where you can listen to the playlists and vote!
Welcome to The Playlist Challenge! The Playlist Challenge is a friendly and inclusive competition for music curation and sharing. And this is the podcast to help guide you through it. Two years ago, Eric and Robyn created the playlist challenge as a way to get through stressful times and bond with their team mates at the office. As it gained popularity, a need for more accessibility to the general public developed and thus the website and the podcast were born. The podcast provides a way for challengers to talk about the music they love and defend their playlist selections!
Follow the challenges at theplaylistchallenge.com, on Facebook and Instagram.