107 Reasons to Drive Alone

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Avery
I don’t really like to drive with other people anymore. It transitioned quickly; in March (though I had my license for 9 months), I still hadn’t driven alone, but now, moments when I am alone in my car are some of the tiny highlights of my day, all because of music. 
Some people enjoy news stations, podcasts, or the silence, but I cannot recall a time when I wasn’t listening to music in the car. I’ve been on Spotify since 2015 and I have 107 playlists, which I never thought of as a lot until I saw how much fewer my friends have. This is not a mark of musical superiority or anything, but I guess the reason why I have such an abundant amount is because I make each playlist based on a different mood, a different movie, or a different aesthetic. And they can get really specific:
“Cry Baby,” which is full of bands like Arctic Monkeys, the Neighbourhood, Cage the Elephant… essentially modern rock bands that make me feel cool, which I am not. Currently this, along with my Lana Del Rey playlists, is my go-to selection of songs. 

 “comfortably numb” is one of my many throwback playlists, but I like this one most because it’s not the most basic songs like Take on Me or Material Girl. It’s a jumble of Sublime, Led Zeppelin, Pink Floyd, Billy Joel (I have my own playlist for him too), John Lennon… 
“prick” for The End of the Flopping World. I couldn’t watch the show at first because I got creeped out, but the second time around I watched all 8 episodes in one day, and additionally, I loved the music in it. (I am currently making prick PART 2 in honor of Season 2)
“dragonfly,” which I made after my summer trip to Alaska. Every song in here is mellow and sort of wild and gentle hippy/indie style. It makes you feel like a dragonfly I suppose. 
“big black car” is essentially a mix of indie and folk songs, pretty similar to dragonfly, but with a more heavy emphasis on my favorite artist, Gregory Alan Isakov. Please listen to Big Black Car or Amsterdam or That Sea, the Gambler. I played Big Black Car once and I have successfully recruited my friend Hadley to the Isakov fan club. 
“A pink and golden billow of foamy clouds above the sea” for Great Gatsby songs (I included songs that I feel matched the Great Gatsby mood as well). I loved the book, and while I didn’t love the actual movie, I loved its aesthetics and cinematography (and LEO!)
“la madrague” is a fishing technique for catching tuna, but also the name of the first song in my French-themed playlist. I don’t understand a single word — except the phrase je t’aime — but they nonetheless capture the French vibe of baguettes and croissants and pastel flowers and the Eiffel Tower.
   
“Psychedelic,” a playlist dedicated specifically to Glass Animals.
While I listen to this playlist much less frequently now, I have to honor the most important one called “o children!” With 157 songs and at nearly 8 hours, it includes every song from the 8 Harry Potter movies (O Children by Nick Cave & the Bad Seeds was featured in the Deathly Hallows Part 2). Even though 99% of the songs are instrumental, I can sing all of them like they have lyrics, if that makes any sense. 
If you read about all 9 of my 107 playlists, congratulations! You are now upgraded to a whole new level of Avery knowledge. 

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