mixed tape

September 25, 2026

Music has always been a big part of my life, and not something that was just playing in the background. It has been quite a ride over the years with how I acquire music to listen to. Radio, records, and 8-tracks. Cassettes, CD's, and then mp3's. Now streaming. A little while ago I decided to spend way too much money on audio equipment. The main goal of my purchases being good quality sound through headphones.

I'm not going to name my purchases just in case an audiophile ever reads my blog. I don't want to hear about what a mistake I made buying this, or that, and fifty other things that are ten times better. I will say that I have a small DAC, and two pairs of headphones. One pair never leaves the apartment, and the other is for commute walks. It is quite an upgrade from $25 Walmart headphones plugged directly into the jack on my phone or computer.

The last couple of weeks I have changed what I listen to on my way to, and home from work. Last week I posted a playlist, and I will include another at the bottom of this post. Both of them are the length of my commute walk, and I listened to nothing but those songs all week. Once on my way to work, and again on the way home.

It was an idea I had a couple weeks ago when I was doing the usual thing of selecting a playlist, hit play and random shuffle. Found myself often taking the phone out of my pocket and selecting enough songs to get me through to my destination. Then I also noticed I was choosing the same songs for days at a time. It reminded me of mixed tapes or CD's.

I started thinking back, and back some more, to before streaming, before mp3's. I would sometimes listen to the same CD for a week straight or more while driving in my car to and home from work. Now, with streaming, I could easily listen to music all week and never hear the same song twice if I wanted to do that. But I found myself wanting to hear certain songs.

That all brought me to this idea of listening to the same songs on my walks. I named the playlists Mixed Tape. It has been interesting getting to know these songs better like I used to do with songs when I would go out and buy a new tape or CD, or if I would make a mixed tape or CD. I don't know if I will keep doing this indefinitely, but for now I'm finding it quite enjoyable. I have heard these songs many times over the years... but doing this; I feel like I'm really listening to them. If that makes sense.

Thank U – Alanis Morissette

We Belong – Pat Benatar

BLACKEST – The Raveonettes

Strangers When We Meet – David Bowie

Jealousy Is Lethal – Pixel Grip

And All That Could Have Been – Nine Inch Nails