Yes, I’m Still Making Mixtapes. What Songs Should I Add?
Since basically everything else went topsy turvy this past year+, at least we can all take respite in music. And as long as my mom’s Bose system doesn’t crap out, I’mma keep making her mix cd’s as part of her christmas gift.
I’ve been making my mom and sister mix cd’s for christmas since I was in college, which sorry to say, was like thirteen years ago. They tell me they still appreciate this retro wrapped good, and since I’ve been blogging (very sporadically) for approximately the same number of years, y’all have helped
It’s that time again! The time where I put out the call for your favorite songs and songsters!
The guidelines are pretty open. I make 1.) a phenomenal woman mix, which features only female artists (bonus if you recommend diverse performers and styles) and 2.) a cafe mix, open to all genders and nonbinary artists that play tunes more on the mellow side, like you’re chilling at home enjoying a cuppa or fixing dinner with a glass of wine.
Type your favorite recommendations into the comments and I’ll share the final playlists in January (after I’ve gifted the new albums)! Will your picks make the playlist? Find out!
Plus, I give away copies to one lucky participant!
What are you waiting for? There’s new tunes to check out! Thanks so much for helping me put together the perfect playlist.
Here’s a few examples from what made the cut last year:
Phenomenal Woman Mix
Pasttime ~ Samantha Crain
No Roots ~ Alice Merton
Underdog ~ Alicia Keys
Remind Me ~ Emily King
Cafe Mix
If the World was Ending ~ JP Saxe and Julia Michaels
Home Again ~ Michael Kiwanuka
May I Have This Dance? ~ Francis and the Lights
Bridges ~ Johnnyswim
Mixtape Madness: Share Your Song Suggestions
It’s that time again.
Despite everything going on in the world, some things remain. The annual blog share of song suggestions for an old school mixtape gift is one of them.
Since 2004 I’ve made my mom and sister two mixtapes for Christmas, a Phenomenal Woman Mix featuring all female artists (power ballads and dance worthy, feel good tunes) and a Cafe Mix featuring easy listening jams.
For years I’ve asked for your help. Your song suggestions help me find the most diverse mix of artists and songs, as well as some truly awesome music videos, albums, and songs to play on repeat.
Why might this be the most fun year to collab on a mixtape? I don’t about y’all, but music has been one of the biggest mood lifters for me during this pandemic. Life is stressful. Why not dance some of it out, after all no one is watching if you’re really isolating. *thumbs up*
So I hope you’ll comment below and share with me your favorite song suggestions. Who are the artists you’ve discovered this year? What songs are you playing on repeat right now? What’s your fave song ever? The tune that no matter where you are when you hear it, you have to dance?
Tell me your suggestions for the 2020 Phenomenal Women and Cafe Mixes. As a bonus, I’ll draw TWO LUCKY WINNERS from everyone who comments who will win a copy of the mix cd’s for themselves. Winners and playlists announced in January.
To get started, here are a few songs that made the 2019 lists.
Phenomenal Woman Mix
Call on Me ~ Starley
Stay High ~ Brittany Howard
The Storm ~ ZZ Ward
Came Here for Love ~ Sigala & Ella Eyre
Cafe Mix
My Own Fault ~ Manny Walters
The Weary Kind ~ Ryan Bingham
Lost in the Light ~ Bahamas
Your Somebody Else ~ Flora Cash
Send in those song suggestions! Put on a playlist, share your thumbs up’s with me. Or, for more inspiration, here’s the full 2019 and 2018 lists.
Thank you for your suggestions. Thank you for your good energy. Thank you for dancing along with me and helping spread a little joy, which coincidentally, is my mama’s name. We can’t wait to see what you come up with!
Let’s Make a Mixtape. Share Your Favorite Song Suggestions.
It’s November, and around here that means…
It’s time to make the annual mixtapes! Since 2004, I’ve compiled two mixtapes as presents for my mum and sis. More like mix cd’s rather, which yes – I know are also becoming obsolete – but that doesn’t make the actual songlisting any less fun.
This is where you come in.
I need YOUR HELP collecting awesome songs that fit the theme for the mixtapes.
The FIRST is a Phenomenal Woman Mix – all female artists, songs you can dance to, but some ballads are great too.
The SECOND is a Cafe Mix – any artist, more mellow vibes, songs you can play while relaxing at home.
Why should you help?
Why not?! Music is the ultimate mood lifter and who couldn’t use a boost of finding new tunes to jam to and new artists to fall in love with. Go down the same rabbit holes as me sifting through song suggestions in the comments. Watch YouTube videos until you forget how to blink. Play the same song over and over until your significant other knocks on the bathroom door and asks “What, exactly, are you doing in there?”
BONUS: TWO lucky commenters will receive copies of the cds after the playlist is compiled! Free music for you! Woohoo!
So, share your song suggestions in the comments below. I can’t wait to listen. I always find new favorites and couldn’t make these awesome compilations without you. I’ll share the final picks and announce the winners in January.
Here’s some ideas from last year to get you started:
Phenomenal Woman Mix
Fallingwater ~ Maggie Rogers
Great One ~ Jessie Reyez
Shadow on the Wall ~ Ruby Amanfu
Yours ~ Ella Henderson
Cafe Mix
Two Blue Eyes ~ Tall Heights
Famous ~ Serena Ryder
Slow Burn ~ Kacey Musgraves
Beyond ~ Leon Bridges
***
For the full 2018 playlist, click here. Also, 2017 was a great songlist, too, if I do say so myself.
What are your recommendations? I’m all ears!
Also, any suggestions on what platform to adapt
these mixes to once cds do go out?
Thanks, friends! Happy listening! Rock on!
What’s On Your Playlist? The 2018 Mixtape Kickoff
It is time. You and I are going to make a mixtape.
Ok, technically a mix cd, but still, a mixtape.
Yes, again.
Yes, even though hardly anyone has a device that will play cds nowadays. (It’s for my mother, she has at least two players that I know of.)
Since 2004 I started making my mom and sister mix cds for Christmas. It’s tradition now. And I rely on YOUR HELP to find new and exciting music to showcase for them.
It’s simple, just tell me what songs or artists you love listening to.
I make two cds: a phenomenal woman mix (highlighting all female artists) and a cafe mix (featuring songs you can chill out and cozy up to while sipping your morning coffee).
Two lucky participants will get copies of the mix cds as a thank you for sharing your song suggestions!
To get started, here are some highlights from the 2017 mixes.
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Phenomenal Woman Mix
That’s Alright With Me ~ Andreya Triana
Higher ~ The Naked and Famous
Want You Back ~ HAIM
Deeper ~ Ella Eyre
Cafe Mix
The Old Churchyard ~ Offa Rex
Let It All Go ~ Birdy and Rhodes
I Followed Fires ~ Matthew and the Atlas
Without You ~ Oh Wonder
***
What’s on your playlist? Share in the comments!
Two random winners selected in the new year!
For more music filled posts, check out the full 2017 playlists here, plus 2016, 2015 and 2014 if you just wanna dance.
Call for Songlists: The 2017 Mixtape Begins
You know the drill. We’re making a mixtape, people.
It’s old school. It’s outdated. Who even has a cd player anymore?
Well, my mother does. It’s a Bose. Because all old people own Boses.
Since 2007, my reoccurring christmas gift to my mother and sister is a Phenomenal Woman Mix Tape, and I rely on YOUR HELP to find the best songs to put on it. Bonus points – in the last five years, I also added a Cafe Mix for all those winter mug holding moments.
So tell me, who are the phenomenal women you’re listing to? And what coffee shop tunes are you chillin’ out with?
Two lucky commenters will win a copy of each CD!
***
Get started with these inspiring jams off last year’s CD!
Into the Wild by LP (Phenomenal Woman Mix)
I Believe in a Thing Called Love by Postmodern Jukebox featuring Maiya Sykes (Phenomenal Woman Mix)
Wildest Moments by Jessie Ware (Phenomenal Woman Mix)
Unsteady by X Ambassadors (Cafe Mix)
Growing Things by Shook Twins (Cafe Mix)
Check out the full 2016 playlists here, plus 2015 and 2014 if you just wanna dance.
The Phenomenal Mix Playlist Winners Revealed
Between blog comments, facebook and Twitter, I received 70 song and musician suggestions for the 2016 Phenomenal Women and Cafe Mix playlists – my annual gift of new music for my mom and sister.
Thank you to everyone who shared suggestions and music videos for my search. Several of your recommendations made the final list and I’m excited to share them with you in the new year. Here’s what I’m currently dancing to!
The 2016 Phenomenal Women Playlist
- Stranger to My Happiness by Sharon Jones & the Dap-Kings
In honor of this phenomenal woman who passed in 2016. She is one of my favorite live performers to have seen. So much soul. Felt the need to kick off the playlist with a song from her album “Give the People What They Want”.
2. Best Kept Secret by case/lang/veirs
3. Into the Wild by LP
4. Wild Things by Alessia Cara
5. No Diggity by Postmodern Jukebox featuring Ariana Savalas
6. Million Reasons by Lady Gaga
7. We Break the Dawn by Michelle Williams
8. The Greatest by Sia
I’m a Sia fan. I love her music videos and the unusual ways the dancers move. I think it’s beautiful.
9. Heaven Knows by First Aid Kit
10. I Believe in a Thing Called Love by Postmodern Jukebox featuring Maiya Sykes
Shoutout to Amber West for recommending some Postmodern Jukebox tunes for the mix, which have not been included before and leant a variety of sounds and styles. I loved this cover of a song by The Killers.
11. Heart of My Own by Basia Bulat
12. Wildewoman by Lucius
13. Tokyo Sunrise by LP
Hands down, my favorite musician this year has been LP. I discovered her last year and included “Night Like This” on the 2015 mix, but since then, she’s released another album and I’ve been playing her nonstop, so two songs made the list this year.
14. Wildest Moments by Jessie Ware
15. Scars to Your Beautiful by Postmodern Jukebox featuring Sara Niemietz
16. Beautiful Life by Judith Hill
Judith Hill is a musician I have tried to include for the last several years and could never quite fit in. Came across this song off the 2015 album, Back in Time, and fell in love. This music video is a paired down version of the song, but it’s gorgeous either way.
17. Runaway by Aurora
18. Got Your Number by Serena Ryder
19. Road Less Traveled by Lauren Alaina
20. In the Morrow by Brandi Carlile
The 2016 Cafe Mix
- Happiness by NEEDTOBREATHE
The hubs and I are both fans of NEEDTOBREATHE and this is off their new album, Hard Love.
2. Alaska by Maggie Rogers
3. Red Hands by Walk Off The Earth
4. Trying So Hard Not to Know by Nathaniel Rateliff & the Night Sweats
5. The Walker by Fitz & the Tantrums
6. White Winter Hymnal by Fleet Foxes
7. Unsteady by X Ambassadors
8. Hold Back the River by James Bay
James Bay was a discovery the hubs and I found through an indie artist bio-vid we came across and we loved his sound.
9. Lost Stars by Adam Levine
10. Growing Things by Shook Twins
11. Dreams by Fleetwood Mac
12. Out of My League by Fitz & the Tantrums
13. I Found by Amber Run
14. Snow by Lisa Hannigan
15. Wicked Game by Chris Isaak
16. House of Mercy by Sarah Jarosz
Sarah Jarosz has been another musician I’ve had in my collection and tried to include for several years, but hadn’t. This year her 2016 album, Undercurrent, was added to my iTunes and I loved this song.
17. Home Nights by Sugarcane Jane
18. Woodwork by Sleeping at Last
19. Morning Noon & Night by Ryan Shaw
20. Thank You by Nathaniel Rateliff & The Night Sweats
Here’s another group I can’t help but groove to when I listen.
***
And now, the winners of the mix giveaways! Thank you all again so much for the song recommendations, I love listening to all your favorite tunes and they are a huge help in making these playlists.
The winners are Serena Dracis and Amber West!!!
The Ultimate Mixtape: 2016 Edition
Hey Music Lovers,
For the past four years, I’ve called on you to share your favorite songs and musicians with me for a reoccurring nerdy gift I always give my mom and sis for Christmas. A mixtape.
Since 2007, I’ve made them a personal playlist of phenomenal women. Every song is a female musician. And the tunes are typically upbeat. It’s the kind of thing you’d play before going out, or pumping yourself up for some hours in the kitchen or cleaning. Songs that make you move.
When a need arrived to add some more mellow songs, as well as male musicians, I created the Cafe’ Mix. The songs you’d listen to while holding a mug of your favorite warm beverage and gazing out the window, or curled up on the couch while reading a book.
It has become a favorite gift of my mother and sister (partially because they are busy women who don’t have time to search for new music and don’t have smartphones yet – my sis does now though). When they get the new Phenomenal Women Mix and Cafe Mix, they play them all year long.
This is where you come in.
I need your help! Tell me your favorite songs! The ones you’ve thumbs up’d, hit replay on, shazam’d, go back to again and again when you hit “a mood”.
Tell me in the comments what your favorite song recommendations are for each album. Last year, you gave me 58 songs to listen to!
To thank you, I’ll draw two random commenters to also receive copies of the cds and post the complete lists in the New Year!
Thank you all so much for your input. I’ve missed you. Here’s to making the new year…well, phenomenal!
***
Song Ideas to Get You Started:
Phenomenal Women Mix
Wolf by First Aid Kit
Knots by Lisa Hannigan
Wild Young Hearts by the Noisettes
Cafe Mix
Fare Thee Well by Marcus Mumford and Oscar Isaac
Heart Beats by Johnnyswim
You and Me by Sara Watkins
Phenomenal Woman Mix Revealed and Winners Announced!
Hey fellow songsters!
Thank you all so much for the many music suggestions for the phenomenal woman and cafe mix cds this season! You fantastic people gave me 58 songs to check out!
I had a literal dance party listening to all the tunes you shared.
So it’s time to reveal the final playlists aaaaaand the cd winners!!
Check em out! Did your favorite bands and musicians make the cut?
***
Congratulations to this year’s winners of the mix cds –
Amy Kennedy Fosseen and Julie Glover!!!
Happy jamming, ladies!
***
Phenomenal Woman Mix
1. Little Red Wagon – Audra Mae and the Almighty Sound
2. Wherever is Your Heart – Brandi Carlile
3. Flashlight – Jessie J
4. Dangerous Days – Zola Jesus
5. Burning House – Cam
6. Alive – Sia
7. Night Like This – LP
8. Wildest Dreams – Taylor Swift
9. Lights and Camera – Yuna
10. Glow – Ella Henderson
11. Sound of a Woman – Kiesza
12. Hold Me Down – Halsey
13. Ex’s & Oh’s – Elle King
14. Love Myself – Hailee Steinfeld
15. She’s Not Me – Jenny Lewis
16. A Change is Gonna Come – Leela Jones
17. Water Under the Bridge – Adele
18. Get Up, Get On – Jill Andrews
19. Buffalo Stars – Leila Broussard
20. Stay Gold – First Aid Kit
***
Cafe’ Mix
1. Make This Leap – The Hunts
2. Diamonds – Johnnyswim
3. Riptide – Jasmine Thompson
4. Empress – Morningsiders
5. Hold Each Other – A Great Big World
6. Accustomed to the Dark – Theresa Andersson
7. America – First Aid Kit
8. San Andreas Faultline – Sugarcane Jane
9. The Heartache Can Wait – Brandi Carlile
10. Slow Motion – Phox
11. Sinner – Jeremy Loops
12. The Crossing – Meg Hutchinson
13. The Fairest of the Seasons – Anna Nalick
14. Let No Grief – The Wild Reeds
15. Shadowplay – The Saint Johns
16. Rox in the Box – The Decemberists
17. It’s Only Me – Dessa
18. Emmylou – First Aid Kit
19. Ends of the Earth – Lord Huron
20. Gulf Coast Highway – Red Molly
21. Acid Tongue – Jenny Lewis
***
Find any new favorites?
What are you listening to now?
The Ultimate Mix CD Revealed + Giveaway Winners
I thought it was time I revealed the master playlists from the Phenomenal Woman and Cafe Mixes. Every year I create 2 mix cds as gifts for my mom and sister – a phenomenal woman mix full of upbeat dance tunes, and a cafe mix for relaxing at home. I’ve enlisted help from the blogosphere for the past several years in finding just the right tunes to add and I hosted a giveaway for those that shared ideas.
Thank you all so much for sharing your musical suggestions with me. To see all the recommendations, check out The Ultimate Mix CD Project.
Here are the winning contenders!
Phenomenal Woman Mix:
1. Shake It Off by Taylor Swift
2. Hideaway by Kiesza
3. Mother and Father by Broods
4. His Gorgeousness by The Shoe
5. Tough Love by Jessie Ware
6. Ghost by Ella Henderson
7. My Silver Lining by First Aid Kit
8. The Chain by Brandi Carlile
9. Knots by Lisa Hannigan
10. Gun by CHVRCHES
11. Coffee by Sylvan Esso
12. Wings by Birdy
13. Safe & Sound by Savannah Berry
14. Pompeii by Jasmine Thompson
15. Wolf by First Aid Kit
16. Last Bus Out by Jillette Johnson
17. Spectrum by Florence + the Machine
18. Beating Heart by Ellie Goulding
19. Higher by Lia Ices
20. Rockstar by Emily Kinney
21. Enough by The Mrs.
*****
Cafe Mix:
1. Paper Cup by The Shoe
2. Long Way Off by Gungor
3. Fare Thee Well by Oscar Isaac and Marcus Mumford
4. Kids by Emily Kinney
5. Stay With Me by Bernhoft
6. Michigan by The Milk Carton Kids
7. Li’l Red Riding Hood by Laura Gibson
8. Just Another Day by Stacey Earle
9. I See Fire by Ed Sheeran
10. Come Out Wherever You Are by Paul Cook & The Chronicles
11. Like a Dream by Francis and the Lights
12. Woodstock by Joni Mitchell
13. Somebody That I Used to Know by Madilyn Bailey & Jake Coco
14. Mull of Kintyre by Wings
15. Be Not So Fearful by A.C. Newman
16. Shadow on the Wall by Brandi Carlile
17. Poison & Wine by The Civil Wars
18. 18th of December by The Deep Dark Woods
19. You and Me by You + Me
20. Go To Sleep by The Avett Brothers
*****
There are the ultimate playlists! Happy listening.
And the winners of the cd giveaway are…
Lauralynn Elliott and Susan Dahlstrom
Congrats ladies!
***
What were your favorite tunes of the past year?
Find any new favorites from these playlists?
The Stocking Stuffer You Won’t Want to Miss (IYKWIM)
Hey Dudes and Dudettes!
First off, a big and gracious THANK YOU to everyone who popped over to my guest blog on The Indie Chicks! You sure made this girl feel awesome with all the views, comments, and shares. Thank you very much for your cheerleading and support! You made my week. And if you missed it, don’t worry, you can still check it out here!
Today I’m playing hooky from my blog – again – because I couldn’t turn down an opportunity to guest post at my dear friend, Jenny Hansen’s place. After all, she’s the Queen of More Cowbell!
Jenny has a series called The Undie Chronicles, which encompasses a lot of everything you never knew you wanted to know about people’s skivvies. 😉
When I came upon a certain product while doing research at work (and I work in a family planning clinic – so it’s not as weird as you think), I had to talk about it. Jenny offered to host that conversation!
So please stop by and chat with us on The Stocking Stuffer You Won’t Want to Miss.
*****
~ TEASER ~
Scroguard is shipped discreetly to your home and stored in a package that is easy to slip into one’s pocket. Or, if you’d prefer, Scroguard can be worn for several hours prior to sexy time so you can avoid “awkward interruptions” between you and your lover. Won’t she (or he) be surprised when you unbutton your pants and show off your massive…protection?
*****
C’mon…you know you want to read more. 😉
Jess Witkins' Happiness Project 