Media & Culture
Music
The artists I keep coming back to. Hip-hop, alternative rock, and country that somehow makes sense together.
Cudi for the introspective late nights. Portugal. The Man for the creative energy. Morgan Wallen for the good times. Each one fills a different space.
Spotify: open.spotify.com/user/1223967226
30
The short playlist I keep current on Spotify.
Right now it is 11 songs, about 42 minutes. Tyler Childers is on here four times. The rest jumps between SZA, Justin Bieber, Sabrina Carpenter, Fleetwood Mac, Noah Kahan, Maggie Rogers, and Blue. Same mix as the rest of this page. It does not have to make sense on paper. It just has to hit.
- 1 Saturn SZA
- 2 SPEED DEMON Justin Bieber
- 3 Tattoos Tyler Childers
- 4 Feather Sabrina Carpenter
- 5 Angel Band (Hallelujah Version) Tyler Childers
- 6 Silver Springs Fleetwood Mac
- 7 She Calls Me Back Noah Kahan
- 8 Gemini Tyler Childers
- 9 Oneida Tyler Childers
- 10 Say It Maggie Rogers
- 11 oh, lover Blue
Kid Cudi
Scott Mescudi is one of those artists who just gets it. His music is introspective, vulnerable, and honest about mental health, loneliness, and finding yourself. He made it okay for hip-hop to be emotional.
- Man on the Moon: The End of Day (2009). The one that started it all. Day n Nite. Pursuit of Happiness.
- Man on the Moon II: The Legend of Mr. Rager (2010). Darker, deeper. Mr. Rager. Erase Me.
- Kids See Ghosts (2018). With Kanye. Short, powerful, transformative.
- Man on the Moon III: The Chosen (2020). Full circle. Worth the wait.
Cudi paved the way for artists like Travis Scott, Juice WRLD, and others who blend hip-hop with raw emotional honesty. He talks openly about depression and anxiety in a genre that did not always make space for that.
Portugal. The Man
These guys are criminally underrated. Started in Alaska, moved to Portland, and have been making some of the most creative rock music for nearly two decades. Every album sounds different but unmistakably them.
- In the Mountain in the Cloud (2011). So American. Sleep Forever.
- Evil Friends (2013). Danger Mouse produced. Purple Yellow Red and Blue. Modern Jesus.
- Woodstock (2017). Feel It Still became massive, but the whole album is great.
- Chris Black Changed My Life (2022). Experimental, ambitious, underrated.
They are not afraid to evolve. Early psychedelic stuff, polished alternative rock, experimental electronic sounds. They keep pushing without losing their identity. Feel It Still introduced them to the mainstream. The deep cuts are where the magic is.
Morgan Wallen
Say what you want, but Morgan Wallen makes songs that stick. His voice is distinctive, his storytelling is genuine, and he bridges country, rock, and pop in a way that works.
- Dangerous: The Double Album (2021). 30 tracks and somehow not one skip. Wasted On You. Sand In My Boots. 7 Summers.
- One Thing at a Time (2023). Another massive project. Last Night. Thought You Should Know.
- If I Know Me (2018). Where it started. Whiskey Glasses. Up Down.
There is authenticity there. The songs feel lived-in: heartbreak, small-town life, good times with friends. It is not trying to be anything other than what it is. Perfect for road trips, summer nights, and just vibing.