Author: Caitlin

Howdy, I'm Caitlin and I'm a senior in Communication Media. My favorite genres of music are pop and indie-rock, though I dabble in most genres. Hope you enjoy my content!

Categories
Miscellaneous Music Education

How to Find New Music

Where to find new music

Sometimes, I get in a rut and feel like I’m tired of all of the music I like. I know I’m not alone in this, so I’m going to share with you all of the different methods and mediums I use to find new music.

ONLINE

Last.fm

Last.fm is compatible with most streaming services and can keep track of all of your streams (or as they call them, “scrobbles”) across platforms.

The platform is pretty much designed to recommend different artists and bands to you. The home page suggests artists similar to the ones you listen to, and will even recommend specific tracks for you to listen to.

There are dozens of ways to find new music on Last.fm, and I often use it as a tool to build sonically coherent sets as a DJ for WKNC.

CONS: The mobile app is glitchy and is not robust like the site is, however the site is compatible on mobile devices, so I would recommend just using the site rather than the app.

Spotify

Spotify also is constantly recommending music to you. Whether it be via playlists like “Discover Weekly,” “Daily Mixes,” artist/song radios or genre-specific mixes, Spotify definitely leans heavily into recommending music to it’s users.

Even when making playlists, Spotify will recommend songs for you to add, based on the general vibe of the playlist you’ve set so far.

CONS: The algorithm can and will recommend a lot of the same songs over and over again. There have been many people online who note that Spotify recommends “So Hot You’re Hurting My Feelings” by Carolina Polacheck over and over again.

Reddit

There are a bunch of subreddits for specific genres, artists/bands, it’s just a matter of finding the right ones. This platform requires more digging than the previous two, but if you find groups that pique your musical interests, you should join them.

CONS: It takes some pretty active searching for subreddits that align with what you’re looking for.

WKNC

At WKNC we pride ourselves on playing a variety of different music. If you like indie, rock, electronic, hip-hop, R&B and/or local music, then you’re in luck. DJs and Music Directors work hard to provide the best of the best for our listeners. If you’re interested in finding out when your preferred genre(s) are playing, check out the HD-1 and HD-2 schedules. You can tune into HD-1 and HD-2 on our web-stream and the Radio-FX app. HD-1 is available on all FM radios within range, and HD-2 is accessible via HD radio. 

IRL

Ask your friends

People listen to a lot of different music. I have found numerous different artists, bands, and songs just by asking for recommendations from my friends.

Pay attention to soundtracks

There have been many times I’ve discovered a song because it was played in a movie or TV show. If there’s a song playing in the background that show you love and it actually kind of rocks, use Shazam to find out what song it is.

Live music

If there are venues by you that you know you love to go to, check out who’s playing there soon. Tickets for smaller artists are usually cheap, and you never know, they could be your next favorite band. If you don’t have the time, money, or energy to go to live-shows all the time you can use this tip as a search-engine of sorts. Find out who’s playing at your favorite venues, and then stream their stuff to see if you like it.

At the end of the day, music is everywhere, we just have to keep an eye out for it.

Until next time,

Caitlin

Categories
DJ Highlights

DJ Profile: Rainbow Riot

DJ profiles: Rainbow Riot

DJ Name: Rainbow Riot

Show Name: The Riot Hours

Show Description: The Riot Hours with Rainbow Riot airs every Wednesday morning only on WKNC 88.1 FM. Playing you the very best in music from all decades, including all the hits, back catalogue tracks, and forgotten tunes your speakers can handle. Tune in from 7 to 10 every Wednesday morning to experience The Riot Hours.

Without ruining the magic of it all– can you walk me through the process of how you curate your sets?

Sure, oh my gosh, it’s so much listening to radio. It really is. It’s a very organic process. For me, if I hear something that really catches my ear, I’m like, “oh, that’ll be in the set.” …At any given time, I’m working on three or four sets at a time, just because I hear so many different songs, because I’m always kind of looking. And I think that’s maybe part of the process, is the insanity of it. I would say each set is curated, based off of one singular, fleeting, I guess we’ll use the word “magical” moment when you hear a song. And it’s like, that’s what that song is.

From the Beatles to Lily Allen, a lot of different types of music live within the Riot Hours Realm, how do you determine if a song is up to par to be included in a set?

I am really bad about this… because I have a third hour that’s solely for requests in my show. The first two hours, I kind of make those sets without anyone else in mind. So it’s, it’s very, very selfish and very narcissistic. But it’s all kind of it really is a joy to make every playlist because that’s me in it and so it just kind of feels like almost like character development in a really weird like way. Like for a writer, that’s kind of what it is for me. So I guess it does just kind of click and I figure it’s almost like the, like Marie Kondo method of like, does it spark joy? And if it does not, it does not go in the set. 

Is there a story behind your DJ name and show name?

I really wanted to do a drive-time show. […] My DJ name I got from a Herbie Hancock song. And I loved it. I was like, this is amazing, because I think one of the songs is called “Rainbow Riot,” I was like– wait, not Herbie Hancock, I’m so sorry, BB King. It’s a BB King song. And it’s got a big fat cake on the cover of the album and I just thought that was so lush and so cool and very, like, almost Sofia Coppola’s Maria Antoinette. Like I just love the lusciousness of it all. It’s kind of both of these things where it’s like really chaotic and crazy, and kind of runs off the rails sometimes and is also a burst of joy and color. That’s where Rainbow Riot comes from. And I just thought it fit, I felt like Rainbow Riot. So it’s pretty natural and The Riot Hours kind of transcended from The Riot Hour because I was originally doing one hour but I didn’t want to do anything too complex or abstract. Because my DJ name was already a little bit weird so I figured I’d just make it you know be the blank hours and riot fit in. 

What is your aspect of being a DJ?

I love becoming a completely different person. It’s second-best only to talking to listeners which is so fun. Because the best to hear that kind of be back. I feel like you have a really solid degree of narcissism to be a DJ because it’s just kind of like constant reinforcement. But I am normally pretty introverted, unless I really know the people by which I’m surrounded. It’s difficult to love performing, but hate performing in front of other people. Which is something that I definitely struggle with. Yeah it’s the worst combination. And so to just shut the door, have that light turn on on the outside and be like, I’m going to be this person for two hours, and they have jack sh** idea that I’m not this person. And that’s so funny to me. So it’s an element of transformation that I really get a kick out of.

Were you expecting such a dedicated listenership?

This is so nuts because I didn’t realize they were there, literally. […] And so I was kind of chugging along, you know, I was doing my show, and then out of nowhere, like maybe my 16th or 17th set, I got a bunch of calls. And it was like, I don’t know why this is happening. But up until that point, I mean, I’d get like one or two calls during my other sets, like my mom, being like, “What do you want for dinner?” You know? I mean, and it wasn’t even, it was like 10 calls. And I was like, “Oh, I really like that.” It’s really good to hear people being like, this reminds me of that memory, or this person or whatever. And so it just kind of hit all of a sudden, and it just kept climbing and climbing and I form bonds with people and you start to recognize people’s voices who call? It’s easy. Yeah, that’s kind of how that happened. And I completely did not see it coming.

Do you hope to do radio after college?

I do plan on it. I won’t lie. Right now I’m applying for my doctorate. But I would really love to, I think a part of me that loves neuroscience, which is what I’m applying to, is also really communication inclined. So yeah, I could definitely see myself continuing this. And I feel like it’d be such a waste. Because two years ago, Rainbow Riot did not exist. So I don’t want to throw her to the wind and be like, “Okay, I graduated and so I’m done. So, you know, there goes all that.” So yeah, I definitely want to continue this.

How has your show evolved over time?

It was a hot mess. [During my first set] … I was red in the face and so, so nervous. I had stayed up all night writing this script. And I remember I played “Custard Pie” by Led Zeppelin and was like “this is going to be the very first song of my set.”  And I wrote out this huge dribbling monologue about who wrote it, and you know, the different studio versions. And so I went in the studio…and I just started talking and then I hit play. And then Jamie came in the room. And she’s like, “Are you okay?” And I’m like, “Yeah, I’m fine.” I had just delivered the best friggin opening of my set. She’s like, it was two minutes of dead air. I never turned my mic on.  I looked at my phone and I had texts from my parents who were like, all the sudden worrying if I was dead or passed out. And I was like, “No!” It just felt like such a waste. […] I think it’s all kind of the part of the humiliating learning curve that you go through, when everybody kind of starts out not fantastic…but it’s kind of just transformed, based off of experience, and really finding a niche that I love making kind of kind of similar linked playlists that aren’t all the same, but have kind of the same idea.

Do you have any guilty pleasure music?

I had to make a promise to Jamie that I would never play Wham! I love George Michael and really love Wham!  And I also really, really loved bachata and Selena Quintanilla. I’m a massive Selena fan. I don’t even feel embarrassed about her. But I just don’t know where I would even fit that in my set. Yeah. But yeah, Wham! is a really big one. I really do enjoy some early 80s synth-y bubblegum pop.

Categories
Miscellaneous

Deserted Island Albums

deserted island album

You know those ludicrous scenarios people make up for icebreakers? Like, the ones where you can only bring a certain amount of items to a deserted island, or only save one thing from a burning building. Those questions have always felt weird to me. Like, if I’m on a deserted island I’d want food and if I’m in a burning building I’m going to save myself and whatever I’m currently holding (which is probably my phone). However, today I’m going to create and entertain one of these odd scenarios.

You’re on a deserted island, and you can only choose five albums to listen to while you’re trapped there. You could be trapped there for days, weeks, or the rest of your life. You have plenty of food and water, but these five albums are your only form of entertainment, which five albums do you choose?

Without further ado, here are my Deserted Island Albums.

“Any Other City” – Life Without Buildings

Much of this album is just random words strung together in a way that sound pretty—and I heavily dig that. This is by no means one of my favorite albums ever, but it’s a solid and beautiful piece of math-rock. Having this on a deserted island will be a refreshing departure from some of my other albums, which focus heavily on storytelling.

“evermore (deluxe version)” – Taylor Swift

This isn’t even my favorite album of hers, but it’s by far her best at storytelling (at least in my opinion). Having some wintry and fall vibes through this album will certainly boost my morale, as I’m under the assumption that this island is tropical and therefore hot and humid. 

“Rubber Soul” – The Beatles

This album will probably be the one I turn to when I’m emotional about being trapped on a deserted island. With tracks like “In My Life,” “Nowhere Man,” and “Norwegian Wood (This Bird Has Flown)” I’ll be bound to be caught crying to this at least once or twice.

“Hot Pink” – Doja Cat

I need at least one album to have fun with. While “Any Other City” is a departure from the lyricism of the other albums, it’s not fun like “Hot Pink” is. This is also a great workout album, so if I decide to take up exercise as a hobby while I’m trapped, this would be excellent for that.

“Fetch The Bolt Cutters” – Fiona Apple

This album is a wonderful mixture of lyricism and noise, and is also one of my favorite albums of all time. What more is there to say, besides that it’s perfect from start to finish?

What albums would you bring to a deserted island? What would your priorities be when choosing these albums? I had fun thinking about it and you might, too.

Until next time,

Caitlin

Categories
Playlists

It’s My Party and I’ll Cry If I Want To

Birthday Playlist

Birthdays are a weird time, because you never quite know how a person feels about their birthday. People have a love/hate relationship with them; I personally end up crying almost every year on my birthday for some trivial reason. Other people enjoy their birthday because they love planning things, or the attention from everyone or maybe they just genuinely don’t mind getting older.

A while back, I stumbled upon a TikTok in which a person showed off a playlist they had made of indie songs that mention birthdays, even if it’s only once. When brainstorming for blog ideas, I wanted to do one about my birthday since it’s this week and I kept thinking about this TikTok and the playlist.

However, I didn’t want to steal the exact idea, and that playlist is very intricately thought out. So instead, I decided to make a playlist of songs more explicitly about birthdays and parties by artists and bands I already like.

Without further ado, here is the playlist:

“Birthday” – The Beatles

“Happy Birthday 1975” – Joni Mitchell

“Happy Birthday To Me (Feb. 15)” – Bright Eyes

“Birthday Song” – The 1975

“It’s My Party” – Amy Winehouse and Quincy Jones

“Swingin Party” – The Replacements

“Every Morning” – The Cranberries

If it’s your birthday soon when you’re reading this, consider this playlist my gift to you.

Until next time,

Caitlin

Categories
Music News and Interviews

Big Red Machine is Back

Album Cover of "How Long Do You Think It's Gonna Last
Cover art for "How Long Do You Think It's Gonna Last?"

Big Red Machine, a duo composed of Aaron Dessner of The National and Justin Vernon of Bon Iver, has announced an album coming at the end of this summer. The album is named “How Long Do You Think It’s Gonna Last?” and will contain features from Fleet Foxes, Taylor Swift, Anaïs Mitchell, Sharon Van Etten and more. In fact, nine tracks on this 15 track project will contain features. This will be the indie-folk-rock duo’s sophomore album and will be released under the labels Jagjaguwar and 37d03d.

Upon teasing the release of this album, Swift fans almost immediately recognized that she would be involved with the project due to her particular handwriting. This was also suspected due to her past work with both Dessner and Vernon on her two most recent albums, “folklore” and “evermore.” Dessner also assisted in the production of “Fearless (Taylor’s Version).” Swift has two features on the album, on tracks “Birch” and “Renegade.”

Two singles off of the album have already been released, “Latter Days (feat. Anaïs Mitchell)” and “The Ghost of Cincinnati.”

Dessner says that themes of the album include “childhood, family dynamics and mental health.”

Big Red Machine circa May 29th 2019. Image used under the Creative Commons License, taken by Ralph_PH on Flickr.

The tracklist is as follows:

  1. “Latter Days” (feat. Anaïs Mitchell)
  2. “Reese”
  3. “Phoenix” (feat. Fleet Foxes and Anaïs Mitchell)
  4. “Birch” (feat. Taylor Swift)
  5. “Renegade” (feat. Taylor Swift)
  6. “The Ghost of Cincinnati”
  7. “Hoping Then”
  8. “Mimi” (feat. Ilsey)
  9. “Easy To Sabotage” (feat. Naeem)
  10. “Hutch” (feat. Sharon Van Etten, Lisa Hannigan and Shara Nova My Brightest Diamond)
  11. “8:22am” (feat. La Force)
  12. “Magnolia”
  13. “June’s a River” (feat. Ben Howard and This Is The Kit)
  14. “Brycie”
  15. “New Auburn” (feat. Anaïs Mitchell)

The sources for this article include:

Categories
Playlists

My Favorite Songs Under One Minute

WKNC 88.1 blog

Whether it be a reprise, interlude, or just a short track, I feel that songs under one minute are underrated. If you look at streaming numbers, they are often the least streamed part of an album. However, I adore a bite-sized track that serves its purpose.

The following are my favorite songs that clock in under (or just at) one minute long. And what better way to celebrate short songs than with a one-sentence descriptor?

“Variations On A Theme (Science Vs. Romance)” by Rilo Kiley

LENGTH: 0:36 

The eight track on “Takeoffs and Landings,” this short, sweet and enchanting instrumental track is a callback to the hit “Science Vs. Romance.” 

“(Can We Be Friends?)” by Conan Gray

LENGTH: 0:58

This dreamy and lullaby-esque track speaks on a ride-or-die friendship with an air of vulnerability and innocence.

“Smoke Signals (Reprise)” by Phoebe Bridgers

LENGTH: 0:34

The finale of Bridgers’ debut album “Stranger in the Alps,” she hums the melody of the first track, ending where she started.

“Fertilizer” by Frank Ocean

LENGTH: 0:40

Beginning with the sound of someone flipping the channels on a TV (in reference to the album title, “Channel Orange,”) the quippy lyrics make up a jingle for fertilizer, cutting off with a laugh track.

“Pet Cemetery” by Tierra Whack

LENGTH: 1:00

Whack sings about a rather sad subject (the death of a dog), contrasting it with an upbeat ambience creating a track that is bound to stay stuck in your head after listening to it even once.

“Sometimes…” by Tyler the Creator

LENGTH: 0:36

The third track on “Flower Boy,” “Survivor” contestant Shane Powers narrates this track, asking Tyler which song he wants to hear next, serving as the intro for “See You Again.”

“The Lovely Linda” by Paul McCartney

LENGTH: 0:42

Dedicated to his then-wife Linda McCartney, this is a sweet-as-honey love song that serves as the intro to his debut solo album, “McCartney.”

If you want to listen to these tracks, you can check out the playlist I made especially for you.

Until next time,

Caitlin

Categories
DJ Highlights

Review of My First DJ Set

WKNC 88.1 blog

This post is inspired by DJ Psyched’s post “DJ Psyched’s First Set Review.”

As I’ve written about before, along with being a blog content creator, I am also a DJ for WKNC. I DJ during the “Daytime” genre, which is essentially indie and/or rock. The Indie Inbox (my show) is supposed to be “an eclectic mix of the best of indie pop, indie rock, math rock and more.” Since I started making my sets, I’ve definitely nailed down the process and familiarized myself with the genre enough so that I can create unique sets that flow together well.

With all of that being said, let’s dive into the pros and cons of my very first edition of The Indie Inbox, circa March 23, 2021. The set can be found on my Spotify and Spinitron.

PROS

– The songs are all bangers. Of course, in every set, I try to put in songs that I enjoy, and that I think the audience will enjoy, but this first set really takes the cake for how many of my favorite songs are in it. My personal favorites that made the list include “Steamboat” by Adrianne Lenker, “The Execution of All Things” by Rilo Kiley and “Let’s Get Out” by Life Without Buildings.

– I follow all of the rules. There are rules as to what is and isn’t acceptable on the radio in general and at WKNC. Again, I do this in every set, but it’s good to see that I had a handle on that from the get-go.

– Everything more or less fits within the parameters of my show. This is important, and I try to always do this (are you sensing a theme?) but sometimes I do venture outside the lines. While that is okay to do on occasion, I like to keep things consistent for any recurrent listeners I might have. I did a great job of picking great songs by relatively small artists and touching on indie pop, indie rock, and math rock. 

CONS

– It’s a little all over the place. Although everything fits into the genre and the set has an alright flow, it still feels like I’m going in a lot of different directions. 

– I used too many good songs in my first set. Okay, I know I said that the songs all being bangers was a pro, but I used so many of my favorite songs in the first set. I know looking back that this is because I was still exploring the genre and didn’t have a great hold on what I wanted to do for my sets yet. I really try to keep my artists as diverse as possible and have only once ever repeated a song, so seeing that I used a lot of prime picks in just my first time around saddens me just a tad.

– It’s just a bit too long. The set totals in at 59 minutes and 13 seconds, which would be great for an hour-long show if I didn’t have to do air-breaks. Every DJ is different with when and how they like to do theirs, but nowadays I like to reserve at least 2 minutes for my air breaks throughout the set. 

Overall, my first set is something I cringe at just a little, but am ultimately very proud of. I love learning and growing as a DJ.

Categories
Miscellaneous

Illustrated Album Art Highlight

WKNC 88.1 blog

Inspired by DJ Butter and Miranda, I wanted to do an exploration into my favorite album covers. Personally, I favor album art that is illustrated/painted or otherwise looks so. Without further ado, let’s get into some of my favorite illustrated album covers.

“The Idler Wheel…” – Fiona Apple

If there was an album cover that I feel most holistically encapsulates Apple’s sound, it would be this one. The bright colors bleeding their way into the complex line art of a woman’s face represents her unique and artistic contributions to pop music.

“Melodrama” – Lorde

This album art is quite possibly my favorite of all time. The overwhelming and rich blues complemented by the bright oranges and pinks are so pleasing to the eye. It also matches the themes of the album perfectly.

“Let Yourself Go” – Haley Blais

You know when an album cover is so good it makes you appreciate the work more? I 100% experienced that phenomenon with this EP. I found myself gravitating toward playing this just to see the whimsical blobs float into each other.

“The Execution Of All Things” – Rilo Kiley

This is another example of an album cover that matches the theme of an album perfectly. To me, the more defined face on the left represents a newer, more defined self with a greater understanding of harsh realities. The less defined silhouette on the left represents the inner child and innocence you always carry with you.

“Better Daughter” – Moscow Apartment

The 2D nature of the faces paired with the bright color scheme is entrancing. It looks almost collage-like and looks somewhat childlike and I love it.

These are only a few of my favorite album covers, and I will be sure to explore more in the future.

Until next time,

Caitlin

Categories
Classic Album Review

The Timeless Magic of “The Parent Trap” (1998) Soundtrack

WKNC 88.1 blog

“The Parent Trap” (1998) is unequivocally my favorite movie of all time, and I don’t see that ever changing. With iconic casting ranging from Dennis Quaid to Lindsay Lohan, there are a lot of factors that contribute to unending my love for this movie, but one of my favorite aspects of the movie is the soundtrack. 

First, if you haven’t seen either iteration of the movie, let me catch you up on the plot. A Californian vineyard owner, Nicholas Parker (portrayed by Dennis Quaid) and a British wedding-dress designer, Elizabeth James (portrayed by Natasha Richardson) meet on a transatlantic boat trip and spontaneously elope. A picture of them is taken the night of their wedding, and when they separate, they rip the photo in half and both keep a half of the photo that contains the other. Fast forward twelve years later, two girls (portrayed by Lindsay Lohan) meet at a summer camp and eventually discover that they’re identical twins separated during infancy (with the help of that photo that was ripped in half). In their pre-teen naivety, they embark on a mission to get their parents back together, with a series of obstacles and shenanigans along the way. The core tenet of their plan involves them switching places once leaving the summer camp, going back to the other’s respective home, knowing their parents would eventually have to switch them back. (Spoiler Alert: it has a happy ending). 

A lot of the songs are older classics, appealing to the nostalgia of the Gen-X and Boomer generations, while simultaneously introducing them to the Millennial and Gen-Z generations. Would I have been familiar with “L-O-V-E” by Nat King Cole if it hadn’t been for watching “The Parent Trap” hundreds of times growing up? Probably not. The same goes for most of the soundtrack which includes jazz and swing tracks ranging from “In The Mood” by Glen Miller to “I Love You For Sentimental Reasons” performed by Linda Ronstadt. 

It also does this with older pop and rock songs: including a cover of “Here Comes the Sun” performed by Bronx Style Bob, “Do You Believe in Magic?” by The Lovin’ Spoonful and even “Bad To The Bone” by George Thorogood & The Destroyers.

Perhaps my favorite aspect of the soundtrack is the start and end of it. The very first scene where the parents are eloping on the boat is a montage of them dancing, signing paperwork, drinking wine and having a good time. This montage is backed with the ever-so-romantic “L-O-V-E”. The ending scene, where Nicholas Parker and Hallie fly to England to surprise Elizabeth James and Annie, and ultimately confess that he does want a future with her, is immediately followed by the end-credits song: “This Will Be (An Everlasting Love)” by Natalie Cole (who, if you didn’t know, is Nat King Cole’s daughter). The film starting with a love song by a father and ending with a love song by a daughter encapsulates the core themes of romantic and familial love in a beautiful and unforgettable way.

Some soundtrack honorable mentions that I have yet to mention: “There She Goes” by The La’s which plays during the montage of Hallie entering England for the first time, and “Soulful Strut” by Young-Holt Unlimited which plays whenever Martin (Elizabeth James’ butler who is portrayed by Simon Kunz) does his iconic handshake with Annie (or Hallie acting as Annie). 

The movie also has a wonderful score done by Alan Silvestri, which I have memorized like the back of my hand.

Overall, “The Parent Trap” (1998) has a timeless and unforgettable soundtrack that appeals to multiple generations and will simply never get tiring.

Sources for this article include: I, II, III

Categories
Miscellaneous

The Many Musical Elements of “Grey’s Anatomy”

WKNC 88.1 blog

“Grey’s Anatomy” is a medical drama television series that has been running for 17 seasons now, and has made a pretty significant impact on American pop culture. Something I’ve found intriguing about the show is just how much of it is centered around music. For a medical drama, there are many elements of the show that relate to music, almost an uncanny amount.

THE MUSICAL EPISODE

Season 7 Episode 18 “Song Beneath the Song,” also known as the musical episode of “Grey’s Anatomy” is one of the most unequivocally beloved and hated episodes of the series. The episode contains tracks sung by the cast members ranging from the often-featured “How to Save a Life” by The Fray to “Breathe (2 AM)” by Anna Nalick. Without offering a full-fledged analysis of the episode, I will say that perhaps an episode where a character is on the brink of death is not the best timing for an episode with nine musical numbers. 

EPISODE NAMES

Every single episode of “Grey’s Anatomy” (save for one) is named after a song. The first episode is named “A Hard Day’s Night” after the Beatles track and the most recent is named “Someone Saved My Life Tonight” after the Elton John track. The only exception is Season 14 Episode 9, titled “1-800-799-7233”  after the domestic abuse hotline in the United States. They did this because of the topic being addressed in a plotline dealt with by one of the main characters. 

Much to my delight, a Spotify user by the name of courtneymg1996 did the brunt work of making a playlist that contains (almost) all of the songs used in “Grey’s Anatomy” episode titles.

SONGS WITH MOTIFS

There are a few songs that represent certain motifs within the show’s plot, the two most notable being “How to Save a Life” by The Fray and “Portions For Foxes” by Rilo Kiley. 

“How to Save a Life” plays during the tragic moments on “Grey’s Anatomy”; if that track or “Chasing Cars” by Snow Patrol starts playing during an episode, you know you’re in for trouble. The episode named after “How to Save a Life” is the episode where Derek Shepherd, the title character’s husband (portrayed by Patrick Dempsey), meets his tragic ending.

As I’ve written about twice previously, “Portions For Foxes” by Rilo Kiley plays in the very first episode of the series, and is often used when the characters reminisce about their early years as interns at the hospital or for flashbacks to that time.

“SONGTAGES”

In a 2009 article in The Guardian, Mark Lawson credits “Grey’s Anatomy” for its popularization of the “songtage.” Lawson defines the “songtage” (a portmanteau of song and montage) as “the choice of an evocative tune to echo the emotions of the characters during a slow, silent section featuring the actors looking thoughtful or mournful.” The series is infamous for this type of scene, and it has been spoofed many times throughout the years by MADtv and others.

In my opinion, the tight and intertwined relationship that “Grey’s Anatomy” has with music is one of the main contributors to its success and sets it apart from similar medical procedural series’.