Here’s an incomplete list of the songs I’ve been adding to my playlist for this journey.

• ’Alaska’ by Maggie Rogers

  • The reason I went to Alaska.

• ’Reborn’ by KIDS SEE GHOSTS

  • One of the first times I heard this song was driving through the night by myself in Southern California on Hwy 1. I love driving alone at night. There’s something peaceful about being out in the open when it feels like everyone else is sleeping. I especially love driving the Pacific Coast at night with the windows down, music jamming, and that salt from the sea smell permeating through the air.

• ’Atlantic.wav’ by upper class

• ’Me and Your Mama’ by Childish Gambino

  • Childish Gambino always has the craziest sounds.

• ’Hide’ by Rainbow Kitten Surprise

  • The band has some crazy sounds.

• ’Goodnight Chicago’ by Rainbow Kitten Surprise

  • I took a trip to Chicago for the first time in March of 2019, and made a playlist of every song I could that referenced Chicago. This one’s got a great beat.

• ’The End (Budo Remix)’ by Macklemore and Ryan Lewis

  • I like these kinds of songs. I’m not even for sure what it’s about, but it’s got a vibe that I really like.

• ’Hold Your Head Up’ by Macklemore

  • Lyrics… They’re so good.

• ’I Said Hey’ by Macklemore

• ‘The Train’ (featuring Carla Morrison) by Macklemore

  • I listened to this one on almost every flight I had. This may be the best in between travel, long journey song on here.

• ’Fallin’ by Macklemore

  • I think this was my most played song of 2019. It’s a little in your face, but I’ve always loved Macklemore’s passion, and the way he describes what he’s going through.

• ‘St. Ides’ by Macklemore

• ’Bambi’ by Hippo Campus

  • This beat is crazy.

• ‘Almost’ by Thomas Rhett

  • A good song about all the ways our lives could be different.

• ’An Evening I Will Not Forget/ Furthest Thing’ by Dermot Kennedy

  • One day in Alaska, I rented a rental car and drove from about an hour north from Anchorage to Wasilla and flew a small airplane over a glacier with an instructor. I drove back late that night, and since it was summer, it was super bright out even at 11 pm. Partway through my drive back it started pouring down rain, but it was just beautiful seeing the sun shine through the clouds. I pulled off the road, and saw the most amazing sunset. I remember I had a Dermot Kennedy song jamming as I was sitting peacefully through this rainstorm in the middle of the night, even though it looked like it was middle of the day.

• ’Slow It Down’ by Mike Posner

  • So much of my life has been about doing more, achieving more, and going, going, going. That kind of life can wear you out and be incredibly draining, if’s it’s not done from the right frame of mind. It’s kind of nice to hear something that says ‘slow down.’

• ‘Instead of Drinkin’ by Sara Morgan

  • My dad and I interviewed Sara Morgan as part of our ‘Songwriters & Cereal’ music show. She is such a down to earth person, and amazing musician! This is one of my favorite songs off of her ‘Average Jane’ album.

• ‘L.A. Freeway’ by Guy Clark

  • I love this song! Guy Clark’s lead musician for the last 30 years or so of his career, Verlon Thompson is a family friend, and has performed house concerts at my parents house.

  • This song really has an old western type vibe to me.

• ’Wide Open’ by Mike Posner

  • A great song for when you’re feeling lost in life, and ready for change.

• ’Move On’ by Mile Posner

• ‘Drip’ by Mike Posner

  • Ah yes, the struggle.

• ‘Can I Kick It’ by A Tribe Called Quest

• ’First Time’ by Vance Joy

• ‘Wedding Band’ by Chad Elliott

  • My first night in Belgium I had this really tiny hotel room on the top floor with a slanted ceiling that hunched over the corner bed, and sloped right into a window overlooking some big buildings in the market square. I remember I got to the room really late at night, saw how small it was, and just laughed. I looked out the window and did a watercolor sketch of what I saw with this song on in the background. I love the beat, and it’s got such a peaceful sound where it just feels like everything is right in the world. Chad’s also a good friend of mine, a super talented musician, painter, and sculptor.

• ’Amsterdam’ by Peter Bjorn and John

• ’Icon’ by Jaden

  • You gotta have some pump up music while you’re tired, and waiting around at airports.

• The Secret Life of Walter Mitty Soundtrack by Theodore Shapiro and Jose Gonzalez

  • This is one of my favorite movies of all time. I felt like I was Walter Mitty when I was traveling. That movie inspires me so much to just get out of my comfort zones and explore the world.

• ’Get To Me’ by Train

• ’Teenage Dirtbag’ by Amy Shark- Spotify Singles

• ‘Juke Jam’ by Chance the Rapper

  • Gotta listen to Chance the Rapper when you’re in Chicago.

• ‘Let’s Go On The Run’ by Chance the Rapper

  • Warm weather, windows down, speakers up.

• ‘Ride’ by Twenty One Pilots

  • I know it’s overplayed, but still. So good.

• ’Hear You Me’ by Jimmy Eat World

  • Classic.

• ‘Anderson Mesa’ by Jimmy Eat World

  • You’ve probably never heard this one even if you’re a big Jimmy Eat World. This is a deep track. This is the kind of songs I love to listen to alone at night.

• ’Lean On You’ by Russ

• ’Sit Next To Me- Stereotypes Remix’ by Foster The People

• ’A Youth Written In Fire’ by Snow Patrol

• ‘33 God’ by Bon Iver

• 715 CREEKS by Bon Iver

• Do You Need Power (Walk Out Music) by Bon Iver

• ‘Marion’ by Bon Iver

  • This is the song you play when you’re sitting in a rocking chair reflecting on life. You’re just sitting thinking about all the memories, all the choices, both good and bad, but content that you’re here now.

• ’Boxes’ by The Goo Goo Dolls

• ‘Shame’ by Andy Mineo

• ’… Lost’ by Andy Mineo

  • Yes, love this one.

• ’Break Bread’ by Andy Mineo, BEAM, and Wordsplayed

• ’The Ocean’ by Joseph Solomon

• ‘Can’t Stop Me Now (Destination)’ by Lecrae

  • I’ve always admired Lecrae’s authenticity as a musician.

• ’Nowhere Man’ by Bryce Vine

  • Loved listening to this one on airplanes too. This was the second best in between travel song behind Macklemore’s ‘Train’

• ’Unbearably White’ by Vampire Weekend

  • Crazy beat.

• ‘Living’ by Dierks Bentley

• ’Anchor’ by Beautiful Eulogy

  • I was absolutely exhausted towards the end of my trip, sitting in a blazing hotel in Athens, Greece, and this popped up on my spotify. I just sat and listened.

• ‘Burning Man’ by Dierks Bentley and Brothers Osborne

• ‘Damn These Dreams’ by Dierks Bentley

• ‘Here on Earth’ by Dierks Bentley

• ’21 Summer’ by Brothers Osborne

• ‘A Love That’s Worth Having’ by Willie Hutch

  • I saw this song used in a Leon Bridges instagram story and he was just grooving to it. I’ve always liked oldies since I was a kid.

• ‘The Journey’ by Sol Rising

• ‘Scared’ by Jeremy Zucker

• ‘Not in a Hurry’ by Will Reagan

  • This is just a beautiful song. It kind of makes me think of that ‘Slow it Down’ song by Mike Posner. Sometimes we just have to stop and reflect on what’s really important.

• ‘Lay It All Down’ by Will Reagan, United Pursuit

• ‘Deadcrush’ by Alt-J

  • This band is the audible version of abstract art right here. I have no idea what they’re saying in the lyrics, but I love it.

• ‘Gone’ by Jack Johnson

  • I love the lyrics in this song. Jack Johnson seems to be an artist to me who is true to himself, and not trying to please anyone else. He’s not overly consumed by materialistic things, and always seems to do a good job of reminding me what kind of things are really important in life. It’s cool to see superstars, who still have a level head, never act like they’re better than anyone else, and just enjoy being themselves.

• ‘Trust in You’ by Lauren Daigle

• ‘You Say’ by Lauren Daigle

• ‘Long Way From Home (Live from L.A.)’ by The Lumineers

  • This song is very heavy… such a cathartic feel, but also one of the most honest I’ve ever heard. To me, it just puts the human experience into perspective, shedding light onto some of our darkest experiences.

• ‘Angela’ by The Lumineers

  • The Lumineers have such deep stories behind their songs. The way that they create, and ‘paint’ their characters in their songs with lyrical imagery, to me is like a painter sitting down behind a canvas and painting a person. You’re looking for all the features, and things about them that tell the story behind who they really are.

  • The Lumineers also have turned their albums into cinematic movies of sorts. You should check it out on youtube.

• ‘Scotland’ by The Lumineers

  • Every time I travel somewhere, I try to find songs either produced by musicians from that area, or songs about the specific places I’m travelling. Scotland was part of my travels.

• ‘In The Light’ by The Lumineers

• ‘Patience’ & ‘For Fra’ by The Lumineers

  • Beautiful Instrumentals

• ‘Carried Away’ by H.E.R.

  • I love her voice… so smooth.

• ‘Could’ve Been’ by H.E.R. (feat. Bryson Tiller)

• ‘Comfortable’ by H.E.R.

• ‘Teardrop’ by Jose Gonzalez

  • Jose Gonzalez is the author of journey’s. His songs just have such a unique feel to me. They always make me want to pack up everything I have and go on an adventure. Also, for some reason I feel smarter when I listen to Jose Gonzalez. I don’t know why that is. He just seems like someone really smart adventurous people would listen too haha.

• ‘35.31’ by Childish Gambino

• ‘There Will Be Another’ by Bronze Radio Return

• ‘Return of The Mack’ by Mark Morrison

• ‘The Love Club’ by Lorde

• ‘Around The World’ by Kings of Leon

• ‘To Be So Lonely’ by Harry Styles

• ‘She’ by Harry Styles

• ‘Sunflower, Vol. 6 by Harry Styles

• ‘Cherry’ by Harry Styles

• ‘Check the Rhime’ by A Tribe Called Quest

• ‘3 Nights’ by Dominic Fike

• ‘No Halo’ by BrockHampton

• ‘Comedown’ by Rainbow Kitten Surprise

• ‘When It Lands’ by Rainbow Kitten Surprise

  • This is the kind of song you listen to when you’re on the move from one place to another. You’re walking down some random busy street in some foreign place with your headphones on as people are whizzing past you. It just feels like it’s got some movement in it to me.

• ‘It’s Called: Freefall’ by Rainbow Kitten Surprise

• ‘Please’ by Noah Kahan

• ‘Scared’ by Jeremy Zucker

  • When you’re in the feels.

• ‘Original Me’ by YUNGBLUD, Dan Reynolds (from Imagine Dragons)

  • Better make sure you’ve got some energy before you play this one.

• ‘All Falls Down’ by Kanye West

• ‘Ghost Town’ by Kanya West, PARTYNEXTDOOR

  • This song feels freeing to me.

• ‘Photosynthesis’ by Saba, Jean Deaux

• ‘Acoustic’ by Billy Raffoul

  • For some reason this feels like a winter type song for me. Maybe that’s when I heard it.

• ‘I’m Gonna Be’ by Post Malone

• ‘Old Me’ by 5 Seconds of Summer

• ‘You’re Mine’ by Phantogram