Special Issue: Winter Playlist
32 NON-Christmas bangers to get you through the winter (plus a bonus Christmas playlist)
Welcome back to Band Practice where I’ve got a warm winter playlist for you fresh out of the oven. It’s perfect if you need something wintry to listen to besides (or in addition to) Christmas music this season. But—as a bonus—I also included my “White Elephant” Christmas playlist from last year at the end of the issue, if that’s just what you need right now. Either way, I’ve got you covered.
If you’ve been a reader for a while, you know the level of obsession that I put into my playlists. They are made with the love of old-school mix tapes—the kind where you had to wait patiently by the radio to capture the very best songs onto a spool of shiny brown tape enclosed in a rectangular plastic package. We’re in a different era of technology now, but the spirit remains the same. Each song was meticulously selected and ordered for optimal flow (don’t you dare shuffle on the first listen), paying attention to key changes, tempos, and all-around vibes. The run time is about 2 hours long—a happy medium between the mix tapes of yore and the mega-playlists of today. And, of course, it upholds my golden rule: bangers only. There are no filler tracks.
In hindsight, last year’s Winter playlist felt a little uh-oh depressios to me energy-wise, so I wanted to go a slightly different, more diverse, and upbeat direction this year. I was inspired by the northern lights and included songs that have sparkle and shine to them—whether it’s twinkly sounds or illuminating builds. It is warm, bright, and cozy, with minimal use of minor keys. This year has been a challenge, personally, and the world feels (giant understatement incoming) a little less than merry right now, so I wanted to end the year on an uplifting note of hope and love.
Genres include primarily pop, alternative, and R&B, with a little bit of electronic and—a Band Practice first—a classical number that is one of my favorite moments on the playlist (I promise it won’t feel out of place). The artists range from Billie Eilish to Blonde Redhead, from Jamila Woods to Jess Williamson. All of the songs were released this year.
This moderately chill mix is the Swiss Army Knife of playlists: it’s a good soundtrack for walks, long drives, cooking, dinner parties, or just vibing out, and has been field-tested for all of the above. I not only stand behind all of the songs on the playlist, but the albums they’re from so, if you like something you hear, go check out the album, too.
If you want to read on, I’ve included notes about some of my favorite songs on this playlist—whether you choose to read them before, during, or after is up to you. I hope this playlist brings you joy and comfort this season. And, if it does, feel free to leave a comment or reply to this email—I would love to know.
P.S. If you have Apple Music, the playlist sounds especially great if you set the crossfade to two seconds.
Apple Music link
Want to go back and listen to all of this year’s seasonal playlists? You can find them on my Spotify profile here or search for my Apple Music profile under beebesharkey.
The annotated playlist
Wander into Dust— iANO
I wanted to start with a song that captured the overall spirit of the playlist and that felt like a bookend with the final song (I promise it all comes full circle). I love how it has all of these jingly-jangly sounds that make it feel wintry—like a sleigh ride over a snowy field. It kicks everything off with lightness, brightness, and optimism.
What Was I Made For? — Billie Eilish
Yes, this song came out in the summer for the Barbie movie, but it has strong winter vibes so I saved it for this playlist. The production of the song is so detailed, with whispery layers of vocal ad-libs—it requires a careful headphones listen to pick them up. I think the songwriting is lovely and emotive, even if it was written about a Barbie. It transcends!
Rhythm and Blues — Ayra Starr
It was my intention in making this playlist to not only include a diverse array of genres but to represent a spectrum of each genre. Ayra Starr brings her style of R&B to the mix, infusing it with Afropop beats. Its ease and carefree feel make it a bright star on the playlist.
Myrrh — Naomi Sharon
The order of a playlist influences how you feel about its songs. The right lead-in can cause the next one to shine or feel awkward. With “Myrrh,” I knew it needed just the right moment to make its entrance. The song before it, “Helios” creates a new canvas for this song to unfold upon. It allows you to give those first guitar plucks and Naomi Sharon’s echoey voice your full attention.
You’re Losing Me — Taylor Swift
Taylor Swift just released this from the vault of songs that didn’t make it onto previous albums (this one was cut from Midnights). I can’t believe she was sitting on this gem?! It’s quintessential Swift songwriting lyrically and in structure—pre-choruses, post-choruses, bridges, oh my! Some favorite lines are, “I sent you signals and bit my nails down to the quick”—so evocative. And the breakdown in the bridge where she sings, “Do something, babe, say something / Lose something, babe, risk something,” has a powerful self-actualizing energy to it. We’re thrown into the middle of her drama and I’m here for it.
The Parting Glass — boygenius & Ye Vagabonds
Every playlist has to have a great cover song and this one is particularly special. It is a cover of the traditional Irish ballad, recorded as a tribute to Sinead O’Connor, who passed away this year (she covered the song in 2002). The tempo is slowed down, the instrumentation is stripped back, and the haunting blend of harmonies between boygenius’ three vocalists (Julien Baker, Phoebe Bridgers, and Lucy Dacus) is simply captivating.
Snowman — Blonde Redhead / a new romance — Alexandra Stréliski / lacy — Olivia Rodrigo
This is my favorite section of the playlist. It’s another example of how putting the right songs next to each other can make each one shine. There’s a lot of variety here, but it’s all cohesive. I love what’s happening rhythmically in “Snowman,” and the little “hey’s” throughout the song that almost seems like hiccups.
“a new romance,” holds a special place in my heart. I listened to this album during one of the last full walks with my dog. The combination of that association and Alexandra Stréliski’s tender pulls of the piano keys brings me comfort. It’s another blank canvas moment in the playlist to set up “Lacy’s” delicateness. This is not your average Olivia Rodrigo song. She breaks from her pop-punk motif, moving to a velveteen landscape that explodes into glitter. It’s goosebump-inducing.
Goldie Hawn — William Prince / Shit Talk — Sufjan Stevens
I saved my favorite two songs for last. These are both in my top 23 songs of the year (you’ll have to check out my best-of-2023 issue coming up next to find out what the other 21 are). “Goldie Hawn” has a timeless feel and William Prince’s rich voice reverberates down into the depths of the earth—I could listen to it all day.
You know I love a good 8-1/2 minute song, but I promise to include them only when every second is worth it, and this one qualifies. I described Sufjan Stevens’ song “Shit Talk” in my last issue as a song that blooms. It unfolds layer after layer, building and melting and building again. It harkens back to the first song in the playlist (I promised it would), full of jingly-jangly bells and a hopeful spirit. “I will always love you,” Stevens sings in repeated chorus. Love is the perfect place to end it.
White Elephant Christmas Mix
This playlist started as a party gift and turned into one of my most beloved Christmas mixes. It contains some of my favorite alternative Christmas songs that I’ve gathered over the years. And it includes my favorite Christmas song of all time, “Fairytale of New York,” by The Pogues. Its former frontman, Shane MacGowan, passed away recently, and there was a beautiful rendition of this song played at his funeral that you can find here. It’s worth a watch.
Apple Music link
Coming up next…
Thanks for reading! In the next issue of the newsletter, I’ll review my top 10 favorite albums of the year. Have any guesses on what #1 could be? I’ll give you a hint…no, I won’t! You’ll have to read for yourself to find out. Make sure you’re subscribed so you don’t miss it.