As I begin to write this post on music - and the impact music has on every aspect of our lives - I select "party shuffle" mode from my iTunes library.
Wouldn't you know it?
The first song to play is "Suenos Liquidos" (which means "liquid dreams" in Spanish). This is a great song, so I write on agreeable. After about 20 seconds, though, I find myself wondering what song will play next.
What is it about the party shuffle feature that's so exciting? Is it the element of surprise? Or is it the reality check that each of the 867 or 101.4 days of songs we house within our libraries are small reflections of who we are, who we were and who we are trying to become? Is it just me? Or are millions of people musing over the same hypothesis?
Here's how i see it: Our play-lists, our libraries and our party shuffle experiences are all profound reflections of who we are. "A Bittersweet Symphony," by Urban Hymns is now playing...
Take a moment as you are reading this to visit your play-lists and, more importantly, scan your entire song library. Visit with some of the songs you have not listened to in a while for one reason or another, and try to reflect on which songs really speak to who you are today. The next song to play is the "Get By" remix by Kanye.
From a personal branding perspective, I believe everyone has a theme song. This song usually is a real reflection of your authenticity and what you exude to the world. Or at least hope to exude.
Take a moment as you are visiting with your library and select a theme song for yourself. I would love to create a Top 40 list of people's theme's songs, so if you could be so kind and post the name of the song and artist within the comments section that would be awesome. "What about Now" by Daugtry is playing. How appropriate. Start now.
And if you are wondering what my theme song is...right now it's "Viva la Vida" by Coldplay. But I will admit I also listen to a great deal of Bach, Common, Bossa Nova and lots of Buddha Bar compilation mixes. These genres are all part of who I was, and who I am today.
The bottom line is this: it all matters.
