It is the year of solo activities which means we’ve got to get creative with ways to occupy ourselves. There are days when there are so many thoughts pinging around in my head that I recognize the importance of tuning into those thoughts. Other days, I could use a distraction and a complete tune out from said thoughts. My favorite way to completely turn off the day-to-day bustle is with music. And while I’m in no way a professional playlist curator, I figured I’d offer some ideas on how to spice up your ski and ride playlist.
Make a Playlist Dedicated to Skiing/Riding
My everyday playlists are all over the place and consist of songs that I play repeatedly until I can’t stand to listen to them anymore. This is exactly why I keep these songs off of my list of snowboarding tunes. Olivia Rodrigo’s Driver’s License has served its purpose of allowing me to stare longingly out of my car window for minutes at a time while I learn every lyric, but really brings down the mood while I’m on a chairlift. No one needs that. So, your songs to shred to, hey that’s a great name for your playlist, should be made up of upbeat songs to get you in the flow of your day out on the hill. It’s a good place to put things you’ve recently just discovered. Songs that subconsciously get your head bobbing.
Add Your All Time Favorites
Green Day and Queen will forever reign as my top two favorite bands of all time. Although what I listen to on a day-to-day basis goes through changes, my nine-year-old drum set playing self would be proud that my core taste in music hasn’t changed. With that being said, it’s always a good idea to put your all-time favorite bands, songs, or even a whole album onto your playlist. This will set you up so no matter what gets added to this list of songs, you’ll always have your go-tos to get you pumped. I’m trying to become a runner, and nothing distracts me from the agony of cardio than some early 2000s Pop Punk. So imagine how much I enjoy it while I’m doing something that I really love to do.
Just Keep Adding
If I’m not into a song I’m not going to make myself listen to it. This is where long playlists come in handy. There’s nothing worse than putting together a playlist, just to have skipped through to the end before your ski day is over. So, any time you hear a song that you may want to ski or ride to, add it to the list! This also ensures that the wide variety of songs will keep you occupied and excited, no matter how long you happen to be out on the slopes that day.
Make Sure to Delete and Update
I’m going to admit that I’m writing this blog partially for myself. I’m terrible about deleting old songs and playlists. In fact, if you were to look at my Spotify, my “Snowboarding” playlist is from 2016 and full of Top 20 Pop Hits from five years ago. Pop Hits are great in the moment, but in my opinion unless they’re from the 90s, they don’t tend to age well. The best way to ensure that your playlist evolves with you is to make sure you’re deleting songs that don’t get you amped anymore. This seems like a simple step, but definitely makes a big difference!
Songs for Sugarbush
If you’re a loyalist and like the idea of having a playlist dedicated to your days at Sugarbush, I like your style! Lucky for you, I also like a good theme. Here’s a few to get your playlist started.
“Stairway to Heaven” by Led Zeppelin – Great for while you’re on Heaven’s Gate Chair
“Let’s Get Ready to Rumble” from Space Jam – You know you should add this for your run down Rumble
“Twist and Shout” recorded by The Beatles – You’ll be groovin’ like Ferris Bueller all the way down Lix’s Twist
“Domino” by Jesse J – Play this heading down Domino and Lower Domino
“Paradise” by Coldplay – You don’t have to dream of paradise, you can ski it!
That’s all I have for now, but I’m going to come back to this.
If you’re a Spotify user and not feeling super motivated, let the actual professional music curators do the work! Their premade playlists are really great and are an easy way to discover new songs. Just take a look at your preferred genre and there will be lots of playlist options to choose from!
As a disclaimer, if you choose to ski or ride with music playing, please be mindful of your surroundings. Keep the volume low or one earbud out so you can hear what is going on around you. It’s always a good idea to turn your music completely off while getting onto a chairlift. This is helpful for hearing employees and lift operators. Have a favorite song to ride to? Think you have one that’ll fit into the above Sugarbush playlist? Let me know! I’m always looking for recommendations.