Playlist After Playlist After Playlist: Music and its Influence

Many writers swear by using playlists to create a writing ritual. While I used to do this back when I had time to ritualize my writing, playlists have sort of become a way for me to market my novel on social media as well as a place to maybe flesh out the vibes and characters within my universe.

The Son of Atlas playlist on Spotify was the last of six playlists I made for this novel. It is also the most recently updated. Originally, I made a playlist for each of my four main protagonists (see my novel breakdown for more information). This was very much a conglomeration of just the music I liked at the time. There wasn’t really a cohesive theme that brought each set of 20 songs together. It was sort of a beginning placeholder for what would later become the novel’s full playlist. The 5th playlist was made for the main “ship” of my novel. It spanned 53 songs and almost 3 hours worth of music. It probably defined my junior year of high school. In all actuality, it was comprised of every love song I liked and was suggested that displayed a very healthy relationship.

The final one is my grand masterpiece. I fall into a habit of just putting songs on a playlist because I like them, completely abandoning the intention behind the playlist to begin with. This playlist covers all of the planned books in the series with suggestions from my friends and it totals 18 songs and almost 2 hours of music.

I’ve mentioned before that I think in scenes and images and music is an excellent way for me to flesh out a character or a theme because I’ll picture almost a movie scene in my head behind the music. I want to take this post to dedicate it to four songs that I believe have the biggest impact on my inspirations as well as being the most important additions to the playlist. One song will connect to a main character. One will have been a contribution from a friend. And one will contribute to an overarching theme.

The Main Character Connection – Constellations by the Oh Hellos

Oh Hellos. Notos. 2017.

The Oh Hellos are known for writing songs heavily inspired by Christian imagery which I feel is an interesting tie-in as Thaddeus, the character that I connect with this song, is a prophet. He’s burdened with the responsibility of telling the futures of other Fated individuals and this song deals heavily with predeterminism, at least in the more literal sense. The opening lines of the song are the first connecting point: “I can feel it on my tongue; brick and mortar/Thick as scripture, drawing lines in the sand and laying borders”. The “Thick as scripture” line gives off huge prophet vibes. It holds weight. And with “brick and mortar” line illustrates the burden it carries.

The song itself, according to an analysis on GENIUS by a contributor, explores that terror when your world gets rocked and everything you know is turned upside down. This is exactly what happens with Thaddeus. Every time he thinks he has his world straightened out and understood, it flips again and he’s constantly learning and changing, finding comfort in the small changes in the stars because over time they hold constant.

My Friend’s Contribution – Through Me (The Flood) by Hozier

Hozier. Eat Your Young. 2023.

This was a contribution from one of my friends. She loves Hozier and I have other contributions on this playlist from her, but this one stood out to me because of its grappling with grief and overcoming that pain, living on despite it because you have a purpose. While on the phone with her, she told me “The unemployment of the mouth” was her favorite line of the song because of its implication of unsaid words holding pain and grief. She loves the imagery of the man standing at the edge of the cliffs and trying to make sense of it all. I think this song plays more into events that happen later in the series than just the first book.

(I wish I could get into it, but I don’t want to spoil anything.)

The Theme of Wanting to Return to Before – Goodbye Yellow Brick Road by Elton John

Elton John. Goodbye Yellow Brick Road. 1873.

Knowing this song is about going from a wealthy and overtly showy lifestyle back to the simple times is key for this connection I’m about to explain. I love Elton John and he holds a special place in my family’s heart so there was no wonder as to why he wound up on this playlist. But this song was written by both Elton and his co-writer Bernie Taupin. It’s assumed that this song is more related to Taupin as Elton seemed to enjoy the high-life fame brought him. Either way, the meaning is still the same.

A huge theme that is grappled with in the series, especially within Son of Atlas, is this want to return to the way things were before. Thaddeus wants nothing more than to go back to his life when his father was still alive and work in their family-owned bookstore. This is a driving force of his character as well. He’s always searching for that comfort he had found before.

Music can be a great tool in writing for many reasons. For some, it’s a motivator to get words on the page. For others it’s inspiration or even a tool to focus. Music is both inspirational and useful and definitely is an excellent way to write without actually putting words on a page. We have so many different forms of technology and I think it should be acknowledged that no matter how unconventional, it usually has some benefit to writers. (I am not talking about AI. Do not use AI.)

Before I leave you to run amok, here are some personal song recommendations that give me inspiration:

• Almost (Sweet Music) – Hozier

• People Watching – Conan Gray

• Tell Me Something – Charlie Bennett

• Destiny – Chloe Ament

• Stay Right Here – Chloe Ament

• Somewhere Out There – Danny Pudi, Donald Glover: Community Cast Album

• Little Talks – Of Monsters and Men

• (Don’t Fear) The Reaper – Blue Öyster Cult

Check Out My Writing Tip Round Up Here!