Daily Stranger Playlists
A social experiment collecting songs from strangers met throughout the course of a day.
“What’s a song that speaks to you right now, or that has spoken to you at another time in your life?”
“Do you want to share anything with me about why this song moves you?”
1. "Imagine" by John Lennon: "I've told everyone for years my favourite song is Imagine. And I still pray that it comes to be. And I hope you feel the same way too." - Maxine from the Upper East Side, NYC
2. "What It Is" by Doechii - Frank from Texas
3. "For Tonight" by Giveon - Misty from Cleveland
4. "I Still Don't Cry" by Marlon Craft: "It's just very transparent about not crying enough. And it's very important that you cry because holding in that energy is toxic and it hurts, but he releases a lot of that in that song. I still don't cry enough either." - Joel from the Bronx, NYC
5. "Let Somebody Love You" by Phyllis Hyman: "It's something that I listen to because sometimes you get stuck in the grind, being self-dependent, and this girl is really into you or whatever and it's like, just let her love you, let her be in your life. Don't feel like you gotta isolate yourself and be your own person. Share this existence with this person." - Elyah from Chicago
6. "Perfect, Dark" by Sammus: "There's people performing who take it for granted, and there's so many people who want to have that spot. She's hungry, she's like, 'Come on, I have this.' And her perspective of being a black woman, like, 'Black girls wanna be heroes too,' and shit like that... You see a lot of white identity and makes you start feeling a type of way when you don't have white skin." - Ricky from Queens, NYC
1. "I Will Always Love You" by Whitney Houston - Jamela from Tanzania
2. "Ne Me Quitte Pas" by Nina Simone: "It's a song that I've always been into. I've always been into jazz, and Nina Simone was probably one of the first jazz musicians I picked up on. I make music myself, and she's definitely in my top 5 favourite artists of all time." - Scroggins from the Lower East Side, NYC
3. "Safety Dance" by Men Without Hats: "It reminds me of a happy time when I was a kid. It was the beginning of new wave, I think it was 1980, '81, and it was a happy video. When I saw the video, I just thought it was a very positive energy. As soon as I hear it, I gotta finish listening to it." Martin from Queens, NYC
4. "My Backwards Walk" by Frightened Rabbit: "If you care enough to being doing this, you'll listen. If the song resonates, you'll go research it and maybe it'll speak to you too." - Garth from the Upper West Side, NYC
5. "On the Nature of Daylight" by Max Richter: "It's just absolutely beautiful, moving. Absolutely beautiful and moving. It's as simple as that." - David from London, Hong Kong and NYC
1. "Private Investigation" by Dire Straits: "Songs that touch you on an emotional level are associated for me with very visceral memories, and I associate this song with my dad. Particularly on Sunday afternoons, that's when he used to listen to it most." - Steph from South Africa
2. "Blue Skies" by Tom Waits: "I was listening to this this morning and this is a beautiful song. I was half asleep, I had no coffee, and it's very pretty." - Simon from London
3. "Mercy, Mercy Me" by Marvin Gaye: "That's the most profound song that I've ever heard in my life. It's always there, and every time you listen to it, it's there. It's right on. I have to say that." - Janet from Queens, NYC
4. "Ain't No Stopping Us Now" by McFadden & Whitehead: “I don’t know what it’s called and I don’t know who it’s by, but it goes, ‘ain’t no stopping us now…’” - Mac from the Bronx, NYC
5. "Don't Look Back in Anger" by Oasis: "Not the lyrics, but the music is... slightly sad, but feels... emotion, like the person." - Toru from Japan