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It’s Spotify Wrapped day, and that means we’re all being aired out. You had that great day driving Cades Cove in Great Smoky Mountains National Park, listening to “My Tennessee Mountain Home” by Dolly Parton, but that’s not what Spotify remembers. Spotify remembers the two days straight you spent listening to Panic! At the Disco, wallowing in teenage nostalgia. (We’re not even going to make any jokes about Taylor Swift, because we know she is everyone’s guilty pleasure, and her discography can slip seamlessly into any outdoor activity.)
Videos by Outdoors with Bear Grylls
We want our music choices to reflect what we’re doing outdoors. Deep down, we might like it to be a little on the nose. Isn’t it fun when you’re running, and the song you’re listening to is literally telling you to run?
What’s your outdoor activity of choice? Running? Hiking? Climbing? Skiing or snowboarding? Let’s guess what your Outdoors Spotify Wrapped looks like after a year in nature, based on what you like to do.
We already know that you love “Stick Season” by Noah Kahan, and you’re not wrong for it. That part of you that loves the romanticism of climbing mountains also appreciates a song that acknowledges you doing just that. It’s okay to listen to “Ain’t No Mountain High Enough” while you think about your significant other who didn’t want to come on this hike. It’s also okay that you’re in a national park listening to The National Parks. When you go and do Angel’s Landing in Zion National Park, switch on their song “Angels” for the full experience.
Actually, you probably fall into one of three camps. You’re either listening to “Rocky Mountain High” by John Denver as you reach the summit of a big ol’ mountain, or you’re pushing your way through a climb, listening to “Hip Hop” by Dead Prez because the 808 is just the right rhythm to keep you moving. If neither of those describe you, maybe you hiked to a beautiful overlook this year listening to “Not Strong Enough” by boygenius? For the way it builds? If none of these describe you, how’s the Wild audiobook going?
Are you more into the flow or into the speed? Are you more of the Warren Miller film soundtrack kind of person? Or are you listening to “Jungle” by Fred Again.. as you absolutely bomb down the mountain? Maybe you like how the pick-up-and-go of your favorite bluegrass songs keeps you alert and reactive. That, or the sweeping, epic nature of Explosions In The Sky makes you feel like you’re the only person on your run. There’s a middle ground there, of course. Indulging in a few punk rock bangers or groovy rap songs on the slopes sounds right. To get really on the nose, isn’t it strange how well The Avalanches fit into a day of skiing or snowboarding? If you haven’t heard them yet, try “Because I’m Me,” “Frankie Sinatra,” or “Subways” for their three different moods.
Let us guess: “The Climb” by Miley Cyrus. No? Okay, then “Danger Zone” by Kenny Loggins. Still no? Perhaps you’re more into channeling the countercultural vibe of the 1970s Yosemite climbing renegades. Maybe a little bit of “Break on Through” by The Doors, some “California Dreamin’,” either the Bobby Womack or The Mamas & The Papas version. You want something that makes you feel like you’re the first to ever set up your portaledge on this particular rock face.
More accurately, your tastes probably reflect your love for intentional, inspired problem-solving. We can imagine bands like Radiohead or Sigur Ros being in your top five, year after year. You could go a step further, looking for the almost clockwork-like electronic sounds of someone like Four Tet. Your top genre is probably something like “Vapor Twitch.”
For road runners and trail runners, it’s all about cadence, isn’t it? You need a driving force, something that acknowledges your pace. It’s gotta be Charli XCX’s “Speed Drive,” from the Barbie soundtrack. That, or the opposite end of the spectrum: “Bad Moon Rising” by Creedence Clearwater Revival might make an appearance now and then. I know, I know, Bruce Springsteen’s “Born to Run” is a little too on the nose.
More earnestly, “Brutal” by Olivia Rodrigo is probably showing up on a lot of runners’ Spotify Wrappeds. It is an anthem for movement, and it validates that emo teenager that’s still inside all of us. Reggaeton, especially with the advent of Bad Bunny, is a fantastic choice for running if you haven’t tried it yet, but you won’t go wrong with some good old Daddy Yankee either. Also, it’s time you admit to your secret weapon: “Son of Man” from the Tarzan soundtrack for your last half mile.
