Aug 2011 10

California Dreamin’: Sounds of Summer from the Everything Peacock iPod 1

Posted In Music

What have you done with yourself this summer – nothing good you say? Sat inside because it’s too hot? Your pool had no water? Had to work weekends? Didn’t have a car? Your girlfriend wouldn’t let you go out and have fun? Blah blah blah – buck up because summer is winding down and you need to make the most of it!

Here’s your last chance redeem yourself. Make plans to hit the beach with your crew and celebrate the end of the 2012 summer in style. Besides all the drinking and partying you’ll be doing, music is a must have for any social setting and the last big weekend of summer is no exception. I’m going to give you the Sounds of Summer Everything Peacock (EVP) iPod ‘beach’ playlist along with some guidelines for making your own playlist. So read on.

When I’m chilling out at the beach with my crew, one of my basic necessities right after my sunscreen is my iPhone summer playlist. Granted I’ve got the obligatory towel, vodka mix, sunglasses, volleyball, surfboard, etc., but the right beach songs on my iPhone playlist can make or break it for everyone.

What to choose, so many songs, gotta get it right – shit this is vacation time! When I think of my perfect ‘beach’ playlist I like to incorporate the classic standby’s, but not too many, we’re shooting for some originality here. It’s good to choose a few current songs so as to reference the era, but do not feel obligated to choose all new or all classic songs. A good blend of both always works when done correctly. I’m also taking into consideration that girls and guys will be listening to it which means I’ve gotta cater to a wider demographic. Finally, I’m purposely leaving off Bob Marley for the simple fact; having one song of his in a playlist is an injustice, I prefer to listen to him in his entirety. Call me crazy, but that’s how I roll.

So you may be asking, what the hell is my playlist like? Below I will list my guidelines for you to create the perfect playlist for any venue.

For one thing when creating a perfect playlist it should have multiple peaks and valleys. A playlist can’t have all heavy songs or vice versa, but it does need gradual builds to peaks and valleys and then ultimately a finale – this is the formula for a successful playlist. It keeps the listener interested because the vibe you’ve created is constantly changing and moving in a specific direction until it peaks and then ultimately ends.

To mark the bottom of a valley on my beach playlist I used the same artist to note this spot. It creates a familiar vibe that is fun and alerts the listener that the next song will have slightly more energy and will be moving up towards the next peak. Use this same method for the peaks if possible.

Another consideration for a ‘beach’ or summer playlist is the valleys between the highs and lows will not be as drastic as say a party playlist. Keep in mind the beach is more often a laid back environment and I want to keep the music appropriate for the venue, so it’ll be chill. Same goes for any raging party mix; it would still have its peaks and valleys, but you wouldn’t want it to be too laid back would you?

Also, keep in mind who’s listening. I purposely left off songs with an obvious use of profanity; after all it’s the beach which is a pretty transient environment too, so there’s a good chance families are nearby. The last thing you need is everyone around you pissed off because you decided to have a song with 20 F-bombs – so choose wisely. With that said, if I can sneak a great song in if it’s not so obvious there’s some profanity, I’ll do it.

Finally, don’t be afraid to throw in an awesome song from an artist no-one else may know – doing this creates a ‘wildcard’ effect that’ll lure the listener in to see what is next – if done correctly.

Remember you may want to invest in an iPhone portable speaker so you don’t have to bring your circa 1980′s boom box to the beach with you. I’ve got one and it works great, in fact while peacocking on the beach with mine multiple people have come and inquired about it. These speakers come in all different shapes and sizes, and if one’s not enough you can always add a second.

So without further ado, here is the best 2011 beach playlist enjoy!

Visit our Everything Peacock You Tube Channel and see the vids for the Everything Peacock iPod Beach Playlist.

Or start Peacocking your playlist today with each priced from $0.99