It’s that season: time for snow, holiday shopping and, of course, end-of-year top 10 lists. Last week, Spotify's Wrapped and Apple Music's Replay gave users their top songs, artists and genres of the year.
That got us wondering — what did state lawmakers have on their playlist this year? We asked a few.
Rep. Genevieve Mina, D-Anchorage: Feminine angst and ennui
For some people — maybe, a lot of people — music is one of those things that helps you get in touch with what you’re feeling. At least, that’s what Democratic Anchorage state Rep. Genevieve Mina said she got out of the more than 19,000 minutes she spent listening to Spotify this year.
“I guess my relationship with music is, being able to just tap into emotions that I love, to feel and to process,” Mina said. “I think that's important, especially, you know, in a role where you have to present yourself in a specific way.”
At the top of Mina’s list is the song "Juna" by Clairo — a little indie pop with some R&B undertones. She said she loves the way the song swells in the middle.
“I definitely put that album on repeat a lot at the beginning of the year,” she said. “I mean, all of the songs are just like, they're very romantic. They're very lovey-dovey. And so it's just, like, a good, easy listening album.”
Looking back at her top songs and artists of the year — Adrianne Lenker, Clairo, some of the more introspective Charli XCX songs — Mina said something of a theme emerged.
“It's a bit of, I'm about to turn 30, feminine angst and ennui,” she said.
Sen. Mike Cronk, R-Tok: Comforting classics
For Tok Republican Sen. Mike Cronk, what Spotify calls “honky tonk” and “southern rock” were at the top of his Spotify Wrapped. He said he listens to all kinds of music but consistently returns to some familiar favorites.
“A lot of, like, the Eagles’ greatest hits, Bob Seger’s greatest hits,” Cronk said. “I guess it's kind of soothing, in a way.”
He said the music he listened to the most this year calls back fond memories — like time at the family cabin after a long day tending traps.
“We had, like, four cassette tapes,” he said. “The Eagles’ Greatest Hits was one and Alabama was one.”
Grunge also makes an appearance on Cronk's list. Chris Cornell, the late vocalist of Soundgarden and Audioslave, had two songs in Cronk’s top 5 — a cover of Prince’s “Nothing Compares 2 U” took the top spot.
Rep. Ashley Carrick, D-Fairbanks: Whimsical pump-ups
There’s a bit of that in the Fairbanks Democratic Rep. Ashley Carrick’s playlist. There are some familiar millennial anthems — you know, some Neon Trees, a little Florence and the Machine, Lady Gaga, Kesha — but also some newer songs, like “Yes, I’m A Mess” by the band AJR.
“There's just like, this note of whimsy in these otherwise pretty serious, kind of power-you-up kind of songs,” she said.
Perfect, she said, for going to the gym, walking into work, and starting the day.
“I'm a huge fan of, like, turning my volume up all the way and going outside and just running,” she said. “You do that for 20 minutes to an hour, and you feel like a different person. And I just love that music lets me do that.”
This reporter: Danger Zone
I suppose, it’s only fair that at this point I share my own top song of the year — the Kenny Loggins classic “Danger Zone.” You know, the one from Top Gun.
It’s not because I’m really into the ‘80s. I just flew a lot this year.
Stay with me: If you press “play” right as the engines on a 737 power up for takeoff, you leave the ground right around the time the chorus hits. You know, just like in Top Gun.
It’s a little moment — on every takeoff — that reminds me exactly how cool it is that humans can fly. And this year, I flew enough to push Loggins above Kendrick Lamar, Dua Lipa and Lake Street Dive on my Apple Music Replay.
What that says about me, that’s up to you.
