Now that we are all stuck at home the majority of the time, there is no time like the present to visit old memories of listening to music or discover something new that you aren't familiar with. Our new service, Hoopla has a lot of really great music that you can
"check out" and listen to. When you download an album it is available to you for 7 days and then will be returned automatically. All you need to do is sign up for an account using your library card and you are good to go.
I have come up with a great list of music below that includes something for everyone, including kids and all ages. I got pretty nostalgic myself in the last section where I shared some of my favorite albums and what they've meant to me, why I enjoy them, and more. (Yes, I made you wait until the end to see what my favorites are).
What have you been listening to during quarantine?
Get Nostalgic with the Hits from Childhood
90s Mixtape / 80s Mixtape / 70s Mixtape
There’s no time like the present to get nostalgic with the “classics” from childhood, a lot of us grew up listening to the hits and still remember all the words to this day, it’s something you never forget. I'm so glad that I grew up being introduced to music from every decade and can look back and say wow I really enjoy it all.
For the kids
We can't forget the kids, with them stuck at home it's more important than ever to give them new things to enjoy and bide their time. Below are some really neat finds on Hoopla that the kids will enjoy (and I must say the parents will enjoy these too!)
Raffi was probably my second favorite kids musician growing up. My siblings and I listened to all the albums, watched all the live performance recordings, and everything in between. Catchy songs that won't drive the parents nuts!
During these uncertain times having ways to soothe kids is more important than ever. Hoopla has several relaxing albums for kids including ones for piano, lullabies, and more. If you are stressed out, tired, and just want the kids to get to sleep so you can get some rest I highly suggest checking out some of these great resources to help you out.
Who doesn't love the Beatles? This album is the perfect way to expose your kids to one of the greatest bands of all time. What is your favorite?
Musical Soundtracks for the Theater Lovers
A little tid bit about me is I love to go to sleep listening to musical theater soundtracks. The soundtrack being like a storyteller is a great way to get your mind off the current worries of the day or whatever you are thinking about and drift off to sleep in another world.
The Greatest Showman Soundtrack
Enjoy some classical on a relaxing afternoon.
I am a lover of classical music, however it tends to put me to sleep so I only listen to it when I want to just relax. If I am listening to classical music, forget about being productive. This is for those nice warm days outside swinging in the hammock, or wherever you like to go to relax at home.
Bach Trios (Yo Yo Ma, Chris Thile, Edgar Meyer)
My Favorites
How can I write a playlist for you and not include some of my favorite albums and/or artists of all time? Writing about these artists really brought back so many memories of just listening to them for hours and hours growing up, and even to this day. It was really hard to limit it to five (which is what I told myself so I didn't go on and on with an overwhelming amount of suggestions).
Eva Cassidy is one of my favorite singers, maybe even favorite female singer. She was unfortunately taken to soon at the age of 33 from Melanoma (RIP) (there is a wonderful documentary about her life on YouTube called Eva Cassidy: Timeless Voice if you'd like to check it out). Probably one of the best singers I have ever heard and this is my favorite album of hers. Every song is worthy of playing on repeat (at least in my opinion).
Josh Groban is probably my favorite singer. When I heard this album was coming out I was ecstatic, had been waiting for it for years. This album features all songs from musicals, which I always thought Josh had the perfect voice for. He played on Broadway a few years ago as Pierre Bezukhov in Natasha, Pierre & The Great Comet of 1812 (everyone wanted him to go for the obvious role of the Phantom in Phantom of the Opera, which he was offered but turned down for that very reason). This is one of those where I can listen to it on repeat forever and will never grow tired of it.
Lately I have been really into listening to James Taylor. I think his songwriting is very relevant in today's atmosphere and with everything going on in the world. A lot of his songs are about being kind to each other and that is super important all the time, but even more so in these uncertain times.
Billy Joel is one of my all time favorites. He definitely has a lot of gems from over the years. I have to admit some of his songs don't make much sense to me and refer to things before my time, but that's part of what makes them really fun to listen to. I get curious and figure out what it's all about and that puts some more meaning into the story of the songs.
Oldies Forever Various Artists
When I'm at home working or doing things around the house I love to turn on Oldies. They are so upbeat and motivating when trying to be productive.
