Life as a Playlist
I’m Sarah Black, a writing and communication professor, using this podcast to tell my life story through 64 'Top 40' Billboard songs. These aren’t necessarily my favorite songs although some are, or the best songs, but rather my life as a playlist.
lemming drops studio
Show overview
Life as a Playlist launched in 2020 and has put out 21 episodes in the time since. That works out to roughly 8 hours of audio in total. Releases follow a fortnightly cadence.
Episodes typically run twenty to thirty-five minutes — most land between 19 min and 27 min — though episode length varies meaningfully from one episode to the next. None of the episodes are flagged explicit by the publisher. It is catalogued as a EN-language Music show.
The catalogue appears to be on hiatus or wound down — the most recent episode landed 5.2 years ago, with no new episodes in over a year. The busiest year was 2020, with 18 episodes published. Published by lemming drops studio.
From the publisher
I’m Sarah Black, a writing and communication professor, using this podcast to tell my life story through 64 'Top 40' Billboard songs. These aren’t necessarily my favorite songs although some are, or the best songs, but rather my life as a playlist.
Latest Episodes
View all 21 episodesDebbie Gibson and Swing Out Sister
The future for Life as a Playlist and my eight happiest childhood memories. #DebbieGibson #SwingOutSister
The Spinners and The Four Tops
How Covid-19 has exacerbated injustices in our criminal justice system, and honoring the life of a beloved student #Covid-19 #EndMassIncarceration #Motown #FourTops #TheSpinners
My Top 10 Divas of the 2010s
Your favorite diva for the 2010s based on audience vote is Lizzo! Hear all about her and my 9 favorites of the decade here. #divas
The Calling and The Pointer Sisters
Luke Allen, host of Christmas Actually, joins me to discuss the soundtrack of Love Actually and its top-40 songs. #thecalling #pointersisters #loveactually #christmas
Frank Sinatra and Florence + The Machine
Childhood rejection, the subsequent fear of failure, self-forgiveness, and forging a new identity. #frank sinatra #florenceandthemachine #atichyphobia
27 Male Vocalists
I ranked your nominations for the most emotionally resonant pop/rock male vocalists of all time in an unscientific and highly subjective order. See where your favorite landed!
Martha and the Vandellas, George Jones & Brenda Carter, Public Enemy, Bruce Springsteen, and Ray Charles
Songs for the 5 states that flipped from red to blue, and a huge thank you to Navajo Nation, Rural Utah Project, Fair Fight, and Black Voters Matter. #FairFight #BlackVotesMatter #StaceyAbrams #LaToshaBrown #Georgia #Pennsylvania #ChuckD #RayCharles
Everlast and Ani DiFranco and Marilyn Manson
From Roe v. Wade to 2020 Part 2: the 19 most pro-choice Billboard-charting artists and why we must fight to keep abortion legal in the U.S. #abortion #RoevWade #Everlast #AniDiFranco #MarlynManson
P.O.D. and Digable Planets
From Roe v. Wade to 2020: 60 years of abortion song history in the U.S. by Billboard-charting artists. #RoevWade #abortion #SupremeCourt #AmyConeyBarrett #P_O_D #DigablePlanets
TLC and Korn
My 48 hours in a psych ward at age 23. #endstigma #defundthepolice
Lauryn Hill and Peggy Seeger
The long history of eugenics in the U.S.; forced sterilization for women of color and forced births for white women; how white supremacist Christofascists are seizing power through the courts #AmyConeyBarrett #LaurynHill #PeggySeeger
Alicia Keys and Jennifer Lopez
Follow black activist women on twitter, don't be a TERF, and 8 other steps you can take to dismantle the patrarchy.
Lizzo and Alanis Morissette
Feminist anthems, sexism in podcasting, and a day in the life of one American woman. #Lizzo #Alanis
Incubus and Kasey Musgraves
The second part of an overview of my life experience with music, and marriage. #Incubus #KaseyMusgraves #playlists
Patty Smyth and Destiny's Child
The first part of an overview of my life experience with music, different genres, different songs. #PattySmyth #DestinysChild #playlists
Fleetwood Mac and Stevie Wonder
Political campaign songs, my ideological evolution, and how to get involved in the 2020 election before it's too late. #FleetwoodMac #StevieWonder #campaignsongs #misogyny #feminism #politics
Madonna and Cardi B
Sex, The Talk, first fantasies, and feminist icons. #madonna #cardib
Amy Winehouse and The Cure
Robert and Luke, the hosts of Two Minutes About Time, join me to discuss the soundtrack of About Time and its top-40 songs. #amywinehouse #thecure #abouttime
NKOTB and Blind Melon
Discussing middle school mishaps, boy bands, and finding your fellow freaks. #nkotb #blindmelon
Britney and Mariah
Discussing 90s pop culture, first loves, parasocial relationships, and mental health. #BritneySpears #MariahCarey #divas