So, a little background for you. My name is Anna Hughes, and I have a dream to open a coffee shop one day. It may seem like a small ambition to you, but to me it is my biggest aspiration and my grandest idea. In this coffee shop, which I hope you’ll check out sometime, I will play music (as most coffee shops do). However, this will not be your everyday, pop-radio, today’s top hits, mumbo jumbo of crappy bass and autotuned voices. So, that being said, allow me to share some of my tunes with you. I hope it gets you excited to come have a latte with me sometime. And who knows, maybe your music palate will expand and diversify a little today.
Much love,
Anna
1. "Effort" by James Spaite
First up on the playlist is "Effort" by James Spaite. One of my absolute favorite things to do is find new music, and when I came across this gem, my world was flipped upside down. This song is my absolute favorite tune. It's rich, has great sound and has lots of depth lyrically. This will be a song staple in my coffee shop.
2. "From This Valley" by The Civil Wars
The day The Civil Wars split up, my life was ruined. Not really, that’s dramatic, but I was super bummed. The Civil Wars have an awesome vibe. They put out great, acoustic music, so for those of you who are into country music, check out this song. It provides the same bluegrass feel, just with less talk of beer, dogs and trucks.
3. "You Shook Me All Night Long" by AC/DC
Classic rock is the heartbeat of summer for me. There is nothing quite like cruising with the windows down and AC/DC blasting. This is a classic favorite for me on sunny days and long drives. It will offer a classic and authentic feel to the shop.
4. "Bust A Move" by Young MC
This song rocked the early '90s, and it will rock my coffee shop as well. It is groovy, catchy and most definitely a “head-nodder” and “foot-tapper.” P.S. - I can rap the entire thing.
5. "Crash Into Me" by Dave Matthews Band
This song is one of Dave Matthews' biggest hits, and rightfully so. It's light, fun and a super chill song for rainy days. I can’t wait until this song is killing it and brightening spirits on gloomy days at the shop.
6. "Take It All Back" by Judah & the Lion
Judah & the Lion is a recent band find for me. They are a combo of hip-hop, folk, bluegrass, indie and basically every other genre out there. This song is most definitely a song to crank the dial on and rock out to.
7. "Good Ol’ Fashion Nightmare" by Matt and Kim
Just wanted to throw in some indie pop for your music palates. Matt and Kim is such a fun group. They keep things upbeat and just plain fun. I hope you listen to this song and dig it as much as I do.
8. "Heart Skipped a Beat" by The xx
The xx is one of the chillest bands around. This song in particular is full of pure, solid, soulful and easy listening vibes. It will add a great layer of complexity when it plays after something loud like Matt and Kim.
9. "Fast Car" by Tracy Chapman
This song. Kids. Take a listen. What a golden, platinum, jeweled, precious gem. Also, recently, whoever thought it was a good idea to redo this classic into a pop song was an idiot. You can’t take Tracy Chapman’s classic and transform it successfully, It’s simply too rich in flavor to possibly be improved.
10. "Babylon" by David Gray
"Babylon" is a personal favorite of mine. Not a lot of people have heard it or any of David Gray’s stuff, but I promise it’s worth a listen. Just a simple tune to transform a good day into a great day, which is exactly what I want to happen at my coffee shop one day.
