At the end of each year, I create a playlist summarizing how my year went, and play it on loop into the first week of January. Although many of the songs in these playlists were chosen due to my relatability to them, this year, I approached the task from a more third-person viewpoint. Sure, what I included in this year's playlist can certainly hold significance to any one listener like myself, but I've realized I should also aim to recognize and highlight the importance of song and songwriting to the music artists themselves. Through the intimate vulnerabilities they expose themselves to through music, these artists convey timeless messages to not only the world but also themselves about what it means to be human.