11 Best Amazon Music Playlists To Ask Alexa To Play For You Now
Play that funky music, Alexa!
Apostolos Vamvouras on Unsplash I don't know about you, but way too often I find myself in a musical rut.
I get struck by a mood to listen to a certain type of music, listen to said music non-stop for a period of weeks or even months, find I can no longer stomach said music, and wind up listlessly flipping through Spotify playlists and stalking my friends' musical choices for some unbearable period of time until I happen upon my next lyrical obsession.
Please allow me to digress for a moment ...
When I first tried Tinder, all I wrote in my profile was, "I'm sick of my current music. What have you got for me?" This worked wonders for the dual purposes of increasing matches and developing a new playlist (which I am now sick of).
You're welcome.
Anywho, given that a good portion of the people I know are now using Amazon's Alexa-enabled Echo or Echo Dot to organize their homes, their lives, their shopping, and their entertainment choices, I thought it might be worth my while to take a look at what Alexa could do for me and my musical ennui.
Because I'm fancy like that.
Turns out there are a huge number of options out there!
For those of you who aren't familiar with Alexa yet, here is Amazon's explanation of how "she" works:
"Alexa allows you to ask questions and make requests using just your voice. For instance, you can ask Alexa a question, such as 'What is the weather today in New York?', or tell Alexa to do something, like 'Add batteries to my shopping list,' or 'Play jazz.' When you speak to Alexa, a recording of what you asked Alexa is sent to Amazon's cloud so we can process and respond to your request.
"You access Alexa differently based on the type of device you are using. For 'hands free' devices, like the Amazon Echo, you access Alexa by saying the wake word (Alexa, Echo, Amazon, or Computer). For other devices, like certain Fire tablets, you access Alexa by pressing a button."
The categories of help Alexa provides include:
- Music and entertainment
- Calling and messaging
- News and information
- Questions and answers
- Help around the house
- Smart home
- Fun and games
- Shopping
- Alexa skills
So back to the playlist dilemma, I did a little fishing around...
According to Amazon (again), you can "add music to your playlists at any time within the Amazon Music app."
That seems pretty gosh darn easy, and not only that, but it turns out that selecting a playlist someone else already created through Alexa is even easier than I thought!
All you have to do is say, "Alexa!" and then, "Play [whatever playlist you want] playlist." And voila! Music!
From there you can do all sorts of things, from shuffling a list to repeating a song to — trumpets, please! — asking Alexa to give the boot to a song you've grown tired of!
Here are some of the best Alexa commands:
Here are 11 best Amazon Music playlists you need to ask Alexa to play for you now:
1. 90s Hip-Hop BBQ
As far as I'm I'm concerned, all good things must start with 90s hip-hop. That's just the way it is.
And you simply cannot go wrong with this mix featuring Outkast, DJ Jazzy Jeff & The Fresh Prince, 2Pac, Snoop Dogg, Lauryn Hill, LL Cool J, Common and so many more.
2. Roadtrip: 90s Alternative
The 90s just had it going on across the genres, what can I say?
Nothing says freedom and sunshine quite like some Jane's Addiction, Pearl Jam, The Smashing Pumpkins, Green Day, Beck, U2, Blind Melon, and just about everyone else that had us all surfing the flannel wave just 3 short decades ago. (OMG, I feel old ...)
3. 50 Great Songs from the Last 10 Years
Lest you think I am just some old fogey who is going to use this article as a way to relive her college years, I hand you this playlist to bid you a fond, "So there!" This one may not be full of today's latest hits, but those are easiest enough to find on the first screen of any music app you choose.
The eclectic combo of hits from Lady Gaga, Beyonce, Maroon 5, Lil Wayne, Ed Sheeran, Bruno Mars and Linkin Park will keep you jamming all day long.
4. The Littlest Hipster
Whether you are the child of a hipster or a hipster with child, nothing but the coolest of the cool will suffice, even (or maybe especially), when it comes to your choice of tunes. And what could be cooler for an ultra-modern kid than going just exactly the right amount of retro?!
This playlist featuring Barenaked Ladies, Lisa Loeb, Casper Babypants (OMG why didn't I think of that name?!?!), Cake and Recess Monkey will ensure your youngster stays ahead of his or her time by keeping just enough of a foot left ironically in the past.
5. Modern Country Workout
I have to be honest here. I don't know a whole heck of a lot of country music, but I do know it makes for an excellent workout blend.
This list includes names both die-hard country fans and those less in the know will all love, such as Carrie Underwood, Luke Bryan, Keith Urban, Dierks Bentley, Miranda Lambert, Sam Hunt and Dustin Lynch.
6. 50 Great R&B Slow Jams
Nothing, and I mean nothing, says "let's get it on" like good old R&B.
Take the long list of artists included here, like Beyonce, Teddy Pendergrass, SWV, Janet Jackson, Maxwell, R, Kelly, Usher, Aretha Franklin, Jodeci, Whitney Houston, Luther Vandross, Toni Braxton, Justin Timberlake ... I mean, it just does not get any sexier than this.
7. Classic Rock Dinner Party
The perfect pairing for any dinner party, or really any occasion on which you just want to chill, is some good old classic rock.
This combo brings to together the heart, grit, and passion of world-famous bands like America, Jim Croce, The Beatles, Neil Young, The Jimi Hendrix Experience, James Taylor, Elton John, Pink Floyd, Fleetwood Mac, and The Rolling Stones.
8. Remedy for Rage
Some days you just need to shout it out, and in those moments, nothing takes the edge off of your fury some like some heavy metal/hard rock.
The songs from Rage Against The Machine, Linkin Park, Three Days Grace, Papa Roach, Korn, Rob Zombie, and more are the perfect way to grant yourself the permission to scream at the top of your lungs without alerting the authorities that need to pay you a visit.
9. 50 Great Musical Numbers
For drama geeks and the upper-crust alike, sometimes the only thing that will hit the spot is a good old-fashioned Broadway show tune.
The major numbers on this playlist from crowd-pleasing classics Hamilton, Les Miserables, Wicked, Rent, Chicago, Phantom of the Opera, Sweeney Todd, et al are guaranteed to get your feet tapping and lift your mood.
10. Pop Punk's Golden Era
For the rebels among us, punk is the way to go.
These tunes from greats like Fall Out Boy, blink-182, Good Charlotte, Weezer, Panic! At The Disco, My Chemical Romance, and their crew have more energy than most puppies I've ever encountered.
OK, that was a weird analogy to use for punk rock bands, but you know what I mean.
11. Eminem and More
Just because he's my boy, I had to throw in this playlist that revolves around Eminem and his cohort of rap stars such as Dr. Dre, The Notorious B.I.G., 50 Cent, and Obie Trice.
I don't know what it is about these gentlemen, but their music just makes everything feel a little bit more alright.
In fact, I think I may have to go put that one on right now ...
Deputy Editor Arianna Jeret, MA/MSW, has been featured in Cosmopolitan, The Huffington Post, Yahoo Style, MSN, Fox News, Bustle, Parents and more. Find her on Twitter and Instagram for more.