Jumping on the Popular Bandwagon

Seems that every YA book nowadays has an accompanying playlist. It's, like, a requirement or something. These playlists are always filled with obscure (yet still hip and cool) songs by hip and cool (yet still obscure) indie bands. And that, of course, makes the playlist creators seem like they're on that untouchable level of awesome I will, sadly, never attain.

And, of course, they are on that lofty level of awesome. I humbly bow.

But then my inner Devil's Advocate (DA for short) spoke up: "Why? Why create a soundtrack for a book?"

The novels I read as a teen never had playlists. Of course this was back in the era of the mix tape. And everyone who has ever created a mix tape (I know you're out there! I can see you hiding behind the Aqua-Net of Denial!) knows it's extremely difficult to find all the songs you want, some from other tapes and some partially recorded after hours of patiently listening to the radio, and actually squeeze them onto two 45-minute sides of a dollar store cassette without forgetting something or having the tape run out mid-tune. The Perfect Mix Tape: It's just too much work.

My next thought: "OMG! I totally need a playlist for Deep Blue!!" 

"Really?" DA said with an exasperated eye roll. "You're really going to jump on that bandwagon? But you haven't even published yet!"

"Yes," I said. "Yes I am." And then I promptly offered that pesky DA a York Peppermint Pattie and, satisfiablly bribed, she promptly shut up.

Be sure that, as soon as I have a free moment, I will be delving into the unknown depths of my iTunes library to mine from it all the forgotten gems that will represent this story perfectly! I know they're out there somewhere!

Off the top of my head, however, I can't think of a single song (at least none I've rocked out to recently) that would even remotely fir with this story. I mean, nothing says magical dolphins, mermaids, and teen angst like Bon Jovi's "Slippery When Wet" and Weird Al's Greatest Hits, right?  

I can--and will--do better. 

Out of the hundreds and hundreds of songs I've got stored there, some of it has to be hip and cool (yet still obscure) enough to be worthy of a literary playlist.

Stay tuned, Dear Readers. That playlist is in the works!