Do you ever look at other people wearing headphones on the bus, train or ferry and wonder what they’re listening to? I do, often. Especially the toe tapping, seat wiggling ones. It’s kind of like a silent disco – we are all moving through the same space, listening to a different tune.
One day (just a day) I dream of running my own art bus, where instead of paying fares, you pay in knowledge. Get on for free, just share your playlist. What are the people listening to?
Seriously, I’m fascinated. Do people listen to more upbeat music at 7.20 am in the morning, or on the way home? Are suits all secretly death metal heads? Does the woman who reminds you of your mother listen to Chopin like your father? Or there a bizarrely high percentage of racy romance audio-books?
At the end of the day we’d make a giant mixtape and give it to everyone. It’d be amazing and hopefully everyone would find a little some new to make their commutes sound sweeter. So, the question is, what do YOU listen to when you’re riding public transport? Let’s start work on the mixtape now!
{ 12 comments… read them below or add one }
What a lovely idea! I’d be the girl on the bus silently shaking with laughter, as I’m almost always listening to David Sedaris and This American Life podcasts.
Yes! The other day on the bus I was wondering what a girl in front of me was listening to. She was very… let’s say classical music looking. She seemed to read my thoughts and angled her iPod just perfectly to show me: The Fat of the Land, The Prodigy… another lesson in not judging a book by it’s cover!
I forgot to share myself – right now listening to my dear friend Prasnaglava’s music project – Happy Indeed, the ‘Pots and Pans’ EP: http://is.gd/4CRPX
That is a great idea indeed! Have you seen this thing?
Since I try to reserve my commute time for reading, I’m usually only listening to iPod on the train when I’m so obsessed with a song that I can’t live one moment without it on perpetual repeat.
Most recently: 2 versions of Bizarre Love Triangle (a remix & a cover). Before that: 2 versions of Between The Bars (orig. Elliott Smith; both covers). Swooooon. Back to new wave…
Of course I forgot to include the link for “have you seen this thing”… was referring to silent raves :)
I always wonder what people listen to especially old people with cassette tapes or business people. I like to think they’re listening to the oppositte what you’d expect haha.
Right now I’m loving Beirut and St Vincent for my walk home everyday.
What a great idea, sign me up as a conductress! Currently I’m spending a lot of time on buses and I like to listen to Stars, The Decemberists and Belle and Sebastian.
Harriet: I only recently started listening to Stars – so beautiful… <3
I’ve often thought this too, there should be an Iphone application where you can just point in the direction of someone & it will tell you what they’re listening to.
I mostly walk don’t bus, but current walking faves are the National and Arcade Fire. Tears for Fears is always great too.
Love Stars too :)
I would love to share my traveling-favourites, but I don’t have any. I almost always shuffle. ;)
Seeing as my daily train ride to my internship is rather early in the morning 6.55 AM) I need some relaxed music to start with, lately I’ve been listening to Whitest Boy Alive and when I’m near my destination I put up some Washed Out to get me going. But when I go home I usually like to nap in the train so I listen to Kings of Convenience, Owen or Bon Iver. And when I ride my bike home, which lately has been through the poring rain, I turn the volume way up and listen to Light You Up from Pilot Speed.
As you can see, I’m addicted to my mp3 player. I NEED my mp3 player, without it 1 hour train ride is quite a pain.
I’m always going with the bike to school, and find listening to music at the same time very scary >.< But when I'm in the car, train, bus or whatever I always have the Arctic Monkeys on. I believe most of the people think I'm a very quiet and classical music looking girl (ames words haha), so they'd probably be surprised when they'd know my music choice.