Producing this week's show on depression was powerful, but also tricky. The guests you choose, the questions you ask, even the edits you make are wrought – they can really matter for a listener who might who might be depressed themselves.
The same goes for the music in the show. You can play some old Lou Reed song or revel in the minor key for the whole hour and go the maudlin route. You could also go the saccharine direction and play only the Beach Boys. But playing music that pulls the emotional rug out from someone or forces them to cheer up does not get at the problem, or the solution.
Then it hit me. Pick music that is both cognizant of the depression while being emotionally mature enough to not insult the listener’s intelligence and taste. The resulting choices — which I've compiled for you in this Spotify Playlist — imparts the show with a sense of seriousness that is uplifting, but not condescending.
—Charles