What started as a playlist became a legacy project.
This isn’t just a timeline. This is a time machine.
When I started 100 Years of Music, I thought I was just organizing a few decades of rock history. But what unfolded was something deeper—an archive, a story, a tribute. To the artists. To the eras. To the culture. And eventually… to my kids.
This is the behind-the-scenes of building that journey—and why it matters.
The Spark: Why This Project Exists
We live in an algorithm-driven world where music just happens to us. We shuffle. We skip. We forget.
But music didn’t start with Spotify.
So I asked:
What if I could build a complete, decade-by-decade walkthrough of how modern music came to be?
Not just for me—but for my kids, my friends, and anyone who wants to feel music in context.
The Structure: A Decade at a Time
Each chapter is a snapshot in time. A living zine. A mixtape with liner notes.
For every decade (1930s–2020s), I built:
- A cinematic intro narrative capturing the cultural mood
- A breakdown of key genres that defined the decade
- A curated list of essential artists and albums
- A section on what came next—how one era bleeds into the next
- And soon: playlists, visuals, and listening guides
ThriveCMD mindset: We don’t just archive—we contextualize. That’s how stories outlive playlists.
The Tech Behind It
- Notion: All notes, outlines, and draft chapters live here
- Super.so: Transforms Notion into a smooth reading experience
- Plexamp: Pulls from my FLAC archive to match each decade
- Custom metadata + tags: Every artist is tagged with era, style, and influence
The Personal Element
I’m not doing this for SEO. I’m doing it for legacy.
This is a gift to my future kids—so they’ll never have to wonder what their dad listened to, loved, or was shaped by.
It’s also a tool for discovery. A way for friends to find new sounds through a curated, no-BS lens. No TikTok trends. No AI-generated playlists. Just real history and real passion.
How You Can Use It
If you’re reading this, this isn’t just my project—it’s yours too.
You can:
- Explore by decade
- Discover foundational artists you’ve never heard
- Use the structure to build your own genre timelines
- Remix it to reflect your taste and memory
- Share it with someone who needs more than Spotify
Notion Template: 100 Years of Music Tracker
Build your own decade-based archive of any genre. Add playlists, artist notes, and listening history.
Click to Duplicate – ThriveCMD 85 Years Tracker Template (real link coming soon)
Final Thought: Curation Is a Form of Creation
This series is about honoring what’s already been made—by organizing it, connecting it, and sharing it.
Because we don’t just listen to music—we live with it.
And sometimes, the best way to move forward… is to start at the beginning.