The “ultimate denim playlist” features Tame Impala and Arctic Monkeys, according to company trying to sell you jeans
Need a soundtrack that suits the material of your trousers and/or jacket? Try this regular ol’ jeans-themed playlist for size.
Some playlist inspiration. Image: Anatoly Vartanov / Alamy
Vital new research from clothing retailer GAP has not only uncovered an apparent thriving world of denim-themed playlists on Spotify, but also collated something called the “ultimate denim playlist”. This features the most popular tracks found in jeans-themed playlists, a definable genre of playlist that’s almost certainly not made up to get you to think about purchasing jeans.
The “ultimate denim playlist” features a range of tracks new and old. Some are obvious in their denim connection, while others are seemingly linked to the material through more abstract jeans. Means. Abstract means.
GAP’s playlist is organised by how often songs appear on jeans-themed playlists, and so the top 10 containing Ashe’s recent song Another Man’s Jeans makes sense, as does, of course, the inclusion of Flo Rida’s Low, one of the most enduring jeans-themed tracks of the 2000s.
What propels Tame Impala’s The Less I Know The Better to number four is a bit more of a mystery, however. The lyrics are positively jeansless. Denim-free. The same can be said for Arctic Monkeys’ Do I Wanna Know and 505 at numbers 11 and 23 respectively. The answer could be that the songs are vaguely associated with people who wear jeans, however, that doesn’t exactly narrow things down.
GAP’s study claims it analysed 997 jeans-themed playlists, with a total of over 200,000 songs to put together the “ultimate denim playlist.” According to a press release, the creation of the playlist was inspired by a common situation: “It’s Friday night. The working week is done and you’re ready for the weekend. Whether you need to unwind and relax or hit the town for a big night out, there’s one thing that we need: a great feel-good, get-ready playlist.”
The brand is also keen to remind us that jeans are “versatile trousers, perfect for any mood or occasion.” Perhaps this aspect of jeans is what the playlist’s eclectic nature ultimately reflects.
GAP then posits a groundbreaking hypothetical: “Is there a perfect soundtrack for changing into your skinny, wide, or high-rise denim jeans?” This is perhaps something you have found yourself agonising over every Friday as you change into jeans, or, perhaps, this is not a thought that has ever crossed your mind. Either way, GAP’s “ultimate denim playlist” now exists to fill that, er, gap.
Vague music-related studies like these are fairly common. Last month, a study looked at swearing in music, and revealed that Johnny Cash was amongst the most foul-mouthed musicians of all time – he placed number three in the top 10, above Young Thug and Ja Rule. The results were perhaps slightly skewed by the inclusion of words like “damn”, and “hell,” as swear words, however this perhaps makes sense given changing attitudes and how Cash’s music would have been received at the time. A little more oddly, the study was conducted by a company that helps people find the right care home.
Similarly, Vera Clinic got some coverage in Guitar.com last year with a study that revealed heavy metal’s calming effect on blood pressure. Vera Clinic specialises in hair transplants and various other cosmetic surgeries – the company’s connection to heavy metal is a little like the connection between The Less I Know The Better and a pair of jeans.