If you ride the Chicago L long enough, music tends to find you. A phone speaker cracks open a verse, a hook drifts between cars, then cuts off at the next stop, or you arrive at a stop as the lingering sound of a performer on the platform seeps through the open doors. Much like go-go music on the streets of D.C., these small moments are what make a city unique, alive, and a joy to experience.  For five years, I kept track—one song at a time—until this playlist filled itself.

These are 100 songs heard in motion. Some were loud, some barely there. Most people wanted their music heard; some didn’t seem to notice. The train kept moving either way. There’s no particular order to this playlist. Much like the randomness of these moments, soul next to drill, indie beside bachata. The only link is that someone pressed play, and for a moment, everyone else heard it too.

The Chicago L playlist is what that sounded like—five years of small snippets, shared briefly, gone just as quickly. Listen on Spotify.

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