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By Jess Santacroce
Music Writer, Phoenix Radio Attempting to replace artists, educators, and other content creators with AI nearly often results in disasters known as “AI slop.” We get portraits of people with six huge fingers on each hand, lyrics for songs nobody could even sing, videos featuring ten people with the same eyes, fiction that holds the attention of absolutely no one, and essays and reports featuring exactly what would be expected to come next after each sentence, including the misinformation pulled from the most accessible reddit posts and personal blogs. Lesson templates and lectures are similarly bland and standard, with no originality or acknowledgment of audience. At the same time, AI is praised for its ability to complete those tasks that we want to be basic and expected. Once you enter your pertinent information, a bot can create a budget or a schedule much faster than you with a stack of pens and pieces of scrap paper and a calendar or bank statement. It can count exactly how many verses in the Bible (or whatever scripture is sacred in your faith or path) address money or rest or safety much faster and more accurately than you could ever search and catalog the same information. What about those things that lie somewhere in between, particularly, music choice? We’ve all seen the Netflix or the YouTube algorithm produce some strange and questionable choices based solely on things we’ve clicked on. But what if the bot were given just a little bit more information? Playlists are reportedly increasingly generated by AI today, but like anything else, the question isn’t so much if AI can do it, but if AI can do it well, or even adequately. Experiment # 1: Can an AI chat bot create a good themed playlist? For this experiment, chatgpt was asked, “Can you make me a playlist for staying inside on a cold winter’s day?” In response, the bot generated a weird “Ohhh yes. Cold winter day, nowhere to be, maybe a blanket burrito situation? I got you. This is cozy-with-a-little-dramatic-energy—perfect for watching snow fall or pretending you’re in an indie film.” answer, but it did add on a list of twelve songs. The song choices had some successes and some failures. It did provide a bit of variety. There were a couple of Taylor Swift songs, one by Coldplay, one by Billy Joel, and one by Kacey Musgraves. Oddly, it reportedly based its choices on what it called “vibes” rather than lyrics. In one instance, it adds a second song by the band “Bon Iver,” with the comment, “Yes another Bon Iver, winter allows it.” (bon hiver is “nice winter” or “good winter” in French). This seemed more like a programmer’s attempt to insert more human word choice into the bot than the bot displaying genuine ability. A band being named after winter doesn’t mean their work is suitable for any particular winter situation. Perhaps the most perplexing choice was “The Night We Met” by Lord Huron. The chatgpt bot described the song as “Main character staring at snow energy.” The song is about a main character who wishes they could go back in time and not even start a relationship with someone, because the situation faded away painfully and ended badly. One certainly could contemplate such a situation while staring at snow, so the bot isn’t entirely wrong….but this song definitely isn’t suitable for everyone stuck inside on a winter’s day. Using AI to create a themed playlist is not a bad idea for a first draft of the playlist, but human editing for audience might be in order before setting the playlist for a specific situation or person. Experiment # 2: When given some personal details about an individual’s music tastes, can AI come up with a playlist that person would want to listen to at least once a week or more? The prompt for this experiment was: I like at least some of all types of music, but my favorite genre is Punk/alternative and I also love Christian pop, Jazz, Blues, classic country, and modern folk. My favorite bands are the Beatles, Train, the Replacements, Blink 182, and Gaslight Anthem. My favorite solo artists are John Mayer, Bruce Springsteen, and Norah Jones. What ten songs should I put on my main playlist first? My expectation for chatgpt was that it would be able to easily do this. I gave it a list of bands and artists, so I would think it could easily find the most popular song from each of them, pop them onto a list, and fill it out with one or two more from the list of genres I also gave it. The bot failed. Giving it a list of my favorite bands and artists didn’t tip it off that I actually might like to listen to those bands and artists. Only one John Mayer song made it onto the list. The rest were all artists and songs that chatgpt described as a sort of synthesis of everything I input into the prompt. Experiment #3: Playlists for moods and situations are all over streaming services. Can AI create a personalized playlist when given a situation? Mental health experts have nearly unanimously issued strong warnings against using Microsoft copilot, chat gpt, Replika, or any other AI chat bot as a therapist, life coach, or even peer counselor. Anyone experiencing any mental health issues should seek treatment from a human being who has been properly trained and licensed to provide mental health care. If that is not an option for you, contact a human being on a free help line dedicated to dealing with the issue you face, or speak to your pastor or other religious or spiritual leader for guidance. Assuming a person is already doing all of this, that they just need some music that reflects the way they feel and what they are going through, can AI generate an appropriate, helpful playlist? As an initial prompt, I entered my real situation into chat gpt. I explained that I am an independent writer, and my writing work varies widely, from writing and presenting lessons in writing to rooms full of college students and grading, to writing a music blog, to networking to doing research for and writing my own blog and novels. I then asked it for an encouraging playlist. Oddly, the bot seemed to pick up on my past prompts, and offered me a list of songs that included Springsteen, Norah Jones, Blink 182, and Gaslight Anthem. It then asked me if I wanted certain modes, one of which included music blog writing. I followed up with that prompt, and received another list, one that was suitable, a mix of the artists and genres previously entered. But just like before, the bot also made choices that sharply illustrate the fact that these things can only predict what is likely to come next in any given situation, not thoughtfully reflect on real human experiences as only a real human can do. One of the songs on the list is “Subterranean Homesick Blues” by Bob Dylan. Chat gpt groups this song under the heading “Smart, Writerly Energy.” And while I do like Dylan and the song, the tempo and lyrics make it more than a little distracting to listen to while writing. Perhaps the idea is to listen to it for inspiration beforehand, but it certainly isn’t suitable for background music while writing. Overall, AI seems to be suitable for creating first drafts of playlists in limited circumstances, but not something to be trusted completely. As of the middle of February of 2026, the bot’s responses also make it clear that issues of the dialogue being overly and unnecessarily flattering have not been addressed. Each one of these lists came with not just the list of songs it was asked for, but some type of attempt to sound like a life coach or even a friend, such as “Ooh I love this prompt” or “you’ve got taste taste.” That may be annoying at worst, even amusing or cute in some situations when you’re just asking for playlists, but can be dangerous for vulnerable people looking for deeper insight or information. Similarly, the constant use of terms like “vibes” and “energy” is concerning. These are terms borrowed from new age philosophies, which is going to be a concern for many Christians and others who follow spiritual paths that do not welcome new age influence already. But regardless of your opinion on new age thought and spirituality, this should still concern you, as these terms are contemporary human speech trends. Despite promises from the CEOs of the companies that market these bots, they are clearly not being programmed to sound more clinical and computer-like, and less like a human talking to you. The exact opposite appears to be true.
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By Jess Santacroce
Music Writer, Phoenix Radio If someone were to ask a random sample of people why they dress the way that they do, most people would not answer that they dress the way they do because of the influence of music. But regardless of your personal style, you or someone of the opposite gender who dresses similarly to you probably has at least one thing in the closet that exists or at least is commonly available as a fashion choice because of music. Dresses that can be worn comfortably: Jazz If you or a woman you know wears any kind of relatively comfortable dress today, that item is available because of Jazz. Before the Jazz age of the 1920s and early 1930s, women’s dresses were rather complicated. They were always long, reaching to the ankles if not the floor. Most were at least somewhat fitted, making movement difficult. Corsets were worn underneath, further restricting movement, and in some cases, breathing. Flapper dresses rebelled against such restriction. They were loose, boxy dresses that allowed women to dance to the music of the Jazz age without worrying about the restriction of a corset or several layers of fabric. Actual flapper dresses look odd to modern eyes. They appear too loose and boxy, to the point that the woman often resembles a head floating on top of a square. But over the years, these dresses would evolve into and inspire nearly all of the styles we wear and/or see the women in our lives wear on a daily basis today, from the most casual T-shirt dress to a sparkly cocktail dress for going out. Heavy boots worn for style not utility: Punk and Alternative While all heavy black boots with laces are not Doc Martens, it is the most well-known brand of this style of boot. “Docs” began as work boots for British men in the late 1950s. They were never intended to be fashion items, but were designed as protective gear for the foot. In the 1970s, punk bands began to adopt them as symbols of solidarity with the working class. In the 1990’s they would become popular again as alternative rock music looked back to the punk era for inspiration in music and general lifestyle. Today, heavy black lace-up boots worn as much for fashion as for comfort and protection can be seen everywhere. Those who favor a retro punk or grunge look of course wear them, as do those in the goth subculture. But as recently as 2025, “Docs” were featured on fashion websites for academic, preppy, and even “clean” styles, when added to the “clean” look’s signature all-white clothing. Ultra-casual wear worn as outfits: Rap, Hip-hop Long, loose T-shirts, baggy sweatshirts, hoodies, joggers, sweat pants, and other clothing that was either originally designed for exercise or for lounging at home may not be acceptable absolutely everywhere, but it is certainly acceptable for the most casual public environments today. Nobody would be considered under dressed or improperly dressed if they were seen wearing a pair of baggy joggers and a bulky hoodie while out running errands, shopping, going to the movies, or hanging out at a diner or cafe. This was not always the case. Athletic-wear inspired styles were seen in public in the 1960s and earlier, but social expectations about what was acceptable to wear in certain situations were much stricter then. You certainly would not see the loosest, most comfortable clothing available worn while going out with friends or running errands. The shift began in the early 1970s, with the emergence of Rap and Hip-hop music. The styles that we most closely associate with Rap and Hip-hop music today, which are not limited to but include things like joggers or track suits and hoodies, were based on the items that teens and young adults in the Bronx of the 1970s were already wearing. Adopting a curated and named fashion aesthetic: Jazz, Punk, Classic Rock, Pop Unlike some individual items of clothing, the whole practice of curating a specific fashion and lifestyle aesthetic did not stem from or become popular because of a specific style of music. The trend of purposely adopting an aesthetic is a recent one, with most sources tracing it back only about six years, and linking it to the extreme boredom and excessive time for self-reflection offered by the shutdown that occurred at that time. Music still plays a significant part in the trend, as many of fashion aesthetics are part of broader lifestyle aesthetics, complete with signature styles of music. The hippie/bohemian aesthetic is deeply connected to the music of the counterculture of the 1960’s, particularly the Grateful Dead. Hipsters embrace elements of both 1990s grunge rock fashion and the styles of the 1920s Jazz era. VSCO girls (pronounced “vesco” and associated with a laid-back, beach-inspired style) are exemplified by Indie Pop and Surf Rock. No matter how you choose to dress, something you wear, or something you see someone else wear as you go about your day today, is worn because of music. It truly does touch all parts of our lives. By Jess Santacroce
Music Writer, Phoenix Radio Between January’s snow storm and the stretch of startlingly cold temperatures, most of us are more than ready for warmer seasons, though that likely looks a little different for everyone. But no matter what “ready for warmer weather” means to you, there is a song to add to your playlist as you prepare for….and look forward to….your plans for spring and summer of 2026. Just tired of the bitter cold weather: Here Comes the Sun (The Beatles 1969) There are plenty of songs about summer out there. A quick internet search for songs about summertime generates multiple lists of more than sixty songs each about summer love, summer activities, and summer and heat used as metaphor. “Here Comes the Sun” stands out among them all as simply being a catchy, hopeful song about the sun coming back and bringing happiness with it. The lyrics state that it has been a “cold lonely winter,” and note that it feels like it’s been years since the sun has been around, sentiments that most people in upstate New York can easily relate to these days. Add this one to your playlist on those days when it is just plain too cold out there. Planning a beach vacation: Surfin USA (The Beach Boys 1963) Adding a Beach Boys song to a summer playlist may seem a bit too obvious, but there is something about “Surfin’ USA,” that makes you start dancing as though you were at an afternoon cookout or evening bonfire on the beach. It doesn’t matter if you have no interest in surfing, you live nowhere near California, and you’re actually looking out at snowdrifts covering your yard and wondering whether those are sidewalk salt or ice patches on your walkway. The opening chords of this song play, and you’re instantly transported to that next beach vacation, even if you never thought to plan one before. When it’s time to sit down and rework your budget and schedule to fit that trip to the beach in, play this song to get you started. Looking forward to summer concerts and other arts events: Summertime (Ella Fitzgerald and Louis Armstrong 1959) For some people, summer isn’t so much about beach parties and sunny days as it is about getting to go out to events more often, especially concerts and music festivals. While this song certainly isn’t about concerts and festivals, listening to this version of the song from Gershwin’s “Porgy and Bess,” mentally transports you to that Jazz festival you wish you were attending right now. And while we can no longer hear this particular rendition live, there is a very good chance you might hear an outstanding version of this song at a summer Jazz festival in 2026. According to the website “Music Festival Wizard,” Jazz fans have more than twenty different Jazz festivals to choose from this year, spanning the country from California to Chicago, with nine planned for spring and nine more taking place in the summer. Anticipating the Semiquincentennial (USA 250): Saturday in the Park (Chicago 1972) Somebody is going to play this song at a Fourth of July picnic somewhere in America every year, but this year, for the two-hundred and fiftieth birthday of the United States, Independence Day really does fall on a Saturday, making this the perfect planning/kickoff theme song for a very special milestone for the nation. It is a bit early in the year for all of the plans and promotional items to launch, but if it is anything like the bicentennial in 1976, that should be coming soon. Americans who are in their early fifties this year may be a bit too young to literally remember the bicentennial, as most people do not have memories of the year they were one to three years old. But many still feel as though we do, as bicentennial mementos and merchandise was still circulating four and five years later. Already ready for the Great New York State Fair: Sharp Dressed Man (ZZ Top 1983) Summer is not a favorite season for everyone. There are many who dread the heat, and are just looking forward to their afternoon or evening at the Great New York State Fair to say “goodbye” to summer and look forward to the cooler weather of next fall. And even many who love the summer months look forward to capping them off with a day at the fair each year. If the Great New York State Fair is a tradition in your family or friend group, get in the mood to go early by listening to the song used to promote the latest act to be added to the fair schedule for 2026. On January 27, the facebook page of the Great New York State Fair added a “concert clue” consisting of a cartoon of a group of push pins with smiling faces, dressed in business suits. The next morning, a followup post announced that ZZ Top would perform at Suburban Park on September 3 at 8 p.m. The end of winter may look far away right now, but warmer weather is coming soon. Keep warm. Keep safe. And keep making those warm weather plans and playlists. By Jess Santacroce
Music Writer, Phoenix Radio For musicians and others in the arts, working in your field does not always mean producing your art and having people buy it. That is certainly a part of most local musicians’ careers, but most do other work as well. Musicians may also present and teach about other peoples’ music as DJs or radio program hosts, work in music stores, give music lessons, or write or produce music for other local musicians. One option for making money in music, writing, or another art form without getting a “day job” or “side gig” is to teach your art form at local or online colleges and universities as an “adjunct” instructor. Just make sure to keep the following guidelines in mind. Remember that your teaching assignment may last an entire term, but it is still a gig, not a job. Teaching on an adjunct basis means being a slightly confusing and blurry cross between an employee and an independent worker, in business for yourself. On paper, you work for the school. You get the same tax forms, employee handbooks, keys, and ID cards as an employee. But for all practical purposes, you are an independent artist with a term-long gig teaching classes to students. You will not be required to publish extensively or do much of the other work of a regular faculty member, giving you the freedom to hire yourself out to one school one term, another the next, and two or more schools the one after that. With that freedom comes a lack of stability, as the schools you teach for may or may not offer you classes for any given term. Budget for the added expenses that may come with adjunct teaching Anything you absolutely need to teach your classes should be provided to you, within reason. Your supervisor at the school can make sure you have a room with a projector if you need it, chairs for group discussion, or a lecturn for giving talks. Many schools also offer a supply of notepads, pens, highlighters, and dry erase markers for classroom boards, but that is not guaranteed. You may have to purchase those items yourself. Drinks, meals, and snacks are rarely provided. You may be offered free coffee or tea in an employee lounge, but that is about it. If you can’t eat lunch or dinner at home due to the spacing of your classes or required office hours, you will be responsible for paying for any restaurant or school cafeteria meals you eat. Avoid schools that require you to download their messaging app onto your personal phone Musicians who want to teach classes on an adjunct basis as part of their music career might want to turn down any offers from schools that require downloading their app onto your phone. Representatives from the university may insist that it is only needed to complete certain tasks easily, but if the app allows students to contact you any time, the school will expect you to be in contact with students any time those students wish to speak to you. It won’t matter if the official policy only requires you to answer messages every twenty-four or forty-eight hours. The students will know they can reach you at all hours, and they will expect a reply within an hour, sometimes even within minutes any time they reach out. If you do not respond as they wish, they will complain, and if they complain, you will be asked to be in contact with your students on a steady basis. Should you accept classes from a school that requires you to download their app, you will wind up teaching 24/7, stopping rehearsals, interrupting writing time, even using your break time during gigs to communicate with students. Be prepared for students who do not take your subject or your class seriously As a musician, you will probably teach classes such as music history, music appreciation, or special topics in music, but you may find yourself needing to widen your focus into basic related skills in order to find work. You might be a professional musician who is also a songwriter, and find yourself teaching classes in basic writing skills, or an expert in music history, but teaching a more general history class and weaving songwriting or music history into your syllabus. Either way, you will have at least some students in your class who are completely uninterested in what you are teaching. In their minds, they may be in school only to participate in sports, or to socialize, or to put in their time until a relative gives them a job. Some people even become students strictly on paper in order to access financial aid and have no intention of actually doing any work or learning anything. These students take the basic courses because they have to in order to remain enrolled, and enroll in arts classes because they mistakenly think they’re going to be “easy.” They see any attempt to get them to participate in any class as a nuisance or an obstacle and will likely treat you and your course accordingly. While you certainly shouldn’t tolerate this, it happens in schools across the country, offline and online, so it is likely to continue regardless of your response to it. Block out at least one extra hour per week per course you teach, and add one or two more on to that when making your teaching schedule The time you spend in the classroom is only a portion of the time you need to schedule to teach college courses. Make sure you set aside at least one hour of grading time each week that you assign work that must be handed in, and schedule time to hold office hours as required. You also want to schedule some time to respond to student emails and complete any other tasks or paperwork your individual schools may require. This both ensures that you get everything done, and that your teaching work does not take over your entire day or week. Adjunct teaching, whether in music or in a related skill, can be a great way to find steady work for months at a time. Just make sure you’re aware of what you’re agreeing to do before signing any contracts. By Jess Santacroce
Music Writer, Phoenix Radio As generative artificial intelligence, or “AI” continues to weave its way into every part of life, debates continue as to how deep its impact could ever be on music. While many musicians and devoted music fans maintain that true music, like any true form of any art, must come from a human being, other people create and promote music and even musicians that are generated entirely from AI. Look for a side hustle or day job to finance a project in your music career, and you’re greeted with a screen full of videos promising that you can easily run a money making business by using AI to create all or most of the content you might need. Can you simply prompt AI to do things you don’t actually know how to do yourself? The Heat Beat conducted an experiment to see if someone who has an extensive background in music, but no training or experience in song writing could use AI prompts to produce a song. The person entering the prompts is fifty years old, and has been singing since she was about three or four. She is a professional artist, but her paid work consists of novel writing, teaching writing skills to other adults, and content writing/copy writing for musicians, educators, and other content creators. She currently sings as a hobby/volunteer, but is not and has never been a professional musician. In other words, me. Rules 1. Since AI is promoted as the fast, easy way to attribute material to yourself that you didn’t actually create, I can only use up to ten prompts. 2. The song must be created entirely by me interacting with AI. Phoenix Radio has some amazing professional musicians working with it, including the owner and SHE-o herself, a talented children’s song writer, and my own husband, a professional musician and songwriter in addition to hosting “Masters of Jazz” and “Blues Power” for the station. I’m not allowed to talk to any of those people about this until the experiment is over, or attempt to actually learn anything about songwriting myself from any other source. 3. The song produced must be one that I would be willing to sing in front of other people. If the song passes that test, at least one other person, this time a professional musician, must express willingness to perform or record it without being prompted. 4. I can’t “throw” the experiment by intentionally asking the bot to write about strange topics. I have to create a love song, a protest song, or a song about a situation typically addressed in song lyrics. The experiment I began by telling chat gpt I needed to write a song. The bot offered me a guide on songwriting followed by an offer to write lyrics from scratch, help me finish a half-written song, match a specific style or artist, focus on melody and chord vibes or make it sad sad or pretty sad. I asked it to write lyrics from scratch, told it I did not want to mimic any specific artist, and listed my real favorite genres, which are Punk/Alternative, Christian Pop, Blues, Classic Country, and Jazz. I mentioned I also like Metal. I asked it for a song about a woman who feels isolated even though she is married and has an office job, a description of a character I recently created for a novel I am working on. The bot immediately pulled out the most stereotypical details possible. It wrote me bland lyrics about marital problems, which I noted my character does not have. Of course since I like country music, a truck had to be in there. I prompted it to remove those things, along with some things that did not make sense, like nods after I prompted it that the character becomes engrossed in an online environment. Once I fed it the information that my character is a musician, it wouldn’t stop writing lyrics about a waiting guitar until I directed it to take that out. One of the prompts was that it was meant to be a love song, another asked it to stop repeatedly mentioning the city after I told it that my characters lived in one. Results After more prompts replying to revision questions it asked me and adding a few more similar notes, here is the song AI produced: In a Way That Feels Kind Verse 1 He’s working late, I’m here again With hours I don’t know how to spend I’m not unhappy, just alone With questions I don’t say out loud Chorus I just want to feel loved In a way that feels kind Not corrected, not fixed Just met, just aligned I don’t want a second life Or secrets I can’t keep I just want to feel loved When someone reads me Verse 2 We speak in long and careful lines About the weight of ordinary lives Everyone arrives unsure We leave sounding more the same Chorus I just want to feel loved In a way that feels kind Not rescued, not praised Just seen, just aligned I don’t want a second life Or somewhere else to be I just want to feel loved When someone reads me Bridge If love is being understood Then this must count as love Final Chorus I just want to feel loved In a way that feels kind Not corrected, not fixed Just met, just aligned If belonging feels like breathing And silence feels too deep I just want to feel loved When someone reads me Outro When someone reads me Its final message to me said that “we” could talk about where the song might appear in the novel. I may not be a songwriter, but I am a writer, and I could not think of a blander and less realistic plot line than if my musician character got into trouble in an online chat room, and responded to that situation by writing a song about looking for attention in an online chat room. Whatever went on in the online community would probably stand out much more for her than the fact that she was on a website. When I started this experiment, I expected it to either succeed for AI, and end in a moving song written from the point of view of a lonely woman who got in trouble looking for affection and attention online, but was not necessarily about that, or simply fail and produce bland, corny content. It certainly did produce something bland and corny. I do not even need to show this to any professional musicians, as this is definitely not usable for me, either as something I would care to sing in an open mic nor as something I would incorporate into my novel. I didn’t expect it to so clearly illustrate some of the reasons that non-musicians will never be able to replace songwriters with the help of AI. The AI bot failed to even pick up the detail that the character is set to get into some type of trouble in the online environment. None of the follow up questions asked about further plot details of the novel the song was to be based on. It didn’t even generate any follow up questions about the character’s husband and their relationship, despite being prompted that this was a love song. I would expect even the most predictable human-written song to be a “his love saved me” song, given the prompt that it was a love song, and that there were no problems in the marriage. Both AI bots and people can ask the most basic, the most likely, predictable questions and determine what would most commonly come next given a prompt. AI bots can even do that much faster and more thoroughly than people. But having the empathy required to care and ask which details would be the most meaningful to a human being in a situation is something only a human can do….and it is this caring...about anything...that is the root of a truly well-written song. By Jess Santacroce
Music Writer, Phoenix Radio Predictions for music in 2026 include an increase in hybrid music genres. As with the word “hybrid” in any other context, hybrid music genres are combined music genres. A hybrid genre is formed anytime distinct features of two or more existing genres of music are used to form a new one. The term “hybrid genre” is often confused with “micro genre,” but while some hybrid genres can be described as “micro genres,” and vice versa, the terms describe different things in music. A “micro” genre is a type of music created to appeal to a limited audience, or to very specific tastes. “Horrorcore” is written and performed for people who like both rap and horror stories. “Christian pop” has a target audience of people who both enjoy pop music and are Christians. Hybrid genres simply blend elements of two different types of music. There is no niche or specific target audience. Many hybrid genres even have the exact opposite impact of micro genres, widening the audience for both types of music rather than narrowing it to people who enjoy two specific things. It is impossible to tell exactly how many hybrid music genres exist. Attempting to do so generates things like AI search engines informing you that there is no way to tell because they are always changing, articles from twelve years ago, and lists of the most obscure types of music that mixes up micro genres and hybrid genres. While information offered by AI should always be double checked, the results are likely correct in this case, as two or more genres of music could be newly blended at any time. Most contemporary: Country Rap Country and Rap once seemed like the last two genres anyone would try to blend together, as they seemed to have almost nothing in common. Rap grew from struggling urban neighborhoods. Country roots were strictly in the rural parts of America. And while country music certainly started out on the same socioeconomic level as Rap, by the 1990’s, it had taken such a pop turn in both style and image, it was starting to seem like music for rich pop fans who liked to pretend to be cowboys. It was not uncommon for people who liked one of those genres to declare they could not stand and never wanted to hear the other one. Today, more and more country artists are returning to an older, more traditional form of country music, while at the same time showing greater interest in mixing with other genres, including Rap. By the end of 2025, there were enough Country Rap artists to create top fifty song lists. Country Rap is formed when an artist raps the lyrics of what would otherwise be a country song, but the artist’s entire body of work, or even an entire album, does not have to feature rapped lyrics to be classified as Country Rap. Jelly Roll is perhaps one of the most well-known Country Rap artists today. While his lyrics blend themes common to both genres, he switches back and forth, rapping on some songs, singing country-style vocals on others, and switching back and forth on still others. Most obscure: Bubble Grunge Bubble Grunge music is formed when the melodies of bubblegum pop music are woven into grunge music. Because the music is so heavily based on grunge/alternative, some argue that bubble grunge is not even a true hybrid genre, just punk or alternative music with melodies that lean pop. There is some support for this argument, as the one playlist available on Spotify for “bubblegrunge” includes some songs by Pixies, a well-known alternative band, and the Riot Grrrl band “Bikini Kill.” Randomly selecting from other bands on the list and searching for their genre reveals that most of these bands are considered “alternative” by various sources. Other bands are described as blending so many genres, they are certainly hybrids of something, even if “Bubble Grunge” is not a legitimate hybrid music genre. Canadian band Metric gets classified as “indie rock” by most sources, but nearly all of them add at least one other genre, usually two or three. Most varied: Jazz Fusion Most hybrid music genres are developed when two types of music are blended, while some are a distinct combination of three or more styles. Jazz Fusion is unique in that it includes any other type of music blended with Jazz. Country plus Rap is Country Rap. If somebody were to blend Classical into that mix, it would become its own hybrid genre, and if Country were blended with Middle Eastern Folk music, that would be a whole other hybrid. Jazz plus Rock and Jazz plus Hip Hop are still classified as Jazz Fusion. Jazz Fusion could also be described as the most enduring, as it began more than fifty years ago, in the late 1960’s. Miles Davis’ “In a Silent Way, released in 1969, is sometimes considered the first Jazz Fusion album, with other sources naming his 1970 album “Bitches Brew.” In 2026, artists continue to blend Jazz with one or more genres. Those who would like to hear the latest in all forms of Jazz, including Jazz Fusion, might want to attend one of the more than twenty Jazz festivals scheduled throughout the United States in 2026. It will be interesting to see if any new hybrid genres form by the middle of January 2027. By Jess Santacroce
Music Writer, Phoenix Radio New year’s resolutions have been as much a part of marking the new year as the ball drop and party hats, but many people find them difficult or impossible to keep up past January. Replacing them with goals is one option, but that can be discouraging every time something doesn’t seem to be progressing. In recent years, the practice of replacing both resolutions and goals with experiments has begun floating around social media and the press. The key differences between resolutions or goals and experiments is the approach at both the beginning and the end. An experiment begins with a hypothesis. You ask what would happen if this or that were true or different. Then, the activity is carried out with the change in place. As the experiment unfolds, notes are taken on the results. Finally, the results are studied and evaluated. In a true scientific experiment, the results are simply reported, with no further action. In a goal experiment, the results are evaluated and changes are made until the desired result or goal is met. Proponents of this approach claim that this removes a lot of the unnecessary self-criticism that setting goals or making resolutions can bring, and instead focuses on finding something that works for the person seeking the change. Experiment #1: What would happen if I wrote or practiced my music in a different setting than normal? Artists who practice in all forms tend to have our set places to practice or create. Much of the reason for this is of course practical. You have to rehearse singing or guitar playing at home or in a practice studio, because everyone in your favorite hangout is not going to want to hear the same chords, or the chorus of your church’s worship team songs, or four different versions of that verse you’re working on three times in a row. Writing is a bit more flexible, but there needs to be space to do it without crowding anyone else. What would happen if you simply moved to a different part of your practice studio or your house for three or five or ten practice sessions? What would happen if you wrote music in a different room, or if you normally do write it in a cafe, what if you chose someplace else, or a different table at your usual spot? Commit to a certain number of your usual practice or writing sessions in a new place, and see what happens. Experiment #2: How would my plans play out if I worked on them to a different type of music for one hour each week? While the focus is shifting from resolutions and goals to experiments, this does not mean you should have nothing you want to do this year. It just means giving yourself a chance to test out ways to get where you want to go. Suppose you set out to finish writing songs for an album this year. Your usual pattern when writing songs is to listen to the type of music that you write in the morning, and then work on your own writing in the afternoon. To conduct this experiment, you would listen to a type of music that is very different than what you write in the mornings before you sit down to write. Non musical goals can of course be done with the music playing. Try working on a short story or novel to Jazz if you typically listen to country music, or play classic R&B if you typically listen to metal. You may want to try music you already listen to but don’t typically put on while you’re working, or you could even try working to a genre of music or an artist you never listen to much at all. Experiment #3: What if I said “yes” to a gig or other project I wouldn’t normally do? Most people have seen this one presented as the “say yes to everything” for a set period of time experiment, where the person must say “yes” to every offer or suggestion that is not dangerous, illegal, or in serious conflict with their deeply held beliefs. That experiment would certainly fall under this category, but if you’re not willing to say “yes” to absolutely any and every gig or project anyone might offer you, modify it by agreeing to do just one thing outside of your regular art practice. You might agree to play at a children’s party if you typically only play weddings, or at a wedding if your business revolves around children’s parties. Collaborate with someone you wouldn’t typically ask to work with you. Put yourself on the list at an open mic someplace you have never been before. Experiment #4: What if I doubled...or halved...the amount of money I spend on music? Several traditional new year’s resolutions revolve around money. We resolve to make and stick to a better budget, find a higher paying day job, start a side hustle, or stop spending money on takeout or coffee drinks or delivery. Add a musical twist to this and make it an experiment by drastically changing the amount of money you spend on music for a set period of time. What would happen if you didn’t buy any new music for a month? How might your year be different if you ordered those concert tickets you always said were too expensive? Make the change and see what unfolds. Experiment #5: How would adding music to an activity that is normally quiet or done to background noise change the outcome? Like the practice in a different place experiment, this one has to be done within the constraints of respect for other people and personal consequences. You wouldn’t start working your day job to music if your workplace has a policy against it, or if doing so would put you or someone else in danger. But within reason, what would happen if part of your life that has always been quiet is now set to your favorite music, or if you replaced some form of background noise with music? If you typically cook with the tv on, what would happen if you listened to your favorite band this week instead? How would you sleep this week if you turned on some soft classical music instead of a white noise machine? Would that workout you’re struggling to stick to go better if you exercised to music instead of watching the tv playing at the gym? What experiments will you do with music this year? By Jess Santacroce
Music Writer, Phoenix Radio Over the past several days, several musicians, including Jazz group The Cookers and folk singer-songwriter Kristy Lee have canceled performances at the Kennedy Center in protest of the December 18 announcement that it would now be officially named the “Donald J. Trump and John F. Kennedy Memorial Center for the Performing Arts.” Many of the musicians released individual press statements, but the consensus seems to be that they find it inappropriate and alarming that a President would rename the national arts center after himself, and they believe that this move is just one in a series of acts indicating that Trump intends to take over the center and only allow art that reflects his own beliefs to be performed. The musicians who have canceled performances at the Kennedy Center so far are engaged in an effective form of protest with their music, but refusing to perform in a venue that no longer represents freedom of expression is just one way artists use their music and other art to protest, even though it may not be immediately classified as a protest by others, or in some cases, even thought of that way by the artists themselves. Refusing to serve as a consultant or advisor for any organization or venue that does not allow artists to freely express themselves As news spread of musicians backing away from the Kennedy Center due to the name change, some national news reports incorrectly announced that someone named “Renee Flaming” had resigned her advisory role in protest of Trump adding his name to the arts center. There is no musician named “Renee Flaming,” but the writers of these articles probably heard that opera soprano Renee Fleming had resigned from an advisory role in protest of Trump renaming the center after himself. While Fleming did indeed resign from an advisory role in deliberate protest of the actions of Donald Trump, she acted long before the name change. Fleming’s decision to step down was reported in the magazine “Opera Wire” in an article written by Francisco Salazar on February 12, 2025. According to the article, Fleming resigned in response to the action that would allow Trump to push through the name change ten months later, his becoming Chair of the Board and appointing people who would do whatever he wished. Choosing themes that promote a worldview or message in opposition to something the artist sees around them Protest music itself falls into this category, but music does not have to be created in direct opposition to a specific person, occurrence, or issue to serve as a form of protest. Writing, recording, and performing music offering a worldview different than the prevailing culture can also serve as a way to protest what the artist sees as flaws in the culture. Christian contemporary music is perhaps the most well-known example. While modern secular pop music tends to promote glorifying oneself, focusing on a person’s own wants and needs and image, Christian pop is characterized by a focus on the glory and the will of Jesus. Secular pop songs about achieving goals and getting what you need and want in life tend to follow a similar theme to Katy Perry’s 2013 hit “Roar,” with lyrics centering around personal power and achievement. Contrast that with “The Lord Will Provide” by Passion and Landon Wolfe, featuring the line, “everything I need, my father has it.” Boycotting products or services from companies or individuals they do not agree with in the process of creating and/or promoting their art This form of protest is always deliberate, and it is often mocked, mainly because people who choose it so often go about it in an ineffective or even counterproductive way. Rapper Kid Rock co-owns a bar in Nashville. He uses his image as a musician to promote the bar, and the bar to promote his image in music, as the place is called “Kid Rock’s Big <expletive> Honky Tonk and Steakhouse.” In 2023, Kid Rock wanted to protest what he saw as Budweiser’s support of the transgender community when the company briefly worked with a transgender content creator. In protest, Kid Rock posted a video of himself shooting bottles of the company’s product. Unfortunately, he had to first purchase the items, meaning all he did was waste his own money. Lending even less credibility to his boycott, multiple news outlets investigated and found Budweiser products still being served at the bar Kid Rock uses to promote his music, even during the supposed “boycott.” Had he quietly removed the company’s products from the shelves of the business intertwined with his music career, refused any sponsorships from them, declined to have their products available at any shows he performed, and posted a video simply urging fans not to purchase from them, he would have had a genuine example of this type of protest. Actions taken by fans of these and other artists who use their art practice to speak out vary. Some choose to separate the artist from the art, and continue to enjoy the person’s work, regardless of their level of agreement with the artist’s actions or beliefs. Others choose to act in agreement with their favorite artists. Some fans respond by boycotting or protesting artists whose messages they disagree with. For others, it depends on the artist and the issue. Just as each artist has a choice in what they promote, protest, or express through and with their art, the choice of how to respond belongs to each fan. Works referenced: Salazar, F. (2025). Following Trump takeover, Renee Fleming resigns from Kennedy Center. Opera Wire website. Following Trump Takeover, Renée Fleming Resigns From Kennedy Center - OperaWire OperaWire December 30, 2025 The Heat Beat and everyone on the Heat Squad here at Phoenix Radio would like to wish all of our listeners and readers a blessed Christmas Eve and a Merry Christmas. Be sure to check back here next Wednesday for another full length article about the music of Phoenix Radio and beyond.
By Jess Santacroce
Music Writer, Phoenix Radio Over the past week, social sharing sites have been flooded with content about how tired everyone is of excessive displays of consumption and wealth, particularly around the holidays. At the same time, those very displays have become more and more prevalent in everyone’s online feeds and in the physical stores where we shop for those finishing touches on our holiday décor and gifts for our family and friends. It can feel like we have to buy these things, simply because that is all that’s there. But we don’t. For each over-hyped, overpriced, meaningless trend, there is a reasonable alternative with the added bonus of giving the gift of music. Trend: Ralph Lauren Christmas In recent years, the “clean” aesthetic has brought with it a lot of silver and white, gold and white, even pure white or beige and white Christmases. This year, the trend has been to throw all of those decorations out and replace them with a “Ralph Lauren Christmas,” or Christmas decorations that make your house look like a Ralph Lauren store. At first, this didn’t seem like a bad idea, as Ralph Lauren stores’ Christmas décor is based around traditional red and green. Most people could simply go back to many of the decorations they used before the whole beige Christmas trend took hold. But like most fads, there was a catch, and a pricey one at that. Simply going back to red and green was not enough. To create an authentic “Ralph Lauren” look, you have to carefully cultivate certain sophisticated red and green items, and then mix them carefully with a variety of plaids and plain statues of deer. The overall look and mood is that of an expensive hunting lodge in a rich area of the country. Alternative: Music themed Christmas on a budget Forget Ralph Lauren stores, and add a music theme to your Christmas décor instead. The easiest, and least expensive way to do this is to first gather up all of the plain decorations you already have, such as round ornaments for the tree and wreaths for the door. Go with whatever color scheme you already have the material to create, trendy or not. When you go to add something this year, choose decorations featuring bells, music notes, and instruments. Despite what the people advocating filling your entire house with deer and plaids may say, a little goes a long way when doing themed decorations. A tree filled with gold and silver balls with a few matching music notes scattered among them is going to be much more striking than every note and instrument ornament in three stores crammed onto the tree. Trend: Brrr Baskets Gift baskets are nothing new, but the “brr basket” fad of the past few years takes making a gift basket to a whole new level of over-consumption. The idea behind a “Brr basket” is to put together a collection of items the recipient can use to beat the cold this winter. While a comforting basket for winter is a wonderful idea, the goal seems to be to see how much you can spend rather than how much comfort you can actually bring. Some “brr baskets” start out with pairs of $140 Ugg boots purchased just because their color matches the overall theme of the basket the person is building, along with a matching Stanley water cup for $45 and a selection of $30 items, typically including luxury hand sanitizers and lip balms, often total more than $500 for a single basket intended for one person. Alternative: Music comfort basket Show the recipient of your gift how much you think of them rather than how much you can spend...or charge on a credit card. Instead of a pair of boots the person may or may not want, make the big ticket item in the basket a $25-$50 gift card to their go-to place for purchasing music. This should cover one or two digital or physical albums. Fill the rest of the basket with small comfort items the person can use while listening to their favorite music, such as their favorite snacks or drinks, a book or activity, or cosmetic items they might like. The key is to pack the basket with inexpensive, thoughtful things rather than everything trendy and pricey just because it fits a color and season theme. Anyone looking for some great music themed comfort items for a gift basket may want to check out our online store right here on 95 5 the heat dot com. Cozy sweatshirts, warm hoodies, and cups to hold favorite hot or cold beverages are available, all featuring the radio station’s logo. (Note: These items may arrive after Christmas and need to be pre-ordered for the next gift giving occasion or next holiday season.) Trend: Starbucks limited edition cup craziness In November, Bear-ista cups hit the shelves at Starbucks. The cups were cute, a teddy bear that looked like a larger version of the honey bear and a smaller version of the animal cracker bear wearing a little green winter hat and a Starbucks logo. A green striped straw was included, as the cups were glass and intended for iced coffee and tea. People began lining up at four in the morning to get these cups, which were almost never available. Determined to own one of these cups, or to give one for a gift, many who were not successful in getting a Bear-ista cup paid up to a thousand dollars to resellers. The original price of the cup was only thirty dollars. Alternative: Music experience Simply buying someone a music themed cup would not give them the music equivalent of the Bear-ista cup craze, because people who do things like stand in line at four in the morning and pay hundreds of dollars for thirty dollar items want to be part of the trend, part of the experience of finding and obtaining the cup, more than they want the actual cup. If they just wanted the cup, they could have calmly purchased a similar cup from Amazon, or waited until the craze was over. Replace the rather bland experience of owning a fad item cup with a musical experience. Concert tickets to a local or regional band or artist you know the person wants to see and can fit into their schedule, music lessons for the person who always wanted to sing or play or a trip to an important place in music history. Music lectures, classes in music history or appreciation would also make great gifts for music fans or musicians on your gift list. Two years or two months or two weeks from now, people will forget that your house looked like an upscale clothing store this year, or that they have an iced coffee cup shaped like a bear or some $10.00 hand sanitizer and $140.00 boots given to them just because they were beige like the rest of a basket. They won’t forget the time that someone thought about them and what they really needed or wanted, and they certainly won’t forget the music. |
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