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? 

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. 

By Jess Santacroce
Music Writer, Phoenix Radio 
 
Christmas songs. Love them, dread them, or fall somewhere in between, you will probably need to play something else at some point during these next couple of weeks. When you need a break from Christmas music this season, consider adding these five everyday songs that still reflect and remind us of the teachings of Jesus...the reason for the entire Christmas season...to your playlist. 

Humility: Humble and Kind: Tim McGraw (2015)

Perhaps the simplest and most straightforward song on the topic ever written, “Humble and Kind” is a gentle tune about the need to remain humble, even when you’ve accomplished a lot in the world or are seeing the things you dream about coming to you. Although the song itself does not have  Christmas or Christian themes, it is sung by a Christian artist, and reminds us of something we often forget in our race to have the biggest party, the house with the most elaborate decorations, the most glam outfit at the holiday party, or the priciest holiday haul….the event we celebrate on Christmas day was the birth of a child to a seemingly ordinary young woman from a town everyone looked down on, one that occurred in an enclosure meant for livestock. If the one who came to save the world entered it this humbly, we honor Him best when we approach our own celebrations with humility. 

Love: Less Like Me: Zach Williams (2019)

Entire books could be written about romantic love, and that type of love is certainly a gift from God, as is the platonic love we have for our family, friends, and pets. Suggesting a song about the love for humanity in no way attempts to put down these types of love. It’s just that these types of love are not as often forgotten during the holiday season as love for our fellow human beings in general. We remember to buy our spouse a special gift and thank our mothers for the holiday recipes and take our friends out for coffee. We don’t always remember that all the people we see as obstacles in our holiday rush are just as worthy of being here as we are, or that they are feeling the same frustrations and hopes that we feel. 

This song, written from the perspective of a narrator who professes to be a Christian but often ignores opportunities to behave in a loving manner toward those he encounters throughout his day, notes that the obstacle is his inability to “see past myself.” He then prays for the ability to “give what I receive.” 

Patience: A Thousand Years: Christina Perri (2011)

When we think of “patience” during the holiday season, we think of the most mundane version, the ability to resist growing irritable when the cashier at the mall rings up other people’s purchases slower than we would like or brushing off our child or spouse when they want to watch a holiday movie more times than we think are necessary. Patience with ordinary holiday inconveniences is indeed important, but this song is for those who are dealing with a need for patience on a much deeper level. It is a song in which “time stand still,” and of course, love is pledged for thousands of years. It can serve as both a comfort for those who are struggling this season because they are going through a difficult time they must wait out, and as a reminder to those who are not grappling with a difficult situation that some people are, and that we should be patient and gentle with them. 

Enjoyment in the simple pleasures of life: Play That Song: Train (2016)

One unfortunate Christian stereotype is of someone who is not allowed to genuinely enjoy life. In far too many popular portrayals, the Christian character is the one glaring at everybody then retreating to their drab room to study the Bible, emerging only for work and church. This stereotype is sadly perpetuated by many of today’s Christian content creators, who seem to be looking for evil spirits in everything from alarm clocks to lipstick tubes.  It may surprise many non-Christians and even some Christians  to learn that while selfishness, greed, and materialism are certainly forbidden, enjoyment of the simple pleasures in life is encouraged in the Bible.

Ecclesiastes 2:24 and 3:12-13  encourage rejoicing, eating and drinking, and finding satisfaction in one’s work. They are just a few of many verses that teach us to take delight in those little happy moments, making this upbeat, joyful song about a character who can’t wait until the DJ plays that one song that makes his beloved think of him and want to dance a perfect non-Christmas song for a Christmas time playlist. 

Generosity: People Help the People: Birdy (2011)

Songs about freely and joyfully giving your time, money, and energy to serve others are apparently pretty rare. Of course a few have been written over the years, but most songs on “generosity” playlists either use “giving” as some type of euphemism for romantic attention, or express gratitude for “generous” responses to bad behavior. 

British singer Birdy’s “People Help the People” is one of the few that is truly a call to action to share your resources with those in need. The lyrics invite the homesick to “give me your hand and I’ll hold it” and declares that “no one needs to be alone.” 

May these songs about humility, patience, love, delight in the simple joys of life, and giving to others both entertain and inspire us this Christmas season. 

By Jess Santacroce
Music Writer, Phoenix Radio

It happens every Thanksgiving. Someone brings up politics when they know the person across from them holds opposite views and will argue. Somebody else tells a wildly inappropriate story. Then there’s that family friend or family member who asks a bunch of uncomfortable questions. Put a stop to it all and change the subject in a hurry by blurting out one of these five fun facts about giving thanks….and music. 

There are Thanksgiving holiday songs

Most of us expect to hear Christmas songs as soon as we get up from the table on Thanksgiving day, if not before. Thanksgiving songs are rarely played, and almost never heard on the radio or at holiday programs, but they do exist. 

“The Thanksgiving Song” by Ben Rector is written from the point of view of someone driving back into their hometown for a family Thanksgiving dinner. The lyrics mention filling your plate, seeing children grow up, and being reminded of those who have passed on. In the chorus, Rector sings, “Thank God for this Thanksgiving day.” 

“Thanksgiving Song” by Mary Chapin Carpenter echoes similar themes of traveling to be with family and gathering around a table. While it does not directly mention Thanksgiving as Rector’s song does, it does refer to everyone gathered around a table, making it clear that it is a song about the holiday itself, not simply a song about gratitude every day. 

The singers in your family or friend group won’t be able to do it well right after the Thanksgiving dinner 

Eating a bit too much seems to happen at every Thanksgiving dinner. The foods are ones we don’t get to eat all the time, the house is full of enticing scents, and everyone is relaxed and happy….or stressed about having to spend all evening with their annoying relatives. Nearly everyone feels lazy after all the food is gone, but the singers in the group will find their abilities temporarily lessened as well. 

Some of this impairment comes from the same discomfort everyone feels after a full meal. Singing requires focus, and it’s hard to focus on what you’re doing with a bloated or aching stomach. For singers, posture is also important, with bending, hunching, or slouching making it more difficult to sing. An overly full stomach further restricts breathing by restricting diaphragm movement (Mar).

Listening to music that relates to something we are grateful for can boost overall mental health 

Music has long been known to have a powerful impact on our emotions. Some people find listening to happy or upbeat music keeps their mood elevated or lifts their mood. Others find music that matches their mood, even if that mood is irritable, angry, anxious, sad, or despairing, has a cathartic effect, allowing them to work out those upsetting thoughts and feelings without acting out. 

It should then come as no surprise that spending some time listening to music that helps us generate feelings of gratitude can provide a huge boost to our overall mental well-being. Deeper than simply reciting things we’re thankful for, an outlook that centers around gratitude involves walking in the knowledge that we are blessed in many ways, and feeling deep appreciation for those blessings. This approach to life results in lower levels of stress, depression, and anxiety, leading to improved overall mental health.  
Choosing songs that remind us of our blessings can both enhance our feelings of happiness, joy, and love that we feel when we think of them and help us work through any issues in those areas, leaving us simply thankful that we have something to cherish. 

Musicians Miley Cyrus and Natasha Bedingfield both have birthdays that can fall on Thanksgiving 

Thanksgiving always falls on the fourth Thursday in November. This has been a part of American culture since 1942, President Roosevelt having signed a joint resolution setting the holiday the previous December. Because the dates change, Thanksgiving can fall anywhere from November 22 to November 28 in any given year. 

Pop singer Miley Cyrus, most famous for her 2013 hit “Wrecking Ball” was born on November 23, 1992. Natasha Bedingfield, best known for 2004’s “Unwritten” was born on November 26, 1981. 

There is a scientific explanation for why Thanksgiving chores seem more pleasant if they are done to music.

No matter how much you love Thanksgiving, there is likely something about the holiday that is a chore for you. Not everyone enjoys traveling, decorating, cooking, baking, cleanup, or post Thanksgiving shopping. We all know that listening to music during these less than pleasant portions of the holiday season can help make them better, even fun, but you may not know that you have neuroscience backing up your insistence on keeping the radio on in the car or starting your playlist before you start the dishes. 

Listening to music releases a brain chemical called dopamine. Like most brain chemicals, dopamine has various functions, but it is best known as the one that causes the feeling of being rewarded. Our brains were literally designed to experience music as something to be prized. 


All of us at Phoenix Radio are thankful for every one of our broadcast listeners and web page readers. Happy Thanksgiving from The Heat Squad.

















Works Cited

Mar, E. Does having a full stomach effect singing? Should you eat before or after you sing? Music stuff for music lovers. Does Having A Full Stomach Affect Singing? Should you eat before or after you sing? November 28, 2025