There are several places where you can find music in today’s world. Apps, websites, radio stations and  CDs are all viable options to satisfy your lyrical needs. The question is: Which sources should you use for different situations? The following is a list of activities and the music sources that go best with them.

Cruising through Eugene

Whether you’re driving to work, the grocery store, or just a friend’s house, the brief amount of time that you’ll be listening to music almost assures that the radio is your best bet for music. Just pop it on and go through your favorite stations until you hear what you’re in the mood for. Try 102.3 for modern pop music or 99.1 for a mix of oldies and soft rock.

Working out

A good playlist from your very own iTunes library should do the job. You’ll want to organize it beforehand, though. Choose from your favorites that you’ve accumulated throughout the years to craft the blend that will get you toned, in-shape, or just downright “swoll” as the kids call it these days. 8tracks is also a viable option, but iTunes will offer more freedom to choose songs so that you don’t end up with the wrong tune in the middle of a workout.

Entertaining guests

You’ll want to go with 8tracks in this case. With 8tracks you can pair together moods and genres to help the search for the right playlist for free. For example if you’re having a barbecue, you might pair together “rock” and “summer” and see which playlists come up. If you’re trying to solicit a dance party from your guests, you’ll want to go with “hip-hop” and “dance.” Then once you play it, you can enjoy the gathering without having to worry about any sort of DJ responsibilities. Playlists vary in length, but once one ends, another with the same moods will begin.

Relaxing at home

For lounging around the house, Spotify is a good choice. Spotify allows you to choose from a wide variety of music and make playlists for your desktop for free with unlimited use. Relaxing at home is the perfect time to explore new artists and albums, and with Spotify you can listen to entire albums without having to purchase them.

Road tripping

If you’re driving home for a visit, going on a vacation, or just driving in your car for a long time, this is when you get to prove to the world that CDs aren’t dead. Go back into your CD collection (however old it may be) and pop in an album. It will ensure that there is music playing for the entirety of the trip and might even take you back to a previous time in your life.