A Soundtrack to Saying Hi

There are two reasons bars play music: first, because they want to sound like a movie, not like a big room with lots of thumpy noises—footsteps, dishes, moving chairs, they all thump.

The other reason, and it’s less obvious, is so you can say to the next person along, “I love this song!” and have a moment, and short-circuit social connections.

Bars are all about short-circuiting social connections. People like bonding with other people, and when people feel good, they buy more drinks. Bars are scientists about this.

The lesson to learn is this: you are in control of your own movie. You know, if you want to be in control. You know the music you like, and you can, if you want to, create your own socializing hack by bringing your own soundtrack.

If you want.

It’s something I do sometimes, anyway. I have these calling cards. On the one side, I make fun of the American Psycho scene by having the most sparse amount of details about myself I can get away with and still call it handing out my contact information. (Oliver - Writer - digits)

And on the other side, I have the names and artists of four of my favorite songs. We all know intuitively that the second quickest way to bond with someone is over music (as a social lubricant, music’s one step below covering up a crime together, which I officially do not condone). A short list of songs tells a story about you that not much else could.

In an ideal world, you’d get to exchange songs twenty minutes before meeting each other and listen to that little soundtrack to your introduction. I guarantee that if we all started doing that we’d be a less lonely species.

It’s a tidy idea. Put some thought into the soundtrack to your introduction. I’ll send you mine if you send me yours.

Then maybe someday we can vibe together through an amazing live set somewhere. I know a few people who can hook us up with tickets.

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Post-Script

Singles nights and in-person dating events are rising due to widespread dating app fatigue, with users seeking authentic connections over endless swiping.

Driven by Gen Z and Millennials, this shift offers a "slow dating" alternative, focusing on organic, face-to-face interactions to combat loneliness

You know what doesn't go out of style? Laughter. Liking the samme tunes and enjuoying the same vibe.

The Front Page News Team in Barcelona have started asking the soundtrack.tosaying-hi adjacent questions actually.

Enjoy and tell us in Instagram about those soundtracks to moments.

If you happen to be in Barcelona on the 23rd of May - Come. Mix and Mingle.