In our first guest episode of The Sound Mind, we sit down with John Butler to explore a life immersed in every corner of the music industry, from college radio and record labels to Spotify and the era of streaming. We discuss what it truly means to listen: to music, to audiences, and to the cultural shifts shaping the way we connect with sound. Plus, John shares his bold predictions for 2026, from the gamification of music to the impact of AI on how we experience music.

CHAPTERS:

0:00 Intro

02:18 Meeting Cyndi Lauper and the Moment the Industry Became Real

09:37 From College Radio to First Promotion Projects

32:49 The Spotify Era: Balancing Data and Musical Intuition

45:40 2026 Predictions: Gamification, Genre-Less Radio and Catalog-Only Labels

59:56 AI Music and the Future of Human Connection

01:03:38 Guiding Artists Today: Mentorship and Community

01:08:30 Summary and Outro

Follow us on Instagram: @thesoundmindtalks

Connect with John: https://www.linkedin.com/in/john-butler-29727b/

All Hands Collective: https://www.linkedin.com/company/all-hands-collective/

For our first episode of 2026, we explore New Year’s resolutions and why the pressure we put on ourselves, combined with natural fluctuations in emotional state, can make even the best-intentioned goals feel heavy. We introduce a goal-setting model that works with your emotions instead of against them, showing how music can be a practical tool to support the emotional state you need to take action. This episode reveals how music can become your emotional infrastructure, helping you start, sustain, and enjoy the goals that matter most this year.

CHAPTERS:

0:00 Intro

05:18 Why New Year’s Resolutions Often Break Down

10:19 How Music Can Emotionally Support Your Goals

22:41 Turning Your Resolutions into Music-Supported Goals

33:32 Summary and Outro

Follow us on Instagram: @thesoundmindtalks

Support us: ⁠https://buymeacoffee.com/thesoundmindtalks⁠

For our last episode of 2025, we break down the psychology behind Christmas music. We explore why festive songs feel comforting, familiar, and instantly transporting — even if they are decades older than we are. We dive into the musical features that make songs sound “Christmassy", and unpack why some people love Christmas music whilst others hate it. Finally, we bring it all together with a science-backed guide to building the perfect festive playlist: one that regulates mood, reduces stress, and enhances connection.

CHAPTERS:

0:00 Intro

02:01 Why Christmas Music Feels So Nostalgic

10:40 What Makes Songs Sound “Christmassy”?

15:02 Why We Love (or Hate) Christmas Music

21:08 How to Build the Perfect Festive Playlist

30:27 Summary and Outro

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Join The Sound Mind Circle for exclusive content! https://tinyurl.com/thesoundmindmembership

Support us: ⁠https://buymeacoffee.com/thesoundmindtalks⁠

In this episode, we break down the psychology behind the internet’s favourite holiday: Spotify Wrapped. From nostalgia and identity to social comparison and belonging, we explore the emotional forces that make Wrapped so irresistible. We dive into 2025’s biggest new features, and reveal how Wrapped transforms your listening habits into a personal story worth sharing. Wrapped isn’t just data, it’s music psychology in motion. Here’s why we can’t stop talking about it, posting about it, and waiting for it every year.

CHAPTERS:

0:00 Intro

01:48 Wrapped’s Core Ingredients

10:17 This Year’s Evolution: New Features of Wrapped 2025

27:36 The Psychology Behind Wrapped’s Success

33:52 Summary and Outro

Follow us on Instagram: @thesoundmindtalks

Join The Sound Mind Circle for exclusive content! https://tinyurl.com/thesoundmindmembership

Support us: ⁠https://buymeacoffee.com/thesoundmindtalks⁠

In this episode, we explore how music shapes the way we shop, from the emotional pull of advertising soundtracks to the subtle cues woven into in-store playlists. Through the psychology of memory, mood, and behaviour, we uncover how brands use music to guide our decisions without us even realising it. We also dive into Christmas as the world’s biggest musical marketing moment, where festive soundtracks combine with nostalgia and generosity to create the ideal environment for unconscious spending. And finally, we examine what happens when music overwhelms, misfires, or crosses into manipulation — and what that means for our relationship with sound, spending, and choice.

CHAPTERS:

0:00 Intro

02:33 How Music Sells: The Psychology Behind It

09:52 Inside the Ad: How Marketers Choose Music

17:33 Christmas: The World’s Biggest Musical Marketing Moment

25:12 The Flip Side: The Ethics of Music and Marketing

31:52 Summary and Outro

Follow us on Instagram: @thesoundmindtalks

Join The Sound Mind Circle for exclusive content! https://tinyurl.com/thesoundmindmembership

Support us: ⁠https://buymeacoffee.com/thesoundmindtalks⁠

In this episode, we explore why scary music scares us and why we secretly love it. Through the psychology of sound, evolution, and emotion, we uncover how horror composers tap into our deepest instincts to create fear through the manipulation of frequency, silence, and dissonance. We trace how the sound of fear has evolved and what it reveals about our relationship with emotion, control, and thrill. We also unpack why some of us seek out fear for pleasure, and how scary music offers a safe space to experience intensity, release, and even joy.

CHAPTERS:

0:00 Intro

01:19 The Evolutionary Function of Fear in Sound

08:44 The Tricks Behind Scary Music

17:06 Why We Love to Be Scared

24:26 How Scary Music Has Evolved

31:58 Summary and Outro

Follow us on Instagram: @thesoundmindtalks

Join The Sound Mind Circle for exclusive content! https://tinyurl.com/thesoundmindmembership

Support us: ⁠https://buymeacoffee.com/thesoundmindtalks⁠

In this episode, we explore the lost art of listening and what albums can teach us about attention in an age of constant distraction. Through the psychology of flow, deep listening, and emotional regulation, we uncover why albums still matter — not just as collections of songs, but as journeys that mirror our inner lives. We also look at how focused listening affects the brain, memory, and stress, and why slowing down with music might just be the mindfulness practice we didn’t know we needed.

CHAPTERS:

0:00 Intro

02:40 Our Distracted Listening Culture

15:37 The Art of Sequencing

20:10 The Psychology of Deep Listening

29:31 Mindfulness Exercise

33:42 Summary and Outro

Follow us on Instagram: @thesoundmindtalks

Join The Sound Mind Circle for exclusive content! https://tinyurl.com/thesoundmindmembership

Support us: ⁠https://buymeacoffee.com/thesoundmindtalks⁠

In this episode, we dive into the fascinating world of music fandoms, from the thrill of discovering a new track by your favourite artist to the friendships and communities that form around shared musical passions. From dopamine-fuelled obsession and parasocial bonds to the collective euphoria of concerts and online fan spaces, we unpack the psychology of fandoms. We also ask bigger questions about identity, creativity, and the balance between healthy admiration and unhealthy obsession.

CHAPTERS:

0:00 Intro

01:48 The Science of Obsession

09:05 Parasocial Relationships

14:16 Fandoms and Community

24:17 The Dark Side of Fandoms

30:29 Why Fandoms Matter

35:19 Summary and Outro

Follow us on Instagram: @thesoundmindtalks

Join The Sound Mind Circle for exclusive content! https://tinyurl.com/thesoundmindmembership

Support us: ⁠https://buymeacoffee.com/thesoundmindtalks⁠