The Sound Mind

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

Support us: ⁠https://buymeacoffee.com/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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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