Every Wednesday, the ugly hug shares a playlist personally curated by an artist/band that we have been enjoying. This week we celebrate the 100th volume in this series with a collection of playlists made by our contributors.

h. pruz curated our first ever playlist back in April of 2024. Since then, we’ve featured countless artists ranging from Allegra Krieger, Owen Ashworth, Ivy, Squirrel Flower, Jason Evans Groth (Magnolia Electric Co.), Little Kid, Villagerrr, 2nd Grade, Dead Gowns, Winston Hightower, Shep Treasure, Tombstone Poetry, My Wonderful Boyfriend, Fust, Kan Kan, Tex Patrello, Cootie Catcher and onward.

Over the past year, we have been extremely lucky to grow in size with the help of the many thoughtful and talented contributors from all over, who have offered their time and energy to share some great music. It’s been a great time getting to know these individuals, to learn from and be inspired by their work, experience and insight with everything they do. Below is a collection of 20 playlists made by contributors of the ugly hug (listed in alphabetical order), exploring their personal listening habits and interests.

Check out each contributor’s thoughts behind their playlist, what they’ve been working on at the hug, and the other projects they are a part of.

“Something people might not know about me is that I’ve been a runner for most of my life. The way I love it has changed – and with it, the music. Phases, eras, small obsessions that stuck a little longer than they should have. This is what’s lasted. This playlist is tested. Every song earns its place. It knows when to build, when to lock you into rhythm, when to hit that loud, necessary push – the kind that makes you feel a little insane in a good way. There are the songs that keep me moving and the ones that feel bigger than me; including the pop divas that raised me, the ones I try to channel mid-run (they wouldn’t quit, so neither do I). It’s not a soundtrack. It’s not even my coolest taste. It’s just a record of what I commit to, fully, a little obsessively, with my whole heart, even when it’s a little embarrassing.”

Listen to Arden’s playlist here!

Along with her writing at the ugly hug, reviewing releases from artists like Motocrossed, Marble Teeth and Adeline Hotel, Arden curates her work on her website Arden’s Digest, where you can read everything from poetry and nonfiction to reviews, journals, and recipes.

“Thee Definitive Soundtrack. Headstone fodder. Grist for the mill. If they dig me up they’ll find the following 15 trax instead of teeth for my dental record. Or, if there’s 32 in a jawbone, then maybe this playlist and a loose handful of teeth. It doesn’t have to come to all that, though. (SISTER! Why won’t you give me your HAND!) We can just spin this together now and enjoy it in the sun. We are both Aquarius and I love you (hee haw).”

Listen to Autumn’s playlist here!

You can read Autumn’s work in many of our newsletters, our personal favorite being the intro to the first volume in our show flyer letter series. You can also find Autumn’s literary work in the New York-based Tasting Table food and wine magazine, various composed pieces for a lineup of acclaimed poetry journals like The Mill, as well as three books of her own poetry and prose. The most recent being “Tap Dancing through the Chicken House”, with her fourth on the way soon.

Listen to Averi’s playlist here

Averi is a Chicago-based photographer and has been the leader of some of our most engaging and expansive photo collectives, including their work on the Memory Card x Kitship Tour Diary and the Trash Tape Fest recap. Averi is also the creative mind behind Jeststink, a collective zine that catalogs their world through photos, stories and found keepsakes. Averi just shared volume two of Jeststink, which you can grab a copy of wherever you can find them around town.

“This playlist stems from what I would want to put on during a road trip with someone. Calling it a game might be a stretch, but the joy of it is the same: you pass the phone back and forth, showing each other new songs, and hoping they love it too.”

Listen to Avery’s playlist here!

Avery fronts the Chicago-based band Wishbone, who are playing a show on April 2nd at the Hideout. Keep an ear out for new music on the way soon from Avery and the crew! Along with playing music, Avery has worked an impressive career in show booking, curating countless epic bills the past several years.

“This is a collection of songs I’ve only been able to find on YouTube. There are many collections like it but this one is mine. At the end, I’ve included the first of Montreal show its entirety, as well as Heath’s part in Sight Unseen, for your viewing pleasure.”

Listen to Cade’s playlist here!

Cade is a skilled Chicago-based videographer, working with, but not limited to, short films, music videos, and helping us get our live sessions off the ground. Watch Cade’s work in our first ugly session with Sleeper’s Bell. You can check out Cade’s website, dublindoesstuff.net, and feel free to reach out to him to make any kind of music movie. He also writes and records music under the project Mingus W.

“I tend to move through song curation with a hyper-specific emotion or scenario in mind that I’m trying to better understand. These songs communicate the gentle energy that goes into respecting fragility in people & objects.”

Listen to Dylan’s playlist here!

Dylan also writes and performs in the Pittsburg-based project, Gina Gory. Read his latest piece reflecting on a memorable performance put on by Total Wife.

“My now-roommate and I became fast friends freshman year of college; after quietly revealing our backgrounds in choir/musical theater to each other and lamenting the fact that we never sang with anyone anymore, we proceeded to spend countless nights sitting on her dorm room floor huddled around her laptop opened to ultimate-guitar.com, sipping 2 for $10 bottles of wine from 7-Eleven, stumbling through harmonies to varying degrees of drunken success. This tradition of what we so generously call “jamming” together has considerably leveled up over the past five years: we now drink $5 Trader Joe’s wine instead of 7-Eleven wine; we have our own place with two couches (though we often still sit on the floor while we jam); we have more friends joining us—turns out most of them also missed singing—and our repertoire has expanded exponentially (though if this playlist were 100% accurate, it would honestly be 90% Big Thief songs). There’s sublimity in someone breaking the silence after a song ends and saying the quiet part out loud (“we fucking nailed that”) or, inversely, cracking up immediately (“so that was fucking terrible”). No matter how many times we sing them, no song ever sounds the exact same twice, which means every song brims with potential—we’re still figuring it out as we go and trying to pull our own weight, with no real “end goal” other than to maybe sound beautiful. This is a list of songs that are, as the title suggests, our bread and butter, songs we know by heart, songs we reach for when we need to start or end on a high note. You probably/hopefully have your own version of this list and you probably/hopefully know at least one of our songs, so you could potentially join in…”

Listen to Ella’s playlist, Bread and Butter Jam Sesh here!

Ella is a Chicago-based writer who has recently shared some awesome in-depth and in-person interviews with Chicago’s MaryMary! and Poolish. Ella also curates her work on her substack, Rubber Cement, where she collects musical musings, thoughtful essays, countless stories and all the small things she doesn’t want to forget.

“This is music that has been important to me in the past year or so. A lot of these songs have ties to special memories or people I love, and some are just things I’ve been excited about or inspired by in recent months.”

Listen to Emily’s playlist here!

Emily is an Asheville-based writer and creative, who consistently shares well written and earnest interviews with artists like Shep Treasure, runo plum, 0 Stars and h. pruz.

“My playlist is pretty much just an amalgamation of music I’ve been listening to over the last couple of months! It’s mostly new releases, some local Chicago friends and favorites, but also just some recent obsessions mixed in there as well. I hope you find something you love in there! <3”

Listen to Helen’s playlist here!

Helen is a Chicago-based writer who has worked on covering releases from artists like Samuel Aaron and Glass Beagle, as well as a feature on Colin Miller. Helen currently works college radio promotion with Terrorbird as well as helps run the DIY artist management group Sister Sign management.

“A collage of me recently. Some tracks are just in my rotation, some have carried me throughout the year. I turn twenty-six in a few days, and I like to celebrate birthdays as my personal NYE, so I’ve been doing a lot of EOY analysis. Self-exoneration and reclamation have been themes, and I think these tracks reflect that. Also tried to include some up-and-coming Boston/MA acts that I have my eye on!”

Listen to Joy’s playlist here!

Joy is a Boston-based writer whose latest interviews have covered artists such as Mold Gold, Prewn and Soup Dreams. Joy also runs The Yellow Light Mag, a physical digest part-literary mag, part-collage, part-sharing-of-guts. They accept photos/writings/physical art always, and have contributors from all over the world. Keep an eye out for the next issue “From the Tarmac” dropping soon. Joy also runs a blog on their website and have been featuring local New England musicians there for a while now.

“My playlist is dedicated to the people who make up my hometown, Ithaca, New York. Every song here is a reflection. Either made by someone from this place, or chosen by someone who moves within it; musicians and supporters of the local scene who offered a song they see themselves in. Here and there. This was my way of mapping a community through sound and recognition. My hope is you will spend time with these songs and start to see the shape of something special form in front of you. Or maybe you’ll want to reach towards it. Support your local music communities. Make space for questions when they arrive. Ask what’s meaningful, what lingers, what feels like a mirror.

Thank you to: Sarah Noell, Steven Donahue, JT Tompkins, John Bueno, Hannah Toombs, Gianni Renna, Somer, Amber Martin, Cuchulain, Marcus Converse, Zach Totta, and Wallace Petruziello for sharing pieces of themselves with me. You can find me (Laura) in Ithaca, on The Creative Independent, or you can reach out and tell me about your corner of the world at lebrwn16@gmail.com.”

Listen to Laura’s playlist here!

Laura is an Ithaca-based writer, who’s stunning work you can read on her piece covering one the latest EPs from hemlock. You can read more of Laura’s thoughtful and in-depth writing on her substack.

“These are all songs that I’ve been listening to in the first beginnings of spring, and that sort of excitement one gets as everything starts to come alive again.”

Listen to Lucie’s playlist here!

Lucie is a talented photographer out of Salt Lake City, who’s keen eye brings a refreshing and intimate feeling to all of her photos. Check out her editorial piece she did with Winter on her SLC tour stop last year. You can view more of Lucie’s work on her website.

“This is a collection of some of my favorite “therapeutic walk” tracks. Sonically, they are a bit ranged, but every single one has offered me a cathartic and meditative experience at one point. They also double as excellent “late night solo bedroom dance party” tracks. And they are just some of my favorite songs of all time. Xoxo.”

Listen to Manon’s playlist here!

Manon co-runs the ugly hug, joining as graphics and photo editor two years ago. She also runs a baking account called idontpreheattheoven, that often finds the sweet crossroads of baked goods and new releases.

“I don’t know if there’s much of a sonic thread winding through this playlist, but I chose these songs because they’ve all surprised me. Whether that’s in their melodies or instrumentation or how I was first introduced to them, I’ve experienced a lot of joy in their discovery, and I hope you feel the same!”

Listen to Natalie’s playlist here!

Natalie is a Chicago-based writer and musician, who performs under her project Prairie Scout as well as plays in Chicago’s dreampop band Humdrum. Natalie also works radio promotions with Secretly and artist management with fatback management.

“This playlist is a perfect mix of my all-time favorites and newer finds. I tend to artist hop as opposed to make playlists, so this is my first attempt at creating a short, cohesive mix of tunes from a variety of subgenres. If there is a tasteful amount of whining, the lyrics hint at a superiority complex, it makes me want to cry just thinking about it, or I start dancing after hearing the first note, it’s my kind of song. I hope it’s yours too. Enjoy!”

Listen to Natalie’s playlist here!

Natalie is a Chicago-based writer who spent a lot of time in the belly of college radio at WLUW 88.7 FM. You can read Natalie’s latest review of Charlie Johnston’s new album The Firetruck Is Running Late.

“This is a collection of songs for when I feel myself dissolving – Driving home late at night as the rain hits the windshield, crawling into the sheets of a bed where someone awaits you in their sleep, sinking into a plane that exists only before you dream.”

Listen to Olivia’s playlist here!

Olivia is a Hudson Valley and NYC based music and portrait photographer. Olivia has shared editorial shoots with artists like h. pruz and Bella Litsa. You can view Olivia’s work on her website.

““I’m coming around to… / The place we thought the car was parked,” songwriter Garrett Linck admits—the realization like an exhale. But he follows that near-reconciliation with a step back. “I don’t where I’m going,” he confesses after another pause. It’s a tender moment. And it really gets to the heart of how I feel in the wake of my recent decision to stay in New England, after finishing Divinity School. I always thought I’d head right back West at the first chance; I grew up in Oregon and thought I’d never leave, thought I’d never want to. But Vermont, without my really understanding it, feels like it might just be where my car’s parked, and where I want it to remain parked, for a while.

I’m coming around, I guess… And I think that the reason Vermont feels like the right place for me, right now, has everything to do with these artists, all New Englanders, whom I’ve loosely compiled in this playlist. These people, this music, and the landscape that undergirds it are my reasons. This is what I’ve fallen in love with.

No—I don’t know where I’m going. But listening to these artists—a couple of whom I’ve been lucky enough to call new friends—makes me feel like I can, at least, love the place I’m at.

Listen to Rohan’s playlist here!

Rohan is Vermont-based writer, whose thoughtful work you can find at the ugly hug and at our good friends over in post trash. Read Rohan’s latest deep dive feature of Peter Horses now up on our site.

“I was recently told by my close friend that my music taste is extremely overstimulating. I had never even considered this before, and just thought that what I like is what I like… until I was walking to the Division Blue Line Stop, and realized I was listening to Hella with the volume at max. I’ve designed this playlist to look exactly how my walks look. There’s everything from lo-fi industrial stuff, to electronics. This playlist can be whatever you want it to be. There are also some local bands :-)”

Listen to Ruby’s playlist here!

Ruby is a Chicago-based writer and musician, who drums in formative project, Uniflora, as well as the newly formed band, Leroy.

“My last apartment had a fire hydrant right outside the front door. Because no cars could park there, I would often gather an old milk crate, a couple drinks, and a pack of sunflower seeds and head down to sit on the curb and listen to music. In the middle of summer, sometimes it would be cooler on the curb than my apartment. I would watch the cars struggle with the limits of a one-way street while, while getting in some target practice with the husk of the seeds, and listening to the music blend in with a neighborhood making it through the hateful heat. This playlist is a collection of songs that I listened to a lot down on that curb, often meeting the night with a purposeful end to the day.”

Listen to Shea’s playlist here!

Shea started writing under the journal name the ugly hug back in 2023.

“When I’m listening to music, I tend to gravitate towards a lot of long-running or anxiety-inducing songs. These are some of my all time favorites. From field recordings of wolf packs to experimental electronic folk from Edinburgh to a live gritty rendition of a cosmic country anthem, there’s something in here for everyone. So, next time you host a party, be sure to put on this playlist of undeniable crowd pleasers!”

Listen to Sophia’s playlist here!

Sophia is an NYC-based writer and creative who currently host “Seventeen Girl Days” on 8 Ball Radio in NYC, a radio show loosely inspired by the inventor of the selfie and the culture of girlblogging. Sophia is also an independent writer, whose work has been featured in a variety of online and print publications (though possibly the most important professional achievements of her life have been contributing to a blog about rom-coms, “The New Romantics”). Sophia also produces music for the Edinburgh-based experimental band, Stall Girls alongside her bandmates Mariángela and Freddy. Their EP, Bigger than The Beatles, was put out by PX4M and is available to listen to on Bandcamp.