What’s Playing in the Studio: Heard at Work (yes, I still Shazam)
Step into What’s Playing in the Studio, my playful music check-in—part experiment, part time capsule, and mostly just me sharing what’s on repeat.
Today’s theme: songs I caught in the wild at work (overhead speakers, someone else’s playlist, a random moment between calls) and immediately had to look up.
Yes, I still use Shazam. No, I’m not ashamed.
Heard at work (Shazam receipts)
All of these were played at work. I Shazammed them on the spot because I needed to know what was playing. No deep thesis—just vibes + receipts.
Employed pop
Bright, glossy, flirty tracks that make me sound 10% more charismatic. Songs that say crowd friendly but with a wink and nudge to communicate that we’re not like other companies we like cheeky pop… amiright??
- Beautiful (feat. Camila Cabello) — Bazzi, Camila Cabello
- Boy With Luv (feat. Halsey) — BTS, Halsey
- All My Exes' Moms — Brooke Alexx
- Espresso — Sabrina Carpenter
- Manchild — Sabrina Carpenter
- Ruin My Life — Zara Larsson
Breakroom breakdown (between-call bangers)
Club / bounce / strut. The songs that fix my posture instantly. Songs that have me wanting to take a 10 to shake it.
- Wickedest — Tems
- Handlebars (feat. Dua Lipa) — JENNIE, Dua Lipa
- Seven (feat. Latto) — Jung Kook, Latto
- Butterflies — Skrillex, Starrah, Four Tet
- Hypnotised — RITHMAL, Ella Williamson
- PUMP THE BREAK — MORGXN
- When She Dance — Jayda G
- Konichiwa — Donny Benét
Indie-guitar feelings
Crunchy guitars, soft ache, and songs that make the call queue feel like a montage. It’s 2014 and you’re in your twee phase, your Peter Pan collar dress and strawberry frappuccino are a mood. You are a vibe. They will write sonnets about you. Or at least a psychoanalysis.
- Class Historian — BRONCHO
- Time Lapse — Dora Jar
- Shuggie — Foxygen
- Against the Dying of the Light — José González
- New Light — John Mayer
- West Coast — Lana Del Rey
- Heavyweight Champion of the Year — Nilüfer Yanya
- Unfuck the World — Angel Olsen
- Pinky Girl — Ratbag
- Carousel — Samia
- Young Folks — Mindchatter
Closing time…
Soft landing / low light / “I’m still at work but my brain is on the ride home.”
- 16 Carriages — Beyoncé
- BIRDS OF A FEATHER — Billie Eilish
- Glass Piano — Kathleen
- Strangers — Kenya Grace
- it keeps on raining — MARO
- With You — jackLNDN
- Down By The Water — PJ Harvey
- Envious — SAULT
- big feelings — WILLOW
Indie weirdos (odd but delicious)
Alt textures, sideways pop, and anything a little uncanny in the best way. How it feels when you remember you have to work for a living ngl
- Across the Universe — Fiona Apple
- Tangerine — Glass Animals
- Basic Being Basic — Djo
- Hindsight — Echosmith
- watering can — emory
- Sorry for Me (acoustic) — Ricky Montgomery
- You're a Lot — SISTRA
- anemone — slenderbodies
- Blind Spot — Tom Platts, Alia Faye
- Brace Yourself — White Cliffs
“Wait, who IS this?” (international finds)
Non-US/UK (or “sounds global”) discoveries that made me stop mid-task. Honestly, non-English bangers are welcome because I don’t need to know what everybody’s saying—let me be.
- Le coup de soleil (feat. Emma Peters) — Bon Entendeur, Emma Peters
- Todo En La Vida — Elia y Elizabeth
- COMO TÚ — Olivia C. Dacal
- If You Could See Me Now — Quinn Oulton
- Existe Uma Voz — Rogê
- Arrivederci, Baby — Rosemary is famous
- 나쁜 놈들 (The Bad Guys) — Zion.T
I cannot believe this is playing at work
The lyrics are wild: you make a weird comment about sex with your wife to the saleswoman you aren’t sure is 25 or 35, and then you pay for a mattress.
- Don't Cha (with BLOND:ISH) — BLOND:ISH, The Pussycat Dolls, Busta Rhymes
- Illegal — PinkPantheress
- How Do You Sleep? — Sam Smith
- Bed Chem — Sabrina Carpenter
- Sunset Blvd — Selena Gomez, Benny Blanco
- One Of Your Girls — Troye Sivan
Track stats (because I’m nosy)
- Total recs: 58 songs
- Repeat offenders:
- Sabrina Carpenter: 3 tracks
- Artists with 1 track: 55
- Language counts (minimum, based on titles/known releases):
- English: 53+
- Spanish: 2+
- French: 1+
- Portuguese: 1+
- Korean: 1+
- Countries/scenes (minimum distinct represented): 7
- US/UK/Canada + Korea + France + Spain + Brazil + Nigeria + Benin/Australia
- Vibe tally (by section):
- Sparkly pop: 6
- Breakroom bangers: 8
- Indie guitar feelings: 11
- Closing-time comedown: 9
- Indie weirdos: 10
- International finds: 7
- “How is this allowed”?: 6
Your turn
Drop your best “I only know this because I Shazamed it in public” track (or your current on-repeat).
- Atila Martin
