5 Things Your Commute Needs: You Can Stream Taylor Swift’s Music Again + More!
Spoiler alert: This week is going to be *amazing.* Not only does this week’s festivities include April Fools’ Day + Easter Sunday, it’s also PB+J Day on Thursday (no joke!). If all of those events aren’t motivating you to rock it this week at work and during your commute, we’ve got a handful of entertaining options that should do the trick all the way to happy hour on Friday.
1. Tidal (Free on iOS + Android, $19.99/month for service): This new music streaming service from Jay Z makes a splashy launch today as it marks the return of Taylor Swift to the world of streaming music. Why do we need another Spotify, Grooveshark, Pandora, etc, you may ask? We don’t really, but Tidal looks to be a little different, as it is describing itself as an audio outlet filled with “high fidelity sound quality,” “high definition music videos” and expertly “curated editorial.” Yeah, that explains the $20 monthly cost. Packed with more than 25 million tracks using lossless audio (a fully detailed, richer sound than competitors) and a super user-friendly experience, this one is a must DL for any + all music lovers. If you’re skeptical, just remind yourself the dark days are over and there is now an outlet for streaming 1989, Red, Speak Now, Fearless + Taylor Swift again.
2. Becoming Steve Jobs by Brent Schlender + Rick Tetzeli (Available on Amazon, Barnes + Noble, IndieBound + iBooks): Before and after the former Apple CEO’s passing, there have been numerous books written about the man. The latest biography about Steve Jobs is looking to stand out from the rest. The narrative of the book is focused around a central question: “How did a young man so reckless and arrogant that he was exiled from the company he founded become the most effective visionary business leader of our time?” By compiling interviews with the former head of Apple’s family, friends and even competitors, the authors have presented a much more intimate — but also nuanced — depiction of Steve Jobs than ever before. Whether you dive into this one in on your Kindle or as a physical copy, you’ll struggle with putting it down to begin the workday.
3. BuzzFeed Podcasts (Available on iTunes, SoundCloud + Stitcher): The media company debuted two brand new audio shows last week, both with completely different vibes. First up is Another Round,hosted by BuzzFeeders Heben Nigatu + Tracy Clayton. Covering all things race, gender and pop culture with bad jokes + shots squeezed in between, this one gets an automatic DL from us. The second new podcast from the buzzy site is BuzzFeed’s Internet Explorer,with talking heads Ryan Broderick and Katie Notopoulos getting their chat on about all the strangest things they find on the Internet. These two listens provide the perfect AM-PM commute duo.
4. Dubsmash (Free on iOS + Android): You may not have heard of this hysterical app until late last week when Rihanna teased her newest single through it, but once you DL, the struggle of closing it will be real. This app is filled with all the audio + visual dubbing you can dream of, making it an instant obsession. From turning yourself into a BAHH-ing sheep to reciting Joey’s famous Friendsphrase — “How you doin’?” — to watching hundreds of videos, your commute will never be dull again.
5. Last Night’s Reading: These quote-filled drawings — all created by New Yorker Kate Gavino — are inspired by everything she’s reading (which is a lot, apparently). Fill your commute with funny, deep, insightful and maybe even life-changing illustrations by following this talented gal’s portfolio.
What are your crutches for commute survival this week? Let us know in the comments.
(Photo via Anthony Harvey/Getty)
