Scenario: You’re in your room with the person you’re hooking up with/dating/ambiguously “seeing,” and you think to yourself, “Wow, some music would really spice things up right now.” Looking to get down, you grab your laptop and wait for iTunes to load, but when you start browsing through your playlists nothing seems quite right. “Workout Mix 2k10”? Nah. “PREGAME!!!11”? Definitely not. Frustrated, you make a Coldplay Genius Mix and call it a day.

And this, my friends, is the eternal dilemma of the hook-up playlist.

Some of us have one, some of us don’t and those of us with too much time (or a strong affinity for making playlists) have a few for different occasions. But while it may seem trivial, music has an undeniable impact on our attitudes and moods. Looking at my iTunes library, I have mixes to accompany most of my daily activities – waking up, walking to class, working out, going out, etc. But when it comes to the old “sex mix” taboo, some of us shy away for the following reasons:

1. It’s awkward to play music if you’re hooking up with someone new, or by the same token, someone you’re not yet comfortable with.
2. The logistics of getting up, walking to your computer and blasting “mood music” just seems a bit weird and/or forced.
3. You can’t even decide what type of music you’d want to DJ your hook-up. Rap? Acoustic? Enya? The choices can be overwhelming.

If you’ve tried hooking up to music and aren’t a fan, that’s completely normal. Diff’rent strokes, right? But if the idea appeals to you, whether you’re a sex-music veteran or a total amateur, I’d suggest giving it a go. But when you do, here are a few things to keep in mind.

Genre Matters

You might be inclined to add any hook-up-worthy song to your playlist, but make sure you don’t neglect uniformity. For example, slow, acoustic songs alongside gangsta rap might not evoke the mood you’re looking for and could even result in your partner laughing out loud when “Thug Mansion” starts playing. It’s usually best to figure out which type of music you and your partner respond best to and just go with that.

What’s in a name?

To avoid public discomfort, it’s probably best to name your hook-up playlist something inconspicuous – like “Chill Music” or “Slow Jamz.” Think about it: If I had a mix called, “Rachel’s Sex Tunes,” it would be awful if my parents/ boss/ people who stalk my Mojo library happened upon it. But then again, I do write this column, so the whole “embarrassment” argument probably doesn’t hold much weight.

It takes two to tango

One of the most challenging aspects of creating a great hook-up playlist is remembering you’re not the only person listening to it. If you feel comfortable enough with the person you’re seeing, making a joint playlist can be a really fun activity. That way, you can combine your preferences into something that only the two of you share. Sappy? Yeah, but I promise it’s fun.

And if you’re unattached and just want to make a playlist for potential future intimacy, have at it! Seriously, put whatever you want on that thing, and if the person who eventually listens to it with you really hates some of the songs, then just do the whole mutual-selection thing I talked about before.

For some of us, the idea of hooking up to music sounds appealing, but deciding which songs to include can be tricky. I know everyone has their own, unique musical preferences and yadda yadda, but I figured I’d share some of my personal favorites just in case you’re looking for some (really awesome) suggestions.

I’m not saying I have a hook-up playlist, or that I’ve had one in some form since like five years before I even know what “hooking up” meant, or that I edit it more than I edit most research papers, but if I did have a hook-up mix, it might look something like this (Sorry, Mom):

1. “Orange Sky” by Alexi Murdoch
2. “La Mar” by The Beautiful Girls
3. “Wicked Game” by Chris Issak
4. “Pablo Picasso” by Citizen Cope
5. “Sparks” by Coldplay
6. “Colorblind” by Counting Crows
7. “This Year’s Love” by David Gray
8. “Here’s to the Night” by Eve6
9. “Hear You Me” by Jimmy Eat World
10. “Honey and the Moon” by Joseph Arthur
11. “First in Line” by Matthew Mayfield
12. “Californication” by Red Hot Chili Peppers
13. “Wonderwall (cover)” by Ryan Adams
14. “Run” by Snow Patrol 
15. “Keepsake” by State Radio

Rachel Dickens is a senior majoring in journalism and communication arts. Questions? Comments? Email [email protected].