Imagine this… the world is coming to an end in 30 minutes. There’s a comet hurtling towards us at light speed. The firmament shall go back to hydrogen and helium in a flash of a thousand suns. Everything as we know it. The sum total of human experience, all our loves, hates, prayers and curses, all to be snuffed out. 

Here’s the question. What’s your playlist for those 30 mins.

You get to imagine everything else. You could be alone, in a crowd or hugging your loved ones in a final embrace. That context is for you to set. 

There’s a surprising depth I’ve found to this simple question. My friends and I have been going back to this question every few years or so; I have found people’s playlist change with time; I have seen the happiest ones with the saddest songs and the ones battling demons with the most joyous ones. 

Here’s my playlist for c2024. not in order of the notes below.

I asked an AI (a personal LLM built on my social graph) to analyze this list within the context of the question. Here’s what it says:- 

This playlist is not about quiet resignation. It’s not about weeping in a corner, waiting for the inevitable. It’s about experiencing every possible human emotion before the end.

• You start with longing and regret (The Cure).
• You throw yourself into one last reckless adventure (Animal Collective).
• You pause for a surreal, eerie calm (Louis Armstrong, Pete Fountain).
• You get angry and defiant (Sizzla).
• You love fiercely (Ash).
• You see the world ending in mythic proportions (Led Zeppelin).
• You embrace pure chaos and joy (Iggy Pop).
• And finally, you take one last look back (Nazareth).

This is a cinematic, poetic, and deeply human way to go out—not quietly, but with passion, intensity, and a touch of dark humor.

If the world has to end, this is how you make it count.

the songs below.

From the Edge of the Deep Green Sea – The Cure

Released in 1992 on Wish, The Cure at their epic, emotional best. Robert Smith’s singing about doomed love and longing. Perhaps theword Piloerection was coined just to describe the atmospheric build-up and intense guitar work. Although never a single, it has remained a staple in The Cure’s live performances.

The Last Goodbye, The One That Got Away, The Weight of Regret. This song is drenched in desperation—one final, doomed plea for love that’s already slipping through your fingers. As the world crumbles, it’s the feeling of reaching out for someone you once loved, knowing it’s too late. The “deep green sea” becomes a metaphor for the vastness of time, memory, and loss—something you’re drowning in while the countdown ticks.

Summertime Clothes – Animal Collective

A song from the 2009 album Merriweather Post Pavilion, this track captures a euphoric, dreamlike quality with its pulsating rhythms and layered electronic textures. The lyrics evoke the sensation of a hot summer night adventure, reminding me of all the loves, remembered, forgotten or imagined.

Dancing Through the Chaos, One Last Adventure. There’s an urgency to this song, a manic joy that screams, Let’s go out, let’s move, let’s feel alive while we still can. It’s the moment where you shake off the sadness, grab someone’s hand, and run barefoot through the streets, dodging collapsing buildings, laughing in the face of doom. It’s not about ignoring the end—it’s about celebrating what’s left.

Hello, Dolly! – Louis Armstrong

This 1964 rendition of a Broadway tune became a massive hit, even knocking The Beatles off the #1 spot on the Billboard Hot 100. The song helped rejuvenate Armstrong’s career and remains a jazz standard.

The Surreal Calm Before the Storm, A Laugh in the Face of Doom. This is where the playlist starts to feel cinematic—like an old gramophone playing as the world falls apart. There’s a bizarre, dreamlike quality to imagining Louis Armstrong’s warm, joyful voice against the backdrop of an apocalypse. It’s almost funny, almost beautiful, like the universe winking at you before it all disappears.

Sunset in Paradise – Pete Fountain

A lesser-known but beautiful clarinet jazz piece by the New Orleans jazz legend Pete Fountain. The song showcases his smooth, laid-back style, perfect for evoking a serene sunset mood.

Acceptance, A Slow Exhale, Watching the Sun Dip One Last Time. This instrumental jazz piece is the quiet before the storm—a final moment of peace. Maybe you’re standing on a rooftop, watching the sun set over the wreckage, taking a deep breath. It’s a moment to reflect, to appreciate the sheer absurd beauty of existence.

Run Out Pon Dem – Sizzla

A fiery track from Sizzla, one of reggae’s most influential modern voices. Known for his politically charged and socially conscious lyrics, this song embodies the aggressive, defiant energy of dancehall reggae.

Defiance, Rage Against the Dying of the Light. This song injects fire into the playlist. It’s not about going gently into that good night—it’s about fighting. Whether it’s against fate, the universe, or your own mortality, this track is raw energy, the sound of someone refusing to bow down. Maybe you’re not just waiting for the end—you’re running toward it, screaming, fists raised.

A Life Less Ordinary (2011 Remaster) – Ash

Originally released in 1997 as a single for the film A Life Less Ordinary, this song by Northern Irish band Ash is a fast-paced Britpop anthem. With an energetic, youthful feel, it reflects the late-’90s indie rock scene.

Reckless Abandon, Love in the Face of Annihilation. This song is all about passion—youthful, reckless love that doesn’t care about consequences. At this point in the final 30 minutes, you’re not thinking about the past anymore. You’re kissing someone hard, driving fast, holding nothing back. There’s no tomorrow, so why not live like this?

Achilles Last Stand (Remaster) – Led Zeppelin

A 1976 powerhouse from Presence, this track is one of Led Zeppelin’s most ambitious works, featuring galloping rhythms and epic storytelling. Inspired by mythology and travel experiences, the song is notable for Jimmy Page’s layered guitar overdubs and John Bonham’s thunderous drumming.

Heroic Mythology, The Gods Watching the End. If the apocalypse was a Greek tragedy, this would be the soundtrack. The pounding drums, the galloping guitars—this isn’t just any ending, it’s an epic one. Maybe you’re seeing the final moments in slow motion, a thunderstorm raging as the world burns. There’s grandeur in destruction, and this song makes the end feel almost divine.

Lust for Life – Iggy Pop

Co-written with David Bowie and released in 1977, this song is one of Iggy Pop’s signature tracks. The driving rhythm was inspired by a Morse code broadcast, and the song gained renewed fame when it was featured in Trainspotting (1996), introducing it to a new generation.

The Final 10 Minutes, Chaos & Freedom. The world is literally seconds from vanishing, but instead of despair, there’s wild joy. You’re sprinting through the streets, laughing maniacally, throwing your arms in the air. There’s something strangely liberating about knowing there’s nothing left to lose—this is the soundtrack of absolute, unfiltered, manic life.

This Flight Tonight – Nazareth

A hard rock cover of Joni Mitchell’s folk song, this version was released in 1973 on Loud ‘n’ Proud. Nazareth transformed the track into a high-energy, riff-heavy anthem. Mitchell herself praised their version, saying it brought out an energy she hadn’t considered when writing the original.

The Final Exit, The Last Look Back Before Oblivion. The playlist closes with a song about leaving, about regret, about looking back at what could have been. The lyrics, originally written by Joni Mitchell, feel haunting in this context—like the last thoughts of someone watching everything fade away. The guitars wail like sirens. There’s no escape now. This is it.