Side A, track 1
How to make a mixtape
A mixtape is a set of songs picked and put in order for one reason, like a person, a year or a mood. The order is where most of the work goes, so here's how to get it right in any format.
Six steps to a good mixtape
01
Decide who it's for
A mixtape is easier to make when it has one reason to exist, like a friend's birthday or the summer you all lived together. Each time you're unsure about a song, you can ask whether it belongs to that reason.
02
Collect too many songs
Write down about twice as many songs as you need before you worry about the order. Cutting a long list is much easier than filling a short one, and the songs that survive tend to be the good ones.
03
Choose the first song carefully
The opener tells people what kind of mixtape this is. Pick something they'll recognize within a few seconds, and keep your favorite song for later.
04
Give it a middle
Cassettes had to stop halfway so you could flip them, and that pause was useful. Put a slower song or a change of genre near the middle, so the second half feels like it's starting something new.
05
Save the biggest song for last
People remember how a mixtape ends. Put the song you most want them to walk away with in the final spot, and let it play all the way through.
06
Give it a name and a note
A title and a line about why you made it are the parts people keep. The note can be short, and an inside joke works better than a speech.
Or let us do it
The shortcut
Audiotape makes music video mixtapes from any idea, and we call them tapes for short. Type who it's for or what it's about, and we'll choose the songs and the order, with each one's official music video. You can name it, pick its color and opening, and add a dedication. Watching is always free, and you only pay to record one.
- “The summer we all lived together” Record this
- “Mom's 60th: the songs she raised us on” Record this
- “The songs from every school dance we went to” Record this
Free to watch
Tapes you can play right now
These are Audiotape Originals, the mixtapes we make ourselves. They're free to watch on any screen, and nobody needs an account.
01 / 04
Rewind to the Future (1980s)
“The biggest hits of the 80s”
C-120 · 2 hrs Play02 / 04
Revenge of the Hits
“Top hits of 2005”
C-60 · 1 hr Play03 / 04
Emo Night In
“Rock and emo, 2002–2008”
C-60 · 1 hr Play04 / 04
Karma Is a Mixtape
“Strong women of pop”
C-60 · 1 hr Play
Music videos from YouTube
Questions
- How many songs should a mixtape have?
- A 60-minute cassette held about 16 to 20 songs. A digital one has no limit, but a length someone can finish in one sitting is a good rule. Audiotape's mixtapes come with 30, 60, 90 or 120 songs, because each song plays for about a minute.
- What's the difference between a mixtape and a playlist?
- A playlist can be any collection of songs, and you can shuffle it without losing anything. A mixtape is planned from start to finish for a reason, usually for someone, so its order is part of the point.
- Can a mixtape be made of music videos?
- Yes. A music video mixtape plays official music videos one after another, built around one idea. You can make one on Audiotape by typing that idea, and anyone with the link can watch it for free.
Make a tape of your own
Type any idea, like a decade, a band or a friend's birthday, and we'll record the tape in about five minutes.