Nearly a quarter of all American adults experience a mental health condition.  Worldwide, mental health disorders have grown by 25% since 2019.  If that wasn’t startling enough, a recent survey by Record Union reports that the independent musician community is one of the highest sufferers – with mental health conditions affecting 73% in the study – and the number leaps up to 80% for musicians ages 18-25.  But there is good news.  Studies by the NIH, Mayo Clinic, the AMA, and BMC Medicine (among others) are concluding that engaging with music and other arts are directly helping to foster positive mental health.  This is why we created this playlist.  These songs are chosen to be a musical friend on your journey; to let you know you are not alone and to offer you some hope.  By listening, we hope you find “the peace of God which surpasses all understanding” (Phil. 4:7).

Curator’s Notes  (POM – 2024)

One of the best benefits of my job has been that I’ve been so immersed in well-crafted music for over 15 years that I genuinely believe it has helped me have overall positive mental health.  I’m thankful for all of the “gourmet music” which has helped me face fears, tackle anxiety, manage stress, and quiet the inner voices telling lies.  It’s an honor to showcase some music that deals with these themes so directly, and I’m excited that I could play newer songs (The Gray Havens, Cory Asbury, JUDAH, etc) and some throwbacks too (Rich Mullins, Sara Groves, Eric Peters, etc).  Thanks for listening, and be well! — Dave

TRACK LIST

POM Playlist #1 (APR 2024)

Sailboat – Ben Rector
Beautiful Anyway – Judah & the Lion
Constellations – Ellie Holcomb
Voices – Eric Peters
Things That I’m Afraid Of – Ross King
Walking Alone – Geryah Dingle
The Rain Keeps Falling – Andrew Peterson
Carry – Future of Forestry
From This One Place – Sara Groves
Jesus and Therapy – Josh Wilson (ft. JJ Heller)
Dancing With My Shadows – Benjamin William Hastings
Just Fine – Joel Ansett
Secrets – Rachael Nemiroff
Into the Darkness – Drew Miller
Be Alright [REMIX] – Evan Craft (ft. KB & Sam Rivera)
I Miss the Days – NF
Make it Through – Leanna Crawford
Anything is Possible – JUDAH
You Know – Bethany Barnard
Nothing I Can Do – Antoine Bradford (ft. Rory Mckenna)
Stronger Than My Fears – SHEL
“Calm Down, Everything is Fine” – Mike Mains & the Branches
The Bottom – Treva Blomquist
You Are Enough – Sleeping At Last
Hard to Get [DEMO] – Rich Mullins
Louder Than the Lies – Joel Vaughn
What Is The Rush? – Tina Boonstra
White Knuckled – Cory Asbury
Anywhere – The Gray Havens
The Wound is Where the Light Gets In – Jason Gray