A global pandemic has not stopped Hocken Collections staff from celebrating New Zealand Music Month.
The team has created a special, 77-track Spotify playlist featuring a range of sing-a-long classics to contemporary hit songs.
Music curator Amanda Mills said the initiative came together after the library’s temporary closure meant planned New Zealand Music Month public talks and displays had to be canned.
"I wanted to include something a bit special, and was thinking of ways to share music collections online that would engage with the community," she said.
"The Spotify playlist seemed like a good way to highlight some of the wonderful music that has come out of New Zealand over the last century."
Staff contributed their favourite Kiwi tracks from the Hocken’s recorded Music Collections, with some interesting results.
"I discovered that a lot of Hocken staff like Don McGlashan," Ms Mills said.
"Unsurprisingly, the Dunedin Sound musicians were very popular, and it was great to rediscover quite a lot of music — some of the bands from the early 2000s got staff reminiscing about being fans."
NZ Music Month ends on May 31, but the playlist will continue to be available and will be updated regularly.
Hocken Collections reopened to University of Otago staff and students yesterday, and the general public were advised to check the Hocken’s website and social media for further updates.
