Okay, I’ll be straight with you — it’s my birthday next week and I wanted to commemorate the occasion with a fun blog post. It comes complete with a playlist, which you can find on YouTube.* Because you should never do anything by halves.

Earphones in, mate! Here we go…

Take a Chance on Me

ABBA

Play when: you’re cold pitching and the competition is fierce.

I Write Sins Not Tragedies

Panic! At the Disco

Play when: you’re asked to fill a piece of sales copy with jargon and tired clichés.

I Knew You Were Trouble

Taylor Swift

Play when: you ignored your gut and now you’re stuck with THE WORST client.

Our Lawyer Made Us Change the Name of This Song So We Wouldn’t Get Sued

Fall Out Boy

Play when: the first draft doesn’t make it past compliance and legal.

We’re Not Gonna Take It

Twisted Sister

Play when: someone tries to lowball you on a project fee.

Too Much Coffee

Two Door Cinema Club

Play when: you’re buzzing at 3am because you had a late deadline and forgot that caffeine stays in your system for 12 hours.

Everyday I write the book

Elvis Costello

Play when: you’re powering through the first manuscript draft.

I Know Him So Well

Elaine PAige and Barbara Dickson

Play when: you don’t have capacity for a long-standing, reliable client, so you’re handing them over to a freelance colleague.

Stuck In The Middle With You

Stealers Wheel

Play when: you’re caught between two teams with conflicting views on the creative direction of the project but you can’t do shit because you’re a freelancer and it’s awkward AF.

Here I go Again

Whitesnake

Play when: you’re asked to revise the draft for the fifth time.

Opportunities (Let’s Make Lots of Money)

Pet Shop Boys

Play when: you’re in the mood to hit that biz dev.

you should see me in a crown

Billie eilish

Play when: you’re complimented on something you know you flippin’ aced.

Oops!…I did it again

Britney Spears

Play when: you inevitably take on another troublesome client, despite playing the Taylor Swift song last time you did it.

More Than Words

Extreme

Play when: you’re trying to explain brand values to a client who just wants awesome-sounding power words.

All Good Things Come to an End

Nelly Furtado

Play when: the amazing project you’ve been working gets final sign off.

Living in a Fountain Pen

Tangerine Dream

Play when: you’re on a 12-hour stint and you can’t remember a time when you weren’t at your desk.

The Sound of Silence

Simon and Garfunkel

Play when: you submit the draft only to be ghosted.

Signed, Sealed, Delivered (I’m Yours)

Stevie Wonder

Play when: you finally get your John Hancock on that writing contract.

Don’t You (Forget About Me)

Simple Minds

Play when: that client is still ghosting you. Still.

I Want it That Way

Backstreet Boys

Play When: the client sends you a link to Apple’s website as part of the brief.

Bitch Better Have My Money

Rihanna

Play when: accounting are sitting on your invoice and it’s been two months already.

*That’s right. I made a playlist.

Song titles that describe the copywriting experience