This project began as I casually collected songs that referenced "cottonwoods." I made a single "ode to cottonwoods" playlist, if you will. Just like when you learn a new word and suddenly begin to hear it everywhere, I started hearing other tree names in songs all the time - songs with different sounds and moods - and began wondering whether I could detect patterns in how (mood, musical structures, etc.) species of tree were used in popular songs. Through researching, I found this was an under-explored avenue down which we could dance (or however you wish to move) towards a better understanding of our relationship to nature. Now it's this: a data repository meant to showcase the diverse uses of nature in popular music and culture.

EXPLORE the data,
ENJOY LISTENING to playlists,
&
HELP US keep our data current!
​New music is released all the time, and we need your help to keep up with it!

WHY MUSIC?
 Music is a diverse form of media with mood altering properties that reaches large audiences. How humans represent species in popular song can shed light on our relationships to the fascinating organisms we share this earth with.

WHY TREES?
We (humans) have assigned symbolic meanings to trees based on their physical, structural, chemical (etc.) characteristics that make them useful (or harmful) to us. *​Eventually, we plan to expand the database to include other life forms across the tree of life.

THANK YOU for visiting! ​