Belonging and Longing: The Soundtrack of Our Memories

1 March 2025

“Share a song and a memory about that song” is the simple prompt inviting people to contribute to Our Top 100. In this participatory project, music serves as a catalyst for sharing stories of love, loss, travel, celebration, transformation and much more. Deeply embedded in the soundtracks of individual lives, these memories reflect a collective experience of both belonging and longing. Music forms a personal connection while fostering a shared bond, linking us to our pasts, communities, and one another.

Our Top 100 is more than a playlist—it is a community-building tool. Created in 10 places over the past decade, participants share songs of particular significance, each accompanied by a personal memory. With over 15,000 contributors, the project has formed a rich mosaic of human experiences preserving histories shaped by songs that underscore pivotal moments in people’s lives. Our Top 100 is an ongoing exploration of what it means to belong to a place, a time, and others and what it means to long for connection, understanding, or resolution.

One of the most meaningful aspects of facilitating Our Top 100 is the discovery of universal themes embedded in stories from people with diverse backgrounds. A song like “When Will I See You Again” by The Three Degrees, contributed by Cornelia, captures the emotional complexity of separation and reunion. Her memory—of a loved one detained by U.S. immigration authorities and eventually returned—reveals a deeply human experience that resonates with anyone who has faced loss or yearned for reconnection. Troy’s memory linked to “Strawberry Letter 23” by The Brothers Johnson is another poignant example of music’s role in marking moments of profound emotional significance. Troy spread his father’s ashes into the sea to this song, symbolizing both release and remembrance. Similarly, Katie’s memory, paired with “Still Love” by Great Caesar, speaks to the healing power of self-love after a difficult breakup. Music here serves as a personal salve and a guide through turbulent emotional terrain. Jason Mraz’s “I’m Yours” has been a popular contribution, often connected to weddings. One particular submission rekindles the memory of close friends and family coming together to sing during a power outage, turning an ordinary evening into an unforgettable moment of connection.

Music functions as a powerful storytelling tool in Our Top 100 by intertwining individual experiences with collective emotions. Music bridges the past, reconnecting us with significant moments in our lives, reviving forgotten feelings, and offering solace in times of sorrow. Each song is more than a memory; it’s a shared narrative that resonates with others who have experienced similar emotions. By pairing songs with personal memories, we create an archive of lived experiences—preserving the moments that shape us and offering a space for others to connect, reflect, and share in the longing and belonging that define the human condition.

Each exhibition of Our Top 100 is fleeting in nature. The handwritten memories and community-curated playlists are accessible only for a limited time, leaving behind a brief but, hopefully, impactful experience for those involved. These cultural artifacts have since relocated to my art storage in North Carolina for further study and reflection. In September 2024, the facility where most of my artwork—along with this treasure trove of handwritten memories—was stored was flooded by Hurricane Helene. The devastation affected many lives in our community, but thankfully, only a few bins containing the Our Top 100 archive suffered water damage. (I’ve never been so grateful for plastic storage bins!) Since then, all the damaged cards have been carefully dried and preserved.

The close call of losing this entire archive has intensified my resolve to expand the project beyond its temporary nature. I am sorting memories and creating thematic playlists to make these personal stories and songs more accessible in both digital and printed formats. I am developing pathways for communities to continue contributing to the project while also activating the already existing archive in new ways.

One such example occurred when a DJ at KNCE radio in Taos, NM, dedicated her show to Our Top 100 by reading a selection of memories from local participants and playing the corresponding songs. This broadcast connected listeners with these personal stories and their emotional resonance to build connection through shared experience. The possibilities for creatively archiving these memories, music, and geographies are vast. Ultimately, my goal is not only to preserve these stories but to create a space where people can continue to find connection, meaning, and healing through music and memory.

Our Top 100 demonstrates the transformative power of music to bring people together, create a shared sense of belonging, and uncover the deep well of longing that resides within us all. As I explore new ways to share these stories, my aim is to foster empathy, understanding, and connection. Music is a bridge to the past, a key to unlocking our memories, and a timeless expression of what it means to be human.

Songs on Belonging and Longing

The Only Exception by Paramore
Young and Beautiful by Lana Del Ray
Losing My Life by Falling in Reverse
Saturn by Sleeping at Last
Strawberry Letter 23 by The Brothers Johnson
Wink by The Voidz
When Will I See You Again by The Three Degrees
Autumn and Tea by Tap Tap
Charlie by Simi
Bohemian Rhapsody by Queen
Still Love by Great Caesar
I’m Yours by Jason Mraz
Just What I Needed by The Cars

This playlist is curated by Jody Servon from Our Top 100: Raleigh at Artspace in 2016 and Our Top 100: Philadelphia at Wonderspaces from 2021 to 2024.