This is Vancouver 2017 summed up in a Spotify playlist

Okay, so it’s fair to say 2017 has been quite the whirlwind so far.

Together, Vancouverites have experienced everything from a snowpocalypse to LOTS of rain, the drawn-out BC Election to false hopes of Uber coming to town, and Justin Trudeau’s sock trends. Not to mention the fact that a famous K-pop band decided to film a music video here (big deal).

These moments have affected the community, and there’s one thing that resonates with all of them: music. It has a way of connecting us with particular events and moments in life. And making us, well… feel awesome. You know you’ve had that moment where you can’t stop singing out loud to your favourite song and it’s even better when you’re in the crowd at a concert in sync with hundreds of others.

Since music has a way of connecting with us and events, we’re taking a look at everything that’s happened in Vancouver in 2017 – and the collective soundtracks that go along with them.

So, if 2017 in Vancouver were a Spotify playlist, here’s what the track list would be.

Women’s March in Vancouver

Track: Man! I Feel Like A Woman! – by Shania Twain

Up to 20,000 people took to the streets of Vancouver on January 21 to march in protest of the misogynistic rhetoric seen during the US election in solidarity with protests around the world, as well as the Women’s March in Washington, DC. A monumental moment like that deserves a classic Canadian female anthem to match.

Snowpocalypse 2.0

Track: Snowman – by Sia

It’s a hard one to forget. Snowpocalypse hit our city hard in late 2016, and then came back full force in January of this year, albeit for a briefer period. With the La Niña weather forecasts for this winter, the city could be turning into a winter wonderland again in a few months. Tip: Get your parka jackets ready now (or bring out your umbrellas?).

BC Election

Track: Complicated – by Avril Lavigne

Ahh the 2017 BC Election. Chances are you remember it well, and that’s probably because it did run on for quite some time. The Liberals earned just short of a majority, opening the way for the NDP and the Green Party to come together and take power. Stay tuned for the next one… in four years’ time.

ALL of that Vancouver rain

Track: Rain – by City and Colour

You have to admit, the amount of rainfall in Vancouver so far this year really helps remind you that our city is, in fact, built in the middle of a rainforest. It literally rained… and rained… and rained, for what seemed like months on end, particularly early on in the year – a total snub after the glorious summer we had had.

The Uber crisis

Track: Big Yellow Taxi – by Joni Mitchell

Everyone has experienced the ‘taxi situation’ in Vancouver at least once. You call for a cab and end up waiting a lot longer than you expected. Uber was due to come in and save the day earlier this year and had even mapped out routes of the city. It even delivered some free ice cream sandwiches in August, but plans to roll it out in Vancouver have been put on hold by the BC government.

Christy Clark resigning

Track: Bye Bye Bye – by NSYNC

Back in July, Christy Clark decided she would be leaving her role as the leader of the BC Liberal Party. Clark was BC’s premier for almost seven years, so it was a big deal when she left the political sphere in Vancouver. Over and out, Christy.

Justin Trudeau’s socks

Track: Me, Myself, & I – by Chalk Circle (PM Mix)

Canada’s Prime Minister Justin Trudeau rocked up to the inaugural Bloomberg Global Business Forum in New York in September wearing socks featuring the Stars Wars character Chewbacca. Whether it gave him some extra ‘force’ or not, it sure made Vancouverites ridiculously happy. Who knows what socks we can expect to see him wearing in 2018!

Gord Downie, The Tragically Hip

Track: Ahead By A Century – by The Tragically Hip

Canada lost one of its biggest music legends this year, Gord Downie, who passed on at the age of 53 after a long battle with an incurable cancer. Much more than just the front man of The Tragically Hip, he connected with so many Canadians and was a passionate Indigenous rights advocate. His legacy will live on through his music and films dedicated to his honour.

K-pop video filmed in Vancouver

Track: Likey – by Twice

K-pop is huge right now, and in October, famous South Korean group Twice chose Vancouver as the location to film the music video for their track ‘Likey’. This track is the lead single in their 2017 Twicetagram album. The group filmed on Sunset Beach, in Gastown, White Rock Pier, Alley Oop (the bright pink and yellow one, near Granville and West Pender Streets), Steveston and on the SkyTrain.

Riverdale takeover

Track: All Through The Night – by Riverdale Cast Members, Ashleigh Murray, Asha Bromfield and Hayley Law

Netflix production Riverdale began filming the second season of the teen drama in Vancouver earlier this year and a lot of locals noticed. Jughead, Archie – the whole crew – have been capturing magnetic moments and posting them to social media at Lord Byng Secondary School, in Strathcona, at Vancouver Art Gallery, in South Langley and tons of other locations. So the fact that cast members have created their own song All Through The Night makes it the perfect track to stick on as you cast your mind back on all the drama that’s happened in the show (in Vancouver) so far.

The world’s biggest light display

Track: Diamonds – by Rihanna

On select dates in November and December, Metro Vancouver will be illuminated with the world’s biggest holiday light display. Glow Christmas will be lighting up Langley’s Milner Village Garden Centre. It’s set to be awe-inspiring with more than 500,000 lights spanning 103,000 square feet of holiday magic. And you won’t find it anywhere else in Canada (or the world, for that matter!)

So there’s our list, fellow Vancouverites. You can discover the ultimate soundtracks for 2017 by visiting Spotify.com/2017 now.