Vocal Curation Team

This roundup begins and ends with stories about food. We didn't plan it. It just happened that way. It's fitting though, isn't it? Humanity begins at home, and often enough, it begins around the table. For many, the best memories start with the smell of food wafting from the kitchen. For others, that smell is a reminder of those who failed to show up for dinner.

Much like the rest of 2020, this week has felt more like a month than a mere seven days. It's tough out there right now, but for the next 10 minutes, we're going to do our best to help you cope. If you can't handle this decade anymore and want to get lost in a 50s retrospective, read on; we've got you. If you need some fresh advice to prep for a slowly reopening world of casual dating, read on; we've got you. If you're reeling from the passing of Chadwick Boseman and want to pay your respects to his many contributions, read on; we've got you.

To the Beat is back with a brand new playlist featuring the songs you shared in your stories this August. The music preferences of our creators cover a vast range, so this month's roundup includes a bit of everything. This time around we have some oldies (but goodies), 90's throwbacks, and 00's hits, with some indie jams, K-Pop, and a bit of rap sprinkled in. No matter what you're in the mood for—from 1930's jazz to August's new releases—you'll surely find it on this month's To the Beat.

At its core, Vocal is a platform where creators can be outspoken, creative, and compensated for their many talents. A few weeks ago, we asked the community at Vocal to be just that: Vocal. At the same time, we love to see our community take it a step further and push their creativity to new heights. Largely inspired by our challenges, many creators have been adding layers of complexity and intrigue to their work, as well as including rich media to complement their words. We couldn't be more excited to share more of our favorite stories with you.

It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness, it was the epoch of belief, it was the epoch of incredulity, it was the season of Light, it was the season of Darkness, it was the spring of hope, it was the winter of despair, we had everything before us, we had nothing before us ...

Your stories this month have inspired us to make the perfect summer playlist. July's roundup is particularly exciting as it features this month's new album releases from Taylor Swift, Ellie Goulding, BTS, and more. We also have a healthy dose of indie, classic rock, and rap to round out this month's collection, making it perfect for every summer activity.