Why Playlist Storytellers?

We have two strong beliefs:

We believe that every song has two lives.

There’s the life before the song is released which involves the artists who worked on the song, the inspiration for the song and the environment they were in. The second life starts after it’s released to the public which involves the way the song shows up in our lives. 

You’ve definitely watched shows reflecting the first life

  • Diary of a Song by New York Times

  • Genius Verified

  • Story of My Song by AmEx

  • VH1 Storytellers

Playlist Storytellers is all about exploring the second life through memorable stories told by the average listener

We believe context makes songs sound better

Movie scenes, TikTok trends, Music Videos and great stories all have one thing in common. They give the listener something to associate the music with. You’re not just listening for if the song sounds good. The song activates the emotions in the narrative you’ve watched or heard which gives the song more meaning.

Behind the brand

Like all great things, Danny created Playlist Storytellers to create the thing he wish he had growing up — a place to listen to music and talk about the stories around it with others.

What started in living rooms with a handful of music fans grew into a bigger dream — a live show where preselected people share stories about the songs that shaped their life.

As of November 2025, Playlist Storytellers is a staple in Toronto and has been brought to NYC and Yosemite.

  • Founder

    @datkeed

    Danny is born, raised and still lives in Toronto. He’s spent his career supporting the careers of artists he believes in. He’ll tell you that music means everything to him.

    Danny’s favourite artist: Jon Bellion

    If Danny were to tell a story about a song that shaped his life it would be Tieduprightnow by Parcels

  • Story Director

    @thejacobkelly

    Jacob was born in a small town in Manitoba, moved to Ottawa and then eventually settled down in Toronto where he now lives. Beyond Playlist Storytellers, Jacob is well known for his essays and podcast under the brand ‘Artwell’