Podcasting pioneer Suzy Chase has launched a limited holiday series titled 12 Days of Genres: An Audio Advent Calendar from her long-running music podcast, The Groove Radio. The series delivers one genre per day across twelve episodes, each anchored by Chase's signature approach to music curation, storytelling, and immersive listening. Rather than relying on algorithms or playlists, the project invites listeners to rediscover music through genre, memory, and mood. This approach represents a deliberate alternative to algorithm-driven music platforms that dominate digital listening, emphasizing the role of human expertise in creating meaningful musical connections.
The series continues Chase's commitment to human-led music discovery, a defining element of The Groove Radio since its debut in 2005. By organizing content around specific genres rather than automated recommendations, Chase maintains the original mission of her podcast, which launched as the first mixtape-style podcast. Speaking about the series, Chase says she wanted to release something festive and curated that brings a fresh approach to podcasting. The timing during the holiday period positions the series as both entertainment and a potential antidote to the formulaic holiday music that typically dominates seasonal programming.
12 Days of Genres is available on Apple Podcasts, TuneIn, and TheGrooveRadio.com, with new episodes released daily beginning December 13 throughout the holiday season. The release comes at a time when many listeners express fatigue with algorithm-curated playlists that often create repetitive listening experiences. Chase's genre-based approach offers structured discovery that maintains the spontaneity of human selection, serving as a reminder that technology should enhance rather than replace the personal connections that music fosters.
For a podcast that has operated for twenty years, this limited series represents both a celebration of its legacy and an innovation in format that could influence how other creators approach seasonal content. As digital platforms increasingly rely on automated systems for content delivery, Chase's project underscores the enduring value of human curation in creating authentic listening experiences. The series demonstrates how human expertise can provide meaningful musical connections during communal seasons like the holidays, offering an alternative to the repetitive experiences often generated by algorithm-driven platforms.
