What if the best way to discover an artist was sometimes to take a look at what they listen to themselves? That’s exactly what we’re doing today with Dark Joseph Ravine’s personal Spotify playlist, a 14-track selection that says quite a lot about his musical world, his influences, and the way he approaches music.
At first glance, it’s difficult to find one single musical thread running through the playlist. And that’s precisely what makes it interesting. Dark Joseph Ravine moves freely between Pop, Hip-Hop, Rock, Dance, R&B and major international productions, bringing together artists and songs from very different generations. One thing does seem to connect the whole selection, though: a genuine attraction to songs that have something to say and have managed, in one way or another, to leave their mark on music history.
The playlist actually begins with “B-B-O-B (Behavior Based On Benefit)”, his own track, before moving into Demi Lovato’s “Nightingale”, Don Diablo’s “Save A Little Love” and Drake’s “God’s Plan.” It’s already a pretty revealing combination of the curiosity and musical openness that seem to define the artist.
We then find “You Are a Hero,” another Dark Joseph Ravine track, before the playlist takes a turn toward one of the biggest songs in international pop culture with Céline Dion’s “My Heart Will Go On.” Further down the list, Milky’s “Just The Way You Are,” Bon Jovi’s “You Give Love A Bad Name” and Pebbles & Salt-N-Pepa’s “Backyard” expand the musical spectrum even further.
The journey continues with Ruth Pointer’s “Streets Of Gold,” JoJo Siwa’s “Karma,” Circ’s “Revolution Song (Tonight…),” the Backstreet Boys’ “Everybody” and finally Deborah Cox’s “Beautiful U.”
The result feels almost like a journey through several decades of popular music. Some tracks are instantly recognizable, others reveal more personal tastes, but they all seem to share one quality: the ability to communicate an emotion, an idea or a message.
A Playlist That Says Something
What’s particularly interesting is that Dark Joseph Ravine doesn’t appear to be trying to build a playlist around a single musical trend. Instead, he fully embraces the mix.
Perhaps that also helps us understand his own work. Across his different artistic activities, he regularly returns to themes connected to humanity, kindness, resilience and the way we interact with one another.
That dimension is particularly present in his latest single, “B-B-O-B (Behavior Based On Benefit).” The track explores a society where behavior can sometimes become extremely calculated: What can this person bring me? What am I going to get in return? What’s my benefit in this situation?
The song develops a simple idea: kindness shouldn’t be a transaction. Built around a Pop / Synth-Pop / Bedroom Pop production with accessible melodies and modern electronic textures, Dark Joseph Ravine encourages listeners to rediscover a form of selfless generosity.
The track also has a very personal starting point. Dark Joseph Ravine recalls an experience in Toronto involving a father desperately searching for his lost child in a park. While several people simply watched, he was the passerby who stopped to help. That moment led him to question why people’s behavior can sometimes depend so heavily on what they stand to gain from a situation.
The music video takes that idea into the real world, with Dark Joseph Ravine approaching strangers in public places and sharing spontaneous gestures of kindness. Its colorful, retro aesthetic brings a sense of lightness to a subject that could otherwise feel quite heavy, creating an almost documentary-like reflection on human generosity.
An Artist Who Doesn’t Fit Into One Box
The playlist is also interesting because it reflects the unusual career path of Dark Joseph Ravine.
Born in Toronto on April 26, 1994, Joseph Levy Cohen — his real name — isn’t limited to music. He is also involved in acting, communications, content creation and entrepreneurship. He is the founder of Focus Five Group Marketing Agency and has developed a significant online presence under the name @realdjr.
He is also the author of the award-winning children’s book “Watch Out! It’s Nolan!”, which addresses school bullying, and holds a Guinness World Record for the longest line of arcade tickets.
Ultimately, his Spotify playlist feels almost like a small musical calling card. It shows an artist who doesn’t necessarily want to be confined to one genre, but prefers to explore different eras, sounds and sensitivities.
And among all these artists, one detail naturally catches the eye: Dark Joseph Ravine has chosen to place his own songs alongside some of the artists who have influenced or inspired his musical world.
Perhaps that’s also a reminder that, alongside all these influences, he is now busy writing his own chapter in music.
So, if you want to discover another side of Dark Joseph Ravine, his Spotify playlist is definitely worth checking out. Fourteen tracks, just over 53 minutes of music, and above all, a selection that offers a few clues about what is currently feeding his artistic universe.
Give it a listen.