In one of the more beautiful invocations of rivers in modern literature, the former United States Poet Laureate Kay Ryan wrote, “As it moves along / we notice—as / calmly as though / dining room paintings / were being replaced— / the changing scenes / along the shore.” An image of serenity, yes, but also one of continual change, of old making way for new even as the new recalls the old. The sound, of course, is equally mesmerizing. In that spirit, here’s a playlist of some of our favorite river recordings—for focus, meditation, calm, or just ambience. And because one never steps in the same river twice, our editors update things here regularly. If you hear something you like, add it to your library.