Technical solutions are described for selecting and retrieving, by a media retrieval system, media items for displaying. An example method for selecting and retrieving the media items includes monitoring a conversation of a user via a user device, and extracting a conversation topic from the conversation. The method further includes determining that a metadata database of a media storage associated with the user includes the conversation topic. The method further includes adding, in response, to a topic match database, from the media storage, an identity of a media item matching with the conversation topic, and adding, to a list of media items to be played back by a media display device, the topic match database. Further yet, the method includes playing back, by the media display device, the media item.