I’m sure we all know the feeling of needing a song to perfectly fit the moment or mood you’re experiencing – and sometimes, hunting for that perfect track is a tough task. I’m here to help by narrowing down track suggestions for all of your specific experiences and moods.
Whether you’re sad and want to listen to even more devastating music, want to rage out or want to amplify your joy with an appropriately joyful song, here’s my list of recommendations for whatever you’re feeling.
In Your Main Character Moment
“THE DINER” – Billie Eilish
While you may not want to be the main character of this song, as it’s told from the perspective of Billie’s stalker, the instrumental and obsessive lyrics are absolute perfection. If you’re feeling a little stuck in day-to-day suburban life, step into the shoes of this unreliable narrator and feel as if you’re in a thriller/mystery movie.
“Escapism.” – Raye, 070 Shake
This one is a bit cliche – I’m sure you can find it on every “main character” playlist ever, but I don’t care. Those playlist curators are absolutely right to add this to their tracklists. If you want to boost your confidence and feel strong, listen to Raye’s “Escapism.” and disappear into her world of taxi cabs, stilettos and sparkly dresses.
Floating Above the Clouds
“Glory of the Snow” – Clairo
Basically any Clairo song you listen to will achieve this ethereal feeling, but this is one of my favorites. Even with her insanely devastating lyricism, Clairo manages to tie up her tracks into a package full of delicate harmonies, soft piano ,guitar and a feeling like you can fly. I recommend the entirety of her most recent album “Charm” if you’re looking to expand on this floating feeling.
“Dreamer” – Laufey
Similar to Clairo, almost any Laufey song will provide this feeling, but “Dreamer” is my most-listened to track by her, for good reason. While still soft like Clairo, Laufey can provide some more dimension and differentiation among her songs. “Dreamer,” while still a soft jazz song, is also self-empowering, where Laufey repeats that “no boy’s gonna kill the dreamer in me.”
Depressing Sunday Afternoon
“Fade Into You” – Mazzy Star
Everytime I listen to this song, it doesn’t matter how many times, it punches me right in the gut. A song about longing for the love of someone who doesn’t reciprocate it on the same level as you, “Fade Into You” is devastatingly relatable for many. Its honesty towards a relationship with unequal effort between partners is brave and lands just right. Its slow pace and repetitive lyrics, which I’m normally not a fan of, work perfectly with this track.
“Scott Pilgrim vs. My GPA” – Mom Jeans
This is one of my recent tracks on repeat. I discovered it right at a time when it hit the absolute hardest for me. I love how many different interpretations there are for this time, but mine is the difficulty moving on from someone, whether a friend or a partner, and the clawing back to being comfortable with being alone and feeling whole again. While definitely a sad song, I appreciate it ending on “I sleep well alone now,” offering a sense of hope that no matter how difficult your loss may be, you’ll be okay.
I see my Future, and it’s Bright
“man at the garden” – Kendrick Lamar
“I deserve it all,” Kendrick repeats throughout the song, alongside lists of his many achievements like high net worth, traveling and providing a comfortable life for his wife and kids. But, throughout, Kendrick says that he remained true to his morals throughout striving for these accomplishments. This song affirms the importance of remaining true to yourself, but learning when it’s appropriate to celebrate your well-deserved wins in life.
“my future” – Billie Eilish
This has long been a motivational song for me. As someone who is often insecure of putting so much effort into directing my future, this song affirms that it’s okay to prioritize setting up my path in life. Additionally, as someone who spends significant time alone, this song maintains that that’s normal. This song may not apply to someone a bit more spontaneous than me (believe me, sometimes I wish I could take a page out of your book) but it makes me confident in my way of life.
Angry at the World
“The Exit” – Conan Gray
A track about watching longingly as someone else moves on from a situation while you’re still stuck in the past (at the exit), “The Exit,” can be seen as both a sad or angry song. But, I put it in the angry category because Conan expresses his anger that he’s unable to move on easily from a situation, angry that the other person became completely different so quickly and dismantled the life they built together. He takes you through multiple months in the lyrics, emphasizing how long it’s taking him to move on, a reality for many listeners, making this a relatable track to scream along to in frustration.
“Happier Than Ever” – Billie Eilish
While not the most niche of songs, the second half of this song is peak listening when you are angry at someone or simply the world. It’s truly therapeutic to listen to if you need to get some anger off of your chest. The buildup of this song is accurate to the feeling of frustration building up in your mind, providing for a satisfying release at the bridge where Billie sings “could talk about every time that you showed up on time, but I’d have an empty line ’cause you never did.”
I’m sure I missed some along the way, but I hope this gives you a comprehensive guide of songs to listen to, whatever you’re feeling at the moment. I know listening to music that matches your current mood is sometimes the best way to understand your emotions, so I suggest using that idea when struggling with defining what you’re feeling.
