It’s April, Mawrters! It’s finally feeling like spring, and it’s about time too! Most days, the temperature was averaging around 40 degrees. Midterms left us in shambles, our friends kept tracking mud into our rooms and the campus geese still hadn’t given birth to their babies. We’d have the occasional warm and sunny day during which we could wear that sundress we’d been dying to show off since… well, September. Nonetheless, I’m pretty disappointed in the fact that I was forced to wear my heavy winter coat in late March when I’d rather be prancing around campus in Birkenstocks.
Finally it’s that time! What better way to celebrate than by listening to upbeat music — especially tunes that evoke the springtime spirit — to both boost my mood and ring in the season. I’ve compiled some of my pop-rock favorites here:
“Cuz You’re My Girl” by Yung Heazy
This is a SoundCloud favorite of mine — a fun, fresh-faced love song combining familiar elements of early Weezer and 1970s rock.
“Dearest” by Buddy Holly
A twangy rockabilly classic, perfect for a romantic sit under a flowering tree with your significant other.
“Peach Pit” by Peach Pit
This Canadian indie pop band named a song after themselves! Groove along to this hidden blues rock gem.
“April Come She Will” by Simon & Garfunkel
Paul Simon’s vibrant lyrics come alive in the iconic folk-pop ballad about love and loss.
“In Undertow” by Alvvays
Alvvays’ tasteful fusion of neo-New Wave, jangle pop and surf rock shines through in this hit from their most recent album.
“April’s Song” by Real Estate
Not entirely sure if this is supposed to be about someone named April or the month, but it doesn’t matter. This sunny instrumental from the New Jersey indie rock group is a necessary tune for any springtime road trip with the windows down.
“Turn On Me” by The Shins
An oldie but goodie, this single from The Shins’ third album is the quintessential mid-2000s sunshine pop jam.
“Our Lips are Sealed” by The Go-Go’s
You can never go wrong with The Go-Go’s, especially when it comes to “Our Lips are Sealed” — cheerful, cheeky and infectious.
“Sprawl II (Mountains Beyond Mountains)” by Arcade Fire
A starry-eyed ode to suburban adolescent alienation — perfect for desperate nights of crunching for finals (and for springtime frolicking).
“No Matter Where We Go” by Whitney
In a similar vein to “April’s Song,” this soul-rock bop is perfect for long, sunny drives.
“Sweet to Me” by Summer Salt
A plucky love song that’s sure to put you in a good mood.
“Japanese Denim” by Daniel Caesar
This mellow R&B anthem is perfect for cuddling… and studying for finals.
“Cadmium” by Pinegrove
Pinegrove’s brand of country-punk has been a staple of my playlists lately, and “Cadmium,” the best song (in my opinion) from 2016’s “Cardinal” is no exception.
“Wildflowers” by Soccer Mommy
Although much more melancholy than the others on this list, this single from Soccer Mommy’s newest bedroom pop release is mandatory April listening.
So go ahead: go out for a picnic with your best friend (or S.O.) and press “shuffle” on springtime!