It is officially the beginning of a new decade. As we are all busily making New Year’s resolutions and catching up with new tasks and errands, music is truly our dear friend that will accompany us through the hard times and happy times alike. As a person who enjoys listening to various genres of music, here is a little playlist that I compiled to kick-start your 2020.
1. Away by G.E.M.
G.E.M. is a young, talented female songwriter from Hong Kong, and she has released nothing but amazing songs with choruses that are guaranteed to linger within your mind for a long time. As much as I would like to recommend more songs from her, G.E.M.’s 2015 hit “Away“ (literally translates into “Devil from the Heaven” from Mandarin) is a dark song that contains addictive rhythm. Be prepared to get blown away by G.E.M.’s powerful vocals!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FWtbGkpdoP4
2. Tunnel by Sejeong
Sejeong was previously a popular girl group member, and she released her second solo hit “Tunnel” last year. After listening to “Tunnel,” I finally understood why people crowned her with the nickname “God Sejeong”; the definition of this song is basically ‘an extremely comfy, soothing ballad filled with beautiful lyrics and melody’. This song definitely fits the winter vibe perfectly.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mjJuas8sm-A
3. Make It Right Acoustic Remix ver. by BTS (ft. Lauv)
“Make It Right” is really that type of song that grows on you after listening to it again and again. The original song is already amazing enough as Ed Sheeran participated in the songwriting process, yet the acoustic remix version of Make It Right adds a different shade to this song. The addition of acoustic guitar truly brings out the relaxing country (and “Ed”) vibe, which makes this particular version a great song that you can listen to any time of the day.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gq-0-TofUck
4. Perfect by Hedley
There was a period of time where I listened to this single all the time, and whenever I come across this song now, it brings me back to those good, past memories. Hedley may not be a well-known band, yet this song’s chorus is truly one that will get stuck in your head. The message of this song talks about a relationship that did not go well. However, depending on people’s interpretation of this song, it can also be “the song” of encouragement or self-empowerment as the lyrics go, “I’m not perfect, but I keep trying…”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-nBU9VR2X5g
5. Levanter by Stray Kids
As a K-pop music enthusiast, I am always inspired by Stray Kids’ beautiful messages contained in their lyrics, and their latest comeback title track “Levanter” is no exception. This song gives you all the ‘powerful ballad’ vibes, and the MV’s visual is breathtaking. Even though there may be self-doubt at times, just continue to be who you are as you design your own blueprint of life.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fpgd3ac3_nM
6. Run Away by TXT
As we live our everyday lives, there is no doubt that you could possibly feel overwhelmed by all the things that are constantly surrounding you and happening simultaneously. “Run Away” is the title track from TXT’s magical album, and it is the perfect song to listen to when you need a little vent or stress relief. There will always be that one friend (or friends) who will provide the best remedy when you need it the most.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6yWPfUz0z94
Honorable mentions: “Psycho“ (Red Velvet), “Love Poem“ (IU), and “All About You“ (Ben Wu).
There are more songs that I would love to recommend, but the songs mentioned above are my recent personal favorites. I hope you give them a listen, and you might find one or some of these songs the perfect ones for the new year!