With online school, COVID-19, and social media, everyday stressors are becoming more overwhelming. I have realized that for me when everything seems to come crashing down, these five songs are my go-to de-stressors.
- To Build a Home -The Cinematic Orchestra
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I would not be surprised if this song is already familiar, as it’s been a part of many movies and now TikToks. I cannot count how many times I’ve plugged in my earbuds, sat down, and let the orchestra drown out all of my anxious thoughts. It is over six minutes long and takes you on a journey towards tranquility.
- Halo – Ane Brun
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This is a slowed-down version of Beyoncé’s Halo and it is a song you listen to while driving in the rain. It begins with a harp and gray noise that immediately puts your mind at rest. Then, Ane Brun’s voice takes you to a faraway place where all your worries seem to disappear.
- La Lune – Billie Marten
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This song is my guilty pleasure. If you binge-watched “Normal People” in quarantine like the rest of us did, this song I Shazamed the first time I heard it. I find myself at peace with life with Marten’s voice and its simple guitar background. It is also great to listen to before bed as the guitar slowly fades away to the point where you feel relaxed again.
- Godspeed – Frank Ocean
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Frank Ocean. He needs no introduction and neither does this song. The first chords and lyrics “I will love you, like I do” pull on your heartstrings. Every time I hear the song, I also connect it with heartwarming TikToks. It also brings me back to when I was on the bus traveling through Spain, watching the sunset behind the mountains.
- Detox – Jack Harlow
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This last song might be a bit unexpected as you probably know “What’s Poppin.” However, if you listen to all of Harlow’s discography, his earlier work displays his ability to cover all kinds of hip hop. Detox has a calm beat and Harlow’s lyrics “Airplane mode for the evening, Detox lemme go and breathe in” specifically hit home when you feel as if the notifications and assignments are never-ending and you never got to catch your breath.
I also recommend making a playlist with songs you love; the ones you listen to over and over again without getting bored of them. Hopefully, this shortlist of songs will help you to destress and bring back positive memories. Music serves as a temporary distraction and if you know certain songs have a calming effect, then make them easily accessible for when stressful times!
P.S. If you need more than around 18 minutes of calming music, here is a playlist from Spotify titled “Calm Down” that is almost five hours long.