Music is something that I’ve always felt emotionally connected to. I often find myself relating songs to moments in my life to help me accept and express the emotions that come along with the different phases of life. Music is a form of expression, where people can find meaning in the lyrics and sounds others produce.
Scrolling through TikTok the other day, I came across a video where TikTok user Holly explained, “I think a core part of girlhood is thinking about the first time you related to Landslide personally” (@curvyhervy, 2025). Looking through the comments, I found solace in knowing that so many other girls my age feel the same connection to this song, regardless of the specific scenario they find themselves in.
“Landslide”, by Fleetwood Mac, was written in 1974 while Stevie Nicks looked at her “reflection in the snow-covered hills” of Aspen and thought about the many challenges and changes in her life, feeling as if life was crashing down on her like a landslide.
I read several recollections of what this song means to others, how its lyrics felt relatable in so many different ways. Even if you can’t relate to these specific memories, it is comforting to know that one song has sparked so much introspective thought about our lives and shared experiences.
“I’ve always thought about it in different formative times in my life. Specifically graduating high school and moving to college. And then when I graduated college and moved to a new city. It’s bittersweet to think that I felt like I built my life around those towns, but I continued to thrive even outside them.”
@braydinkylaa, TikTok
“19, deciding to transfer schools even though it was the scariest decision of my life (it was worth all of the fear).”
@belacrysalot, TikTok
“I was 17, everybody who promised to stay left. This song saved me during so much heartbreak. “I’m afraid of changing because I’ve built my life around you.””
@iioa.s03, TikTok
“Moved across the country, was alone in a new place for 3 weeks, new car, new job… no friends, just broke up with my ex… yeah.”
@239studios, TikTok
“I was 15, I left home for boarding school in a new country and realized I would never live at home again.”
@melissawellman, TikTok
“Can I handle the seasons of my life?”
In this season of my life, I have been accepting moving out of my childhood home, and leaving behind years upon years of memories built up in one city. It’s bittersweet, really. I felt an intense range of emotions while packing up my whole life; grief, anger, nostalgia, gratitude. As I faced these emotions, I couldn’t help but think about this song, the changes in my life, growing up… and how much it sucks.
While there have been, and will be, moments in our lives where everything feels as if it’s crashing down on you, when you can’t seem to find the answers to your questions about life, when life feels like sailing “through the changin’ ocean tides”, find solace in knowing that someone else is feeling the same. Someone is relating the same words of your favorite song to their life to help navigate their emotions. Someone is having the same introspective breakdown to the same beautiful lyrics, moving acoustic guitar backing, and passionate electric guitar movement of “Landslide,” even though our perceptions of the meanings of the song are different. And I think that’s quite beautiful.