So I caved. I finally wrote a listicle. I was driving back from my internship and it was a beautiful, sunny day, the first warm one in a while. The drive is about 30 minutes and I wanted to sing along to happy songs with the windows down. I looked through Spotify’s Songs to Sing in the Car and Songs to Sing in the Shower playlists and I realized that none of my favorite feel-good songs are ever on feel-good playlists!! Please note this is not a comprehensive list and it’s not in any particular order. I also didn’t differentiate between “lay in a field in the summer breeze” feel-good, and “jump around and dance with your best friends” feel-good. But that just means you’ll have to listen to all of them to find out for yourself ;)
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Not a Blade of Grass by Juke Ross
Photo credit: LargeUp
This song is actually a cover of a Tradewinds song from the 70s about the Guyanese battle for independence from Venezuela. It’s gorgeous and always makes me feel free.
2) Kaleidoscope by A Great Big World
Photo credit: Genius
This song is just so happy!! It’s all about someone bringing endless happiness to the singers’ lives and it’ll make you feel happy too.
3) Tandem Bike by Emma Jayne
Photo credit: Amazon
This song is so amazing and so severely underrated and it features a freakin KAZOO. But seriously, it’s all about deciding to be happy on your own instead of waiting around for someone to come along and make you happy.
4) Mother by Smallpools
Photo credit: YouTube
Okay so this song doesn’t have the best message because it’s about not wanting to break up with someone because their mom’s french toast is really good, but the melody makes you want to get up and dance, I promise.
5) White Flag by Joseph
Photo credit: Genius
I LOVE this song for so many reasons. First of all, all female-identifying band, so that’s an automatic win. Second, the song is about the refusal to give up even when no one believes in you. I’ve scream-sang the titular lyric “I’m burning the white flag” soooo many times.
6) Ultralife by Oh Wonder
Photo credit: Genius
Josephine Vander Gucht’s gorgeous voice sings about feeling a level of happiness that you’ve never felt before in this song. And I mean look at that cover art. Trippy as hell.
7) Brand New by Ben Rector
Photo credit: Wikipedia
So most Ben Rector songs are bops, but this one is especially boppy. Although he’s singing about feeling young again, I still feel the sentiment in my 19-year-old heart.
8) Good to be Alive (Hallelujah) by Andy Grammer
Photo credit: Amazon
Okay, so this is a classic go-to happy song. With lyrics like “It’s good to be alive” and “I think I finally found my hallelujah”, it was clearly written to be a mindless pop hit, but whatever, it makes me happy.
9) Godspeed by Frank Ocean
Photo credit: The Artist Union
Anyone who knows me knows I couldn’t make a list of songs of any kind without including a Frank song. His voice + his lyrics + a message about being okay with letting go = an amazing song.
10) Song 6 by George Ezra
Photo credit: Chordify
George Ezra’s music is always so beautiful and pure, and this song is an exceptional example. It’s light, sweet, and easily replayable.
What are your favorite feel-good songs? Listen to all of these and add them to your playlist!!!!