For many people, the election is like their superbowl. We’ve all been patiently waiting for this night for months, and finally, the moment has arrived. The outcome of this election in particular, may elicit different emotions for many people: some sad and angry and some happy and relieved. In past years, the outcome of the election takes hours to reach but this year is different. The outcome of this election might not be reached for hours, days, or possibly even weeks. So why not listen to some good music while we wait for the final results to help pass the time? With that said, here’s the ultimate election week playlist. This playlist includes some feel-goods songs, political songs, empowering songs, and some just for fun.
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Signed, Sealed, Delivered (I’m Yours), Stevie Wonder
With so many people voting by mail this year, this is the perfect song to celebrate getting your ballot out the door and successfully counted in the election. This song was also one of former President Barack Obama’s campaign songs used during the primaries, bringing back the vibes of the 2008 election.
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Waiting on the World to Change, John Mayer
It’s going to be a long week in anticipation of the final results. While eagerly waiting for the last mail-in the ballot to be counted, let this song calm your nerves with its optimistic vibe.
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Respect Aretha Franklin
Plain and simple, this song could just not be left out. No matter who you are or who you vote for, your vote is your chance to raise your voice and exercise your right as a citizen. This is the moment that we, as citizens of America, can demand the respect of those in power.
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Kill Em With Kindness, Selena Gomez
This song is a reminder to be kind and hopefully, in doing so, we can usher a new era of kindness and truly make America kind again. We should all listen and take the advice that this song has to offer. Even Harry Styles recently said, “If I could vote in America, I’d vote with kindness.”
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Breathe (2 AM), Anna Nalick
This song has a very calming vibe to it despite the very important message it holds. This song is about going through things that there’s no turning back on or re-doing. It is about accepting the situation you find yourself in and making the best of it by realizing that sometimes, things that may seem hurtful at the time may make you stronger. As a reminder to breathe, this song allows us to see that we did our part by voting in the election and there’s nothing we can do about it now other than wait and breathe.
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Alright, Kendrick Lamar
This song has become known as “the protest song of the Black Lives Matter movement” as it captures the frustrations over systemic racism and injustice in America that have become at the forefront of the Presidential campaign in both good and ugly ways. This song reminds us that despite the outcome of the election, the BLM movement and the fight for racial justice do not end. This song gives hope by saying that even in the darkest hours there is the promise of a better day.
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Shake it Out, Florence and The Machine
Although this song isn’t politically motivated, it’s the perfect song for releasing your election anxiety once your vote is cast. In the song she sings, “it’s always darkest before the dawn.” The same could be said about the election.
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Have You Ever Seen the Rain?, Creedence Clearwater Revival
This song paints the picture that it’s possible to have a bright, beautiful, sunny day while at the same time, be raining. In the midst of an election, it is okay for your emotions to run wild. Having a mix of good and bad days are normal and this song further highlights this.
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If The World Was Ending, JP Saxe (feat. Julia Michaels)
This song captures the idea of an impending apocalypse. By imagining what would happen “if the world was ending” where there is no coming back from, the severity of that event is clearly shown. Some consider this election as a possible “if the world was ending” event. An event so significant such as an election, may have the power to bring people back together.
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F*ck You, CeeLo Green
Although this song isn’t necessarily related to the election, I couldn’t pass up an opportunity to add this one in. Wouldn’t it just be so nice to scream f*ck you at the top of your lungs at the end of this very tiring and emotional election? Yeah, I thought so.