March is the month to revel in things that are familiar. In college, it’s a month of midterms, in the context of the year, it’s a month where the sun sets later, closer to summer, but not quite constantly warm. Looking for some comfort facing whirlwinds of stress, I have found myself listening to songs that have previously been my favorites in previous months. However, still wanting to expand the scope of the things I listen to, I have been listening to songs by bands I know, but have never gone out of my way to listen to. Here are the ones that have been getting me through the ups and downs of the middle of the semester.
“Heartbeat” – The Fray
I feel like my default genre this year has been early 2000s dad pop-rock. Nickelback, Creed, and Matchbox Twenty have usually been the rock bands I have on rotation, but this month The Fray have been on repeat. The bridge in “Heartbeat” is one my favorites of theirs, and it’s the song that started off my March playlist.
“Matilda” – Harry Styles
I know that he just ran a marathon and has other interests, but I wish Harry Styles would release new music. His voice is so melodic, and while not entirely clear during his first X-Factor audition, from One Direction to his solo music, he has since released a plethora of good songs. Despite loving many of his songs, Matilda is one of my favorites.
“California” – Joni Mitchell
Earlier this month, Amanda Seyfried went on Late Night with Jimmy Fallon and performed a mini cover of “California”. The grip her cover had on me is insane. I went from never having heard this song before to it now being my most listened to song this month. The way Joni Mitchell inflects her voice throughout the song itches a part of my brain that very few songs do. I have been finding myself trying to listen to other songs, but end up re-queuing this one, even if I have already listened to it three times.
“Light Year” – Adam Melchor, Lennon Stella
The nice thing about living in Boulder is that there have been so many days this month that have been over 60 degrees. However, I am still waiting for when I know the days are going to be constantly warm. I often associate singers with seasons, and once it gets warm out I love having my windows open and playing Lennon Stella, Noah Cyrus, and Olivia O’Brien on repeat. Lennon Stella’s “Three. Two. One.” stands as one of my favorites of all time. She is wildly talented and brings a peaceful tone to Adam Melchor’s song.
“party 4 u” – Charlie XCX
I loved BRAT. I don’t think “Brat Summer” will ever be over, but I think that it can be good to work in some of her older songs. Trending to edits of The Great Gatsby, “party 4 u” has been all over my TikTok feed. I love that in many of Charlie’s songs, the trending sound on TikTok only appears once in the song. I believe that it makes the song more complex, with many elements being layered throughout her songs.
Although March playlists are usually my shortest, I still try to find time to listen to music, both familiar and new. These new songs will inevitably repeat the pattern of other songs I love, getting to reappear on later playlists for rediscovery and a taste of nostalgia.