As temperatures cool, sweaters emerge, and leaves begin to fall, my Spotify activity steadily grows. For me, my fall playlists evoke a calming, relaxed theme, contrasting the energetic pop and rock of summertime. I often find myself returning to old classics, and wanting a more chill vibe. Fall, for me, is a season of introspection and reflection, which I find mirrored in my music taste. If you want to listen to something new, read some lyrical/musical analysis, or just want to judge my music taste, keep reading!
1. “America” – Simon & Garfunkel (1968)
I almost exclusively listen to Simon & Garfunkel in fall. This song, in particular, begins on a hopeful but realistic note. It repeats the phrase that “they’ve all come to look for America”. Listening to this song, I find myself exploring the American experience. I relate very little to this song. It was released nearly 40 years before I was born, and examines immigrant culture in the Northeast. However, I am still drawn to this song and the inspection intrigues me. The music, itself, is hopeful, even removed from the lyrics. There is a deep respect and adoration for America that I cannot understand. And yet, this is what fall is about for me. New perspectives, deeper understandings, and self-examinations.
2. “I Want Someone Badly” – Jeff Buckley (1994)
Fall is famously known as “cuffing season,” and for those of us who are not in a relationship, it becomes a season of yearning. Jeff Buckley articulates these feelings perfectly in this song. He describes the fear of superficial love, doubting that he even has the time to pursue a true love at this point. I love this song, especially this time of year, because it mirrors the shadow of winter that looms in the chill of the air. Buckley’s vocals are raw, yet relaxed, complementing the song’s tempo. Despite his pining, he doesn’t allow himself to rush into a relationship. For me, I highly recommend you listen to this song on a solo walk around campus– try not to absorb the lyrics, I dare you.
3. “Look At That Woman” – Role Model (2024)
I know Role Model (Tucker Pilsbury) has probably been all over your feeds for the past few months, from being SNL’s musical guest to his mainstage performance at ACL music festival. However, I can’t help but include this song on my list. This song is upbeat, silly, and encouraging, but remains musically tranquil. This is a perfect getting ready song, especially when you’re putting in your “hoops, white gold”. Tucker’s lyrics illustrate a reverence and respect for love that epitomizes the culture of fall. This song is also sure to be a crowd pleaser if needed.
4. “Clay Pigeons” – Michael Cera (2014)
Michael Cera has to be my favorite Canadian. He did incredible work in Juno, Scott Pilgrim vs. the World, and, more recently, Barbie. But, if you didn’t know, Cera has also made a few forays into the music industry. Personally, I think his cover of “Clay Pigeons,” originally a Blaze Foley Song, is his best work. This song is both instrumental and ethereal. The vocal mixing of this song is reassuring, making it the perfect listen when you begin to get overwhelmed by exams or papers. Also, I adore the cover art on this album. I know this does nothing for the listening experience, but it lifts my spirits when I see it.
5. “Times Square Jesus” – The Favors (2025)
Please listen to this song. It is off of the debut album of The Favors, a young partnership between FINNEAS and Ashe. I have really enjoyed this album since its release about six weeks ago, and it was difficult to pick just one song to include on this list. However, I find myself returning to this song the most and putting it on my playlists. What I love most about this song is its development. The beginning is soft and quiet, but the lyrics and music both grow until the end of the song. The two voices complement each other perfectly, illustrating the repentance and regret of a lost love. This song is a complete story of flickering twin flames, told artistically in just over four minutes.
6. “Soul Love” – David Bowie (1972)
I am a sucker for Bowie, especially this album. I refuse to skip any of the songs, but I do think this song is the most fitting for any mood I am in. Sometimes, some of the more rock-leaning songs can be overwhelming, especially when I’m trying to have an introspective moment. This song has the lyricism that I desire, but retains some danceability. I love this song when I am getting ready or walking to class, because it demands very little. It is a bit more upbeat and eagerly fills the time so I don’t have to hear my own thoughts (ew!). I can’t really explain why I listen to this song more in the fall, but it is an undeniable pattern in my spotify history.
7. “Missing Out” – Maya Hawke (2024)
Maya Hawke is probably my favorite nepo-baby. I love Robin in Stranger Things, but I honestly think Hawke’s music is even better than her acting. I have listened to and adored much of her earlier music, but this song has stuck out to me as some of her best work. The song revolves around the themes of self-sabotage and anxiety over potential, which are exactly my focus in the months of October and November. Again, this song has more tempo and rhythm that disguises its introspection and gives it a place on my “Walking to Class” playlist. If you like this song, I highly recommend you continue to explore her discography– her music is highly under-appreciated.
8. “Let Down” – Radiohead (1997)
Call me performative, but I love this album. This song, more specifically, is the epitome of despair. The lyrics are hopeless, criticizing the sentimentality and optimism of art. It repeatedly describes the feeling of being “crushed like a bug,” removing autonomy and minimizing the listener’s experience. Beyond the lyrics, Radiohead’s sound is iconic, and arguably one of the most influential bands of all time. I love turning on this song when I want to really bathe in self-pity for a few hours, living my most pessimistic and caustic truth.
9. “Big Black Car” – Gregory Alan Isakov (2009)
This song depicts an ideally midwestern fall. Nothing is permanent, childhood is lost, hope is abandoned. The present is glorified as the only truth we have, yet people dwell in any other place. We either reminisce over the past, or hope for the future. This song is musically impeccable. Again, it captures the cynicism of fall. People are often criticized for allowing their moods to shift in this way, reacting to their environment. I remember being told in middle school to “choose my weather,” that I could manage my reactions by controlling my perceptions. However, this song reminds me that I am allowed to respond. I can become disappointed, frustrated, hopeful, or eager for the future. However, the more important choice is that of living in the present.
10. “Sign of the Times” – Harry Styles (2017)
I have intentionally placed this song last on this list because I think it is an optimal conclusion to the rest of these songs. Harry Styles has talked extensively about the meaning of this song, often renowned as his best track to date. Styles discusses that anxiety is a “sign of the times”. Critiquing the absurdly public world we now live in, he emphasizes the escape that we all need. In fall, I often find myself deleting social media, overwhelmed by the constant comparisons and flood of information. This song describes why. As days become shorter and colder, it is harder to ignore the constant societal pressures, “running from… the bullets”.
The ten songs I have listed above are a forty minute journey of love, yearning, reverence, despair, anxiety, self-determination, and societal expectations. Fall is for nostalgia, and hope. It is both past and future. As seasons shift, however, I find that music helps me embrace these changes. Music is art, communication, confession, and industry.
I hope this playlist can help you welcome the intricacies of fall. Or, at the very least, I expect that this article has given you some insight into my perception of autumn. I hope you have enjoyed my picks, and that you have found something interesting to listen to in the interim between Halloween and Thanksgiving!