Since I started college and applied for a Spotify Student Discount, making playlists has become one of my favorite ways to cope. By compiling songs into a playlist, I put my feelings into a folder, pop a pretty picture as the cover, and then they are forever frozen in time. I can choose to revisit these feelings whenever I want, and I also know that I will never forget them.
Recently, I made my fall playlist, called “Hot Wench Autumn,” which is the energy I am trying to bring with me this fall. Here are 10 of my favorite songs included, guaranteed to inspire “Hot Wench” vibes and get you in that crunchy leaves, PSL, oversized sweater spirit:
- Would that I – Hozier
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This song is off of Hozier’s latest album, Wasteland Baby. It compares new relationships to a bonfire, and his poetic language is guaranteed to make you feel like you’re sitting around a campfire on an early fall night.
- The 1 – Taylor Swift
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I have been (almost) nonstop listening to Folklore since it was released, and this one specifically has been capturing the uncertainty I’ve been feeling about this fall. “If one thing had been different, would everything be different?”
- Run Away – Maggie Gently
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Maggie Gently is a new favorite of mine. Her pop-punk vibe reminds me of a softer Paramore. This one’s soft guitar and lonely lyrics explode into a full rock melody by the end. The “Hot Wench Vibes” of this song are truly off the charts.
- Wishing Well (Audiotree Live Version) – Emily King
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Full disclosure: picking just one song from Emily King was one of the most difficult parts of writing this piece. This one specifically is all about going back to where you began, gathering the pieces that have fallen, finding support, and starting again. In a chaotic world, this song always gives me hope and makes me feel invincible, which is something I definitely associate with my “Hot Wench Vibes.”
- Corduroy Jeans – Rex Orange County
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This song talks about a relationship, and the narrator promises to let their partner go if they’re ever unhappy in it. The stripped, bouncy, raw feeling to it gives it a deep honesty. Rex Orange County and healthy relationship boundaries in a song? Sign me up. “Hot Wench Vibes” certified.
- Rumor Has It – Adele
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This Adele song off of 21 is the epitome of what I consider to be “Hot Wench Vibes”: it’s tough, sarcastic, “do they still love me” lyrics also recognize her ex-partner’s flaws. It walks the fine line between anger and amusement. When I listen to this song, I feel like I have the power to walk up to someone, tell them off, and then strut away … as leaves fall on the ground around me.
- we fell in love in october – girl in red
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Do I listen to girl in red? Yes, and also yes. This song, by Norwegian artist girl in red, captures the feeling of falling in love as the seasons change. Plus, it specifically has the word “October” in it. Therefore, it’s fall vibes are immaculate and off the charts.
- Burnt Espresso – Sidney Amos
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With fun riffs, background raindrops, and playful lyrics, “Burnt Espresso” makes me feel like I am walking to a first date at Café Nero in early September. This one brings “Hot Wench Vibes” for sure.
- Nicholas Sparks – Kinda Collective
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A song with trumpet, an uptempo beat, and Nicholas Sparks references? Incredible and exactly what I want. This love song tells a story about the narrator seeing their partner during a music gig and their subsequent relationship. It’s lighthearted. It’s fun. It feels like a beginning. This fall, I am consciously choosing to think of this time as a beginning. Therefore, this song feels right at home on my playlist.
- 928 Miles – Ellie Banke
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Ellie Banke’s longing riffs, guitar chords, and flowing piano all join together to create this beautiful song. It fills you with the deep warmth that exists in long-distance relationships. This is one I turn on whenever I start to get into my soft feelings and truly belongs in my fall rotation.