Last semester, especially during my first college finals week, I couldn’t help but get distracted by scrolling through TikTok. TikTok can be very addicting and harmful: its endless scrolling and the nearly perfectly fine-tuned algorithm are a dangerously perfect distraction from studying. However, despite the negative characteristics of the app, I’ve found nearly all my study music on TikTok. I define study music as somewhat peaceful music that is mostly instrumental and serves as a good background for reading, writing papers and preparing for exams.
For whatever reason, the TikTok algorithm has introduced me to some of my favorite artists that can put me in that academic weapon mood. Even though I can sometimes relate to people who get annoyed when others discover music on TikTok rather than on their own (meaning you’re not a “real” fan), I will unashamedly say I found these artists on TikTok. I’m very glad I did. So, here are five of those artists (and my current favorite songs by them) to listen to during those late nights in Strozier this semester.
1. Air
Air has been my most listened-to artist this semester. Air is a French electronic duo that Spotify describes as having an “atmospheric” sound, a description I agree with to characterize their music (and it matches their name)! Air composed the soundtrack of Sofia Coppola’s 1999 film and novel adaptation, The Virgin Suicides. Additionally, one of the songs in the original soundtrack for The Virgin Suicides was later used in the second season of HBO’s Euphoria. I would describe Air’s music as ethereal and nostalgic, and I have to say I’m obsessed with their album cover art.
Current favorite songs: “Playground Love,” “La femme d’argent,” “All I Need (feat. Beth Hirsch)”, “Mer du Japon”
2. Aphex Twin
In my first semester at FSU, Aphex Twin made up about 90 percent of my studying playlist. Their music consists of eccentric electronics and instrumentals that either sound like music to a space documentary (e.g. “#3”) or much more intense lo-fi (e.g. “On”). To be honest, some of their music can be too high-strung for more chill tasks, so I’ve been replacing it with Air. However, whenever I need to get a lot of work done, if I head to the basement of Dirac to the isolated tables behind the bookshelves and put on Aphex Twin, whatever needs to be done will get done.
Current favorite songs: “4,” “Xtal,” “Film”
3. Peter Bjorn and John
You’ve probably heard Peter Bjorn and John’s hit song, “Young Folks,” in the Gossip Girl pilot episode or the many subsequent internet audios that resulted from this scene. I love “Young Folks,” but after some exploration, I’ve found that several of their other songs are equally as good. Perhaps because of the association with New York City in the Gossip Girl episode or the urban-looking album cover of their album Writer’s Block, their music always makes me think of a big city. As corny as this sounds, Peter Bjorn and John’s music always makes me feel like I’m in a coming-of-age movie as a student discovering herself in New York City. Grad school manifesting, anyone?
Current favorite songs: “Breakin’ Point,” “The Chills,” “Up Against the Wall”
4. Lamp
Lamp is a Japanese indie band formed in the early 2000s; their music is wide-ranging and can sound peaceful, melancholic, romantic, dreamy and energetic. For some reason, this album cover, with the sun coming through the trees and building in the background, reminds me of the area and trees behind Dirac and in front of Carothers (IMO, an underrated area of campus).
Current favorite songs: “Place in my dream,” “君を待つ間に (Kimi wo Matsu Aida ni),” “Rainy Tapestry”
5. Piero Piccioni
As I was preparing to write this article, I was 99 percent sure Piero Piccioni was in the Call Me By Your Name soundtrack. After many Google searches, I realized this was not the case, even though Piero Piccioni has composed many movie soundtracks. Either way, his music gives that feeling of spending a summer vacation in Italy like Elio and Oliver.
Current favorite songs: “Easy Lovers,” “Mexican Dream,” “Titoli”
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