If we’re being totally honest, I’m completely unable to study with music that has lyrics. My brain cannot handle the input of school words and lyric words together, so this playlist- as a disclaimer- is not what I would actually study to. If it were more realistic, my go-to’s would mostly be instrumental jazz and a lot of soundtrack music (Disney/Pixar, La La Land, and Harry Potter to be specific). But it’s also hard because lyrics are my favorite parts of songs- so I could not, in good faith, recommend anything less than lyrical magnificence.
This, instead, is my study playlist from an ideal world where I can both listen to lyrical music and focus on my studies. Making playlists is one of my favorite hobbies/procrastination techniques, so if you’re someone lucky who could use this and still focus, I urge you to put this on while you write a paper or study for a test. They don’t all fit in one box, but I think they work well together to get you motivated and actually enjoying some study time. They’re also just good songs that I would listen to and sing along to as I organize my workspace, drive, or do other tasks.
They’re just good songs. I promise.
- “Holy Ground” – Taylor Swift
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Highlight Lyric: Tonight I’m gonna dance / For all that we’ve been through /But I don’t wanna dance /If I’m not dancing with you
- “Fallingwater” – Maggie Rogers
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Highlight Lyric: I never loved you fully in the way I could / I fought the current running just the way you would / And now I’m in the creek
- “Kyoto” – Phoebe Bridgers
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Highlight Lyric: Twenty-five felt like flying / I don’t forgive you / But please don’t hold me to it
- “Banks” – NEEDTOBREATHE
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Highlight Lyric: I want to hold you close but never hold you back / Just like the banks to the river
- “Hallelujah Here Below” – Elevation Worship
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Highlight Lyric: You have the Heavens to call your home / But You abide in the songs we sing
- “Hard Place” – H.E.R.
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Highlight Lyric: And if / I have to choose / My heart or you / I’m gonna lose
- “Movement” – Hozier
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Highlight Lyric: You are a call to motion / There, all of you a verb in perfect view / Like Jonah on the ocean / When you move, I’m moved
- “Little League” – Conan Gray
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Highlight Lyric: And where did all my friends go? / Standing on our street but nobody’s home / Swore we’d never move away / But now I’m going ninety-five on the interstate
- “XO” – John Mayer
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Highlight Lyric: In the darkest night hour / I’ll search through the crowd / Your face is all I see
- “Bad Self Portraits” – Lake Street Dive
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Highlight Lyric: I’m taking bad self portraits / Of a lonely woman
- “Illicit Affairs” – Taylor Swift
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Highlight Lyric: Don’t call me kid / Don’t call me baby / Look at this Godforsaken mess that you made me / You taught me a secret language I can’t speak / With anyone else
- “Fire and the Flood” – Vance Joy
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Highlight Lyric: Since we met I feel a lightness in my step / You’re miles away but I still feel you
- “Language” – Tori Kelly
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Highlight Lyric: They always say “Don’t go to bed angry” / So it’s been days since I got some sleep, babe
Most of these are taken from my playlist, “Bro I Am LIterally Just Vibing” on Spotify, patent-pending. So go forth, listen to these beautiful songs, and ace every test and paper you’re assigned.
Remember to stay tuned for more from our Midterm Study Playlist series, coming to you throughout the week!