If you’re anything like me, you need to be listening to music at all times. I’ll listen to almost any genre, artist, or album with only one standard for their music: that it matches whatever emotion I’m feeling at that moment. With that being said, I am also very, very emotional. I feel a lot all the time, and with this being said have been able to recognize, discover, and embrace some ultra-specific emotions through music. So, here is a song that I think perfectly fit’s every emotion ever, or at least 10 of them, and my favorite lyrics from each because why not.
Joy
You’re driving around and feeling on top of the world. Your windows are down, you’re taking in the color of the leaves as the sun shines through them, and you just can’t stop thinking about how beautiful life is. Hozier’s “Would That I” completely emulates this feeling. Despite not being a pop or necessarily energetic song, the song’s production itself is completely other-worldly. With its ethereal echoes and pounding baseline drum that blend perfectly with his magical voice, this song is sure to incapsulate what it means to feel truly happy and on top of the world.
Favorite Lyrics: With the war of the fire my heart moves to its feet/Like the ashes of ash I saw eyes in the heat/ Feel it soft and as pure as snow/Fell in love with the fire long ago
Sadness
Now on the opposite end of joy, we have sadness. For the moments where you feel like you’re not sure exactly where life is heading, Phoebe Bridgers, the queen of sad songs herself, has got you covered. Despite “Waiting Room” being a song about longing for someone you can’t have, the melancholy tone of Bridgers voice mixed with the building guitar is sure to replicate exactly how it feels to be just, well, sad. Also, with the main lyric being “Know it’s for the better,” you may be able to apply the song to any scenario in your life that just didn’t work out the way you wanted. All hail queen Phoebe.
Favorite Lyrics: I wanna be the power ballad that lifts you up and holds you down/Wanna be the broken love song that feeds your misery
Overwhelmed
If there is one aspect that we can all agree on when it comes to life itself, it’s that it’s far from linear. Sometimes we get tossed around between the ups and downs of our social lives, emotional wellbeing, and responsibilities so quickly that we can’t even process it all before it all changes right before our eyes. “All My Friends” by LCD Soundsystem is fast paced, loud, and repetitive while lyrically providing something many of us do: question every move we make. The music is restless and is meant to commemorate the constant changing nature of friendship, however, its message and tone may also apply to the changes of life itself.
Favorite Lyrics: If I made a fool/On the road, there’s always this/And if I’m sewn into submission/I can still come home to this
Crushing
You’ve finally admitted to yourself that you have a crush, and you are ALL in. You’re thinking about this person all the time and the butterflies in your stomach are flying faster than ever before. GROUPLOVE’s “I’m with You” is able to summarize the excitement of falling fast up into a perfect 5-minute tech-ish experience. Starting off slow and building up to a quick pop beat, they seem to effortlessly mimic what it feels like to fall all into someone through music itself. As the song repeats over and over that the lead singer is falling for someone, it’s the perfect song to match the thrill that is having a crush.
Favorite Lyrics: It’s all I see/When I make believe/That I’m falling for you/What else can I do?
Hyper
This one might be a bit pre-game specific, but sometimes your energy is at an all-time high and you just need to get it out by dancing around your room or head bopping in your car. “FVN!” by LVL1, a musician from Madrid, is sure to provide the best energetic feel anyone could ask for. You may recognize it from 2020 TikTok from the sound “cat kitty cat cat kitty cat cat,” but the song has so many more exciting hyper-pop vibes than any TikTok trend could encapsulate. Have fun with the rave in your room and turn this song for a truly zestful listening experience.
Favorite Lyrics: Cat Kitty Cat Cat Kitty Cat Cat
Euphoric
Sometimes we have to pretend our life is a movie. Whether something big just happened to you or you’re just feeling like the main character in every way, this 2008 hit will brew up that feeling of pure euphoria. “Sweet Disposition” made strides in the late 2000s/early 2010s music scene with its most notable feature being in “500 Days of Summer.” The song acts as a ballad of the ups and downs of life told through a gradual build of drums, vocals, and lyrics that perfectly mimic the feeling of life itself. If I can urge you to listen to any song on this list, it’s probably this one if you want to feel like you’re floating.
Favorite Lyrics: A moment, a love/A dream aloud/A kiss, a cry/Our rights, our wrongs
Lost
Sometimes we’re unsure what our next turn will be and it’s difficult to find faith in ourselves and our decisions. But as humans its apart of our nature to have a glimmering sense of hope in all we will to help lead us to where we are supposed to do. If you’re at a point in your life where you’re just not sure where to turn next, the late Mac Miller has a song to ground you just a bit. “Come Back to Earth,” a song off Millers album “Swimming,” acts as his plea to finding positivity through his depression and isolation. Although it may not be the most uplifting feel production wise, it is as sweet and gentle as its message. I like to remind myself that if Miller could have the strength to find potential light in darker times, we can too.
Favorite Lyrics: And what I won’t tell you/I’ll prolly never even tell myself/Don’t you know that sunshine don’t feel right/When you’re inside all day?
Confident
There is no better person to instill the feeling of confidence in listeners than SZA. Stemming from her second studio album “SOS,” the song “Low,” featuring Travis Scott on its chorus, is sure to have you feeling as if you’re the shit. The sultry tone of SZA’s Lower register (see what I did there), a masterful production of the beat, and her lyrics combine together to emphasize the feeling of being both mysterious and sexual on your own terms. Every time I listen to this song, I feel like I am officially capable of running the entire world. I hope it does the same for you.
Favorite Lyrics: I’m fuckin’ I ain’t making love no more/You got a new bitch what the fuck you cryin’ for?
Angsty
Nobody gets you. You’re in your head, you’re screaming into your pillow, and you can’t help but feel like the whole world is against you. For all the times we’re pissed at the world and don’t know what to do, Jean Dawson collabed with Mac DeMarco just to help you out. “MENTHOL*” is incredible. Dawson’s lyricism combined with a seamless blend of electric guitar, drums, and echoing background vocals replicate the mixed feelings of anger, confusion, and sadness all in one. There’s also a special voice memo at the end from DeMarco that always makes me feel just a little bit better.
Favorite Lyrics: It’s like I got everyone watching me/But, no ones WATCHING me
Seductive
This may not be the best song to play if you’re getting in the mood with someone (or yourself, we don’t judge here), however, “Home to Another One” is sure to have you feeling like a Victoria Secret angel. Madison Beer is no stranger to creating music that replicates the feeling of sexy femininity. This song makes me feel like I’m standing on a balcony with my hair blowing in the wind with a glass of wine in hand. I would go as far to call this the pretty girl anthem despite its basis of being in a toxic situationship… but we can ignore that for now. Just enjoy the feeling.
Favorite Lyrics: Say you hate me/It’s okay, boy, you’re not the only one/Another year/We’re still here