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U Ottawa | Culture

Song Recommendations from 10 Different Genres

Francesca Basile Student Contributor, University of Ottawa
This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at U Ottawa chapter and does not reflect the views of Her Campus.

Want to expand your music taste? Here’s a list of 30 songs from 10 different genres! 

When someone asks me what my favourite genre of music is, I struggle to find an answer. I love listening to different genres because all of them have something unique and compelling to offer. If you’re someone who tends to listen to the same genre consistently, I don’t fault you. It is difficult to branch out when you could just stick to what you know you like. That being said, some genres might surprise you. You might discover a new sound that you never imagined you’d like.

I’ve chosen 3 songs from 10 of my favorite genres that I think encapsulate each genre, are fairly well liked, and that I personally love. I’ve included the link to the playlist on spotify at the end of the article if you’re interested!

Without further ado, let’s dive into the song recommendations! 

records and a headphone set
Photo by blocks from Unsplash

POP 

  1. Style by Taylor Swift 
  2. Overdrive by Conan Gray 
  3. Close To You by Gracie Abrams 

Pop songs are songs that are addictive. They’re songs that get stuck in your head, that play in your mind on a loop, that you hum to yourself while you’re doing menial tasks. They’re songs that you can’t help but sing along to when you’re listening to them. These three pop songs check all the boxes for me! 

INDIE 

  1. Talk by beabadoobee 
  2. Shotput by Still Woozy 
  3. Archetype by Omar Apollo 

My favourite time to listen to indie music is when I’m on the bus, or in the car, or on a walk…basically anytime I’m trying to romanticize life. Indie songs are the ones that you daydream to. Their experimental and distorted melodies have a way of sparking your imagination. 

RAP 

  1. A BOY IS A GUN by Tyler, The Creator 
  2. BLEACH by BROCKHAMPTON 
  3. Sweetest Pie by Megan Thee Stallion feat. Dua Lipa 

I love listening to rap music when I want to feel empowered or energized. It’s the kind of music I usually put on when my friends and I are getting ready to go out to a party, or when I’m at the gym. These three songs fill me with a sense of confidence and are so fun to sing along to with friends. 

ROCK 

  1. Arabella by Arctic Monkeys 
  2. 1979 by The Smashing Pumpkins 
  3. Trouble by Cage The Elephant 

Need to drown out the world with loud music? Rock is the genre for you. Rock is a genre that can overwhelm some people because of how intense it is. Some of these songs blend rock with other genres such as alternative and indie. I tried to choose songs that have a kick to them but aren’t too in your face. 

K-POP 

  1. Basics by TWICE
  2. Kingdom Come by Red Velvet 
  3. ANTIFRAGILE by LE SSERAFIM 

K-pop is a genre I recently got into. I always assumed I wouldn’t like it, but I was very wrong. K-pop has a lot to offer because within this larger genre are so many different sounds. The three songs I’ve chosen are all very different from one another but one thing they have in common is that they’re very addictive. An aspect of K-pop that I love is that since most of the groups are made up of at least three singers, there is a wide vocal range in each song and the blend of the different harmonies is so satisfying. 

JAZZ 

  1. Promise by Laufey 
  2. Kiss of Life by Sade 
  3. Sunrise by Norah Jones 

Jazz is a genre that has been around for a long time and most people associate it with calm and monotonous environments. In reality, there are many jazz songs that are quite lively. The songs I’ve chosen incorporate elements of jazz in a more modern way. 

ALTERNATIVE 

  1. Call It Fate, Call It Karma by The Strokes 
  2. Eventually by Tame Impala 
  3. Be Sweet by Japanese Breakfast 

The funky, offbeat melodies of the alternative genre make these songs sound like they’re from another dimension. In my free time, I like to write fiction and I’ve found that listening to alternative music inspires my creativity. 

FOLK 

  1. Bloom by The Paper Kites 
  2. not a lot, just forever by Adrianne Lenker 
  3. Scott Street by Phoebe Bridgers 

I’ve always found folk songs to be reflective. They have a sinking feeling to them, perfect for nights where you’re lying on the floor staring up at your bedroom ceiling contemplating your life choices. Most of them are slow, and most are pretty melancholy. You’ve been warned. 

R&B

  1. Pretend Lovers by Montell Fish 
  2. Novacane by Frank Ocean 
  3. Normal Girl by SZA 

In my opinion, R&B music is the most romantic. Something about the heavy backbeats and the smooth rhythms make these songs so enchanting. If R&B songs were an object, they’d be candlelight. The songs I’ve chosen are ones I’d want to have playing in the background during a date. 

INDIE POP 

  1. Want Want by Maggie Rogers 
  2. Heavy by The Marias 
  3. Juna by Clairo 

Last but certainly not least. I know I said I didn’t have a favorite genre, but if I HAD to choose…it would be this one. This genre is so versatile and just never gets old. It combines the energy and catchiness of the pop genre with the vibey melodies of the indie genre. A perfect mix! 

And that’s a wrap! 

I hope that this list has provided you with some new favourite songs and that it has convinced you to listen to more genres!

Francesca Basile

U Ottawa '25

Hi! My name is Francesca and I am a fourth year psychology student at the University of Ottawa. My pronouns are she/her.

In my free time I enjoy reading, creative writing, and listening to music.

I am interested in writing about pop culture, mental health, and travel.