If you’re anything like me, music is playing in your ears at almost all hours of the day. I find great joy in listening to music, and the more relatable the song, the more I love it. Most songs that have a big effect on me are those with the theme of being young/growing up. Your teenage years can be the best and worst years of your life, but for some reason I’m always looking back and reminiscing about what has passed. These songs bestow nostalgia every time I listen to them—if you’re looking for songs that bring the same feeling, or if you need some recommendations, here are a couple you might enjoy!
Olivia Rodrigo: “Teenage DreaM”
I’ll start with an obvious one from one of my favourite artists, Olivia Rodrigo. Her lyrics fill a void in me and when I hear songs from her debut album Sour, it brings me back to a vivid time in my teen years. One song of hers I’ll highlight is actually from her newest album Guts: “Teenage Dream.” As indicated by the title, this song gives off a huge nostalgic vibe that many other songs can’t achieve. First hearing this song with my roommates was such a special memory that I hold close to my heart. The lyrics make me feel as if Olivia read my mind and put my thoughts into words. And “Teenage Dream” isn’t the only song of hers that can showcase that bittersweet feeling of being a teenager! Some other songs from her that I love are “Brutal” and “Driver’s License” from her first album, Sour.
Lorde: “Ribs” and “Liability”
Another artist who’s possibly more well-known for her teen nostalgia vibes is Lorde. Nearly all of her songs are the epitome of being a teenage girl, and even though I’m in my twenties I still relate to the lyrics. In the song “Ribs”, from her album Pure Heroine, a lyric I think about at least once a day is “And I’ve never felt more alone / It feels so scary getting old”. Yes, it’s a bit depressing, but it’s also relatable to my feelings—and likely that of many others—who feel like they’re growing up too fast. The song also has an amazing beat, so even with the sad themes I’m still smiling and dancing.
Then there’s “Liability” from her album Melodrama. Another lyric I’ll point out from that song is “we slow dance / In the living room, but all that a stranger would see / Is one girl swaying alone, stroking her cheek”. Again, while this song is a bit sad, it perfectly encapsulates my emotions and I feel as if Lorde is one of the only artists who does this so well—almost too well. She creates songs that feel so raw and relatable. I think almost all of her songs are in some way about the struggles of growing up, and while I can’t share them all, if you liked these ones I recommend giving the rest of her discography a listen.
Current Joys: “Kids”
One song that may not be as popular as the ones above is “Kids” by Current Joys. This song has a more chill and laid back vibe to it which allows you to focus on the lyrics more. It still manages to make me cry almost every time I hear it, but I still love it so much. I feel as if the lyrics represent a child’s perspective on growing up, which makes sense since the song is called “Kids”. An example of what I mean by this is a lyric that states “Oh, I’m just a kid / I never use my brain / I only use my heart / And my imagination”. If that doesn’t embody what feeling like a kid and teenager is like, I don’t know what does. This song also gives off the most nostalgic feeling out of all the ones I have talked about thus far, and if you are looking for that, give this song a try.
Abba: “Dancing Queen”
Moving on from all the sad and reminiscent songs, here is a more upbeat suggestion: “Dancing Queen” by ABBA. I had to throw this one in because it makes me so happy every time I listen to it. If you’ve heard the song, you may know the iconic line, “You are the dancing queen / Young and sweet, only seventeen”. And even if you’re not seventeen anymore, the song never gets old! I’ll probably be playing this song every year on my birthday for many years to come.
Some Extras
Focusing on the early 2000s, here are a couple extra song recommendations. First is “Teenagers” by My Chemical Romance and another is “Teenage Dirtbag” by Wheatus. These songs are definitely more upbeat and make me wonder what it would’ve been like to grow up as a teen in a different generation. Even these somewhat older songs are still relatable, and it makes me think how similar teenagers can be, no matter the decade.
I hope some of these song recommendations spark some interest and give you the teenage nostalgia you may have been missing! I could go on for days about music and how certain artists are able to encapsulate such raw feelings perfectly and make them into beautiful harmonies. Music is an escape for many and I hope this has helped you discover some new artists and songs!