Spring has officially arrived, and spring always makes me ready for a little refresh. But spring cleaning is for more than just your closet; your playlist deserves an upgrade too. Get your headphones ready and check out some recommendations from the ‘70s all the way to the 2010s!
1970s
When I think of the 1970s, I think of folk. Without fail, every spring when the sun first starts to shine, I find some folk has also appeared on my playlist.
Van Morrison’s Moondance was released on Feb. 1, 1970, and it quickly became one of his most popular releases. Songs like “Into the Mystic”, “Moondance”, and “Come Running” make me feel ready for a road trip down the beach.
Another ‘70s playlist essential is Jim Croce’s 1972 album, You Don’t Mess Around With Jim. With songs like “Walkin’ Back to Georgia” and “Operator (That’s Not the Way It Feels)”, which have a permanent residence within my playlist.
Finally, can you ever talk about the ‘70s without talking about Fleetwood Mac? I think not. In the 1970s, this legendary band released, not one, not two, but nine albums (I know, I was shocked, too). Among which are their two most acclaimed: self-titled in 1975 and Rumours in 1977. Songs like “The Chain”, “Rhiannon”, and “Gold Dust Woman” are beloved for a reason and surely deserve a coveted spot on your playlist.
1980s
If I had to pick one word to sum up 1980s music, I would pick drama, and that may be why it’s one of my favourite decades for music.
Everybody who knows me knows that I have an undying love for Kate Bush. So, while I’m biased, I think it is undisputed that Mrs. Bush is one of the queens of the ‘80s. She released four albums in the ‘80s: Never for Ever in 1980, The Dreaming in 1982, Hounds of Love in 1985, and The Sensual World in 1989. While I could never even dream of picking a favourite, I feel that Hounds of Love is the most spring. Songs like “Hounds of Love”, “The Big Sky”, and “Cloudbusting” make me want to frolic through a wildflower field.
Another absolute spring classic is Paul Simon’s 1986 album, Graceland. If you’re looking for songs to roll down the window and sing to, “Graceland” and “You Can Call Me Al” are the perfect easy listens.
1990s
Something about the ‘90s, from fashion to music, is just effortlessly cool.
There is no more iconic trio than TLC in the 1990s. Every single one of their songs reminds me of my aunt’s pink bedazzled iPod nano. TLC released three albums in the ‘90s, but their second studio album, Crazysexycool, makes me feel exactly that: crazy, sexy, and cool. Get your headphones ready for songs like “Waterfalls” (of course), “Creep”, and “If I Was Your Girlfriend”. But I also need to give a special shoutout to their 1999 album Fanmail, which contains the celebrated, and for good reason, “No Scrubs”.
Who’s ready to let it linger?! The Cranberries are one of my favourite bands, and while they released three albums in the ‘90s, the other two don’t really compare to my love for Everybody Else Is Doing It, So Why Can’t We? This is one of the albums I own on CD, so it feels wrong to recommend you listen to it in any other way than just start to finish. But if you don’t have time for the whole 40 minutes and 59 seconds, make sure you queue up “I Still Do” and “Waltzing Back”. Also, for the uninitiated, on May 22, 2026, The Cranberries are releasing a deluxe remastered version of Everybody Else Is Doing It, So Why Can’t We? It will contain 14 (yes, 14) new tracks!
2000s
Who doesn’t love some 2000s pop to bless their spring season? Turn your stereo up, roll your windows down, and prepare to sing your heart out, because I have some great recommendations for you.
If you want to feel like you’re in the end credits of a 2000s coming-of-age movie, I have only one name for you: Natasha Bedingfield. Bedingfield released four albums in the 2000s, with three of them being from 2007. Even if you don’t know her name, I would bet some serious cash that you recognize her songs “Unwritten” and “Pocketful of Sunshine”; also, make sure you check out “Love Like This (feat. Sean Kingston)”.
Rihanna. Do I need more of an introduction than that? Rihanna is my 2000s (and current) darling. Rihanna released her debut album, Music Of The Sun, in 2005 and then proceeded to release four more albums in the 2010s, including one deluxe album and one remix album. Throughout these five albums, you can find absolute classics including “Pon de Replay”, “SOS”, “Umbrella”, “Don’t Stop The Music”, and “Shut Up And Drive”. The only thing I ask of her is a new album to bless the 2020s (and before you ask, no, the Smurf’s music doesn’t count).
2010s
As we pass the mid-2020s, it’s official… music from the era can now be classified as throwbacks. I know, I know, I feel old too.
When I think of 2010 perfection, the first thing that immediately comes to mind is Lorde. Lorde released two albums in this decade: Pure Heroine in 2013 and Melodrama in 2017. While I would argue that both are objectively perfect, there is a certain kind of nostalgia attached to Pure Heroine. Lorde released this album at 16, and it perfectly encapsulates how being a teenager feels. I would argue that this album has no skips, but of course, songs like “Ribs”, “Buzzcut Season”, and “White Teeth Teens” hold an especially sacred place in my heart.
While in the 2020s, this celebrity is not one I would particularly endorse, you can’t deny the cultural impact she had in the 2010s. I’m talking about none other than Miss Katy Perry. Perry released five albums in this decade (three standard, two deluxe), but the influence of her 2010 record Teenage Dream is unmatched. With legendary songs such as “Teenage Dreams”, “Last Friday Night (T.G.I.F)”, and “California Gurls”, everyone in the car is sure to be singing along.
No matter the decade, you deserve the right songs to soundtrack your spring, and these throwbacks are sure to deliver. Happy listening!