Sometimes, especially in weird times like right now, we all need to find a way to let go and focus on something else — something that feels good and rejuvenating. It’s August, and the summer is our time as students to take a breather and go on adventures we wouldn’t normally go on. However, since there’s the threat of COVID-19, that ability is likely hindered for most of us. So instead, I’m gonna give you a list of songs that will make you feel like the main character in a movie. Get comfy, listen and relax.
- “Are you bored yet?” (feat. Clairo) by Wallows
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This popular TikTok bop will make you want to turn the stereo up and sing at the top of your lungs. Imagine the scene in a movie when the main character is on their way to a party and jamming with their friends.
- “Midnight City” by M83
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This song should make you want to wander a city at midnight with your best friends on a Friday night. When you close your eyes, imagine the fluorescent lights and the bass of the venues in the city booming around you. This song reminds me of The Perks of Being a Wallflower when Charlie, Sam and Patrick are driving around at night after their last day in high school.
- “betty” by Taylor Swift
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This song pinpoints that feeling of finding your first love and navigating everything that happens with them. “Betty” implies that miscommunication is happening, and things are not as black and white as the beginning of a relationship. Whether it’s a love from high school like Swift describes or something completely different, this song encapsulates those memories.
- “Electric Love” by BØRNS
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This song brings back 2015 nostalgia mixed with the feelings you get while driving on the beach at sunset. I remember listening to this one after a really good first date and feeling like I was on top of the world. This song reminds me of the scene in Love, Simon when Simon finally meets the account he’s been talking to online.
- “Perfect Places” by Lorde
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A song about finding yourself? Check. This one reminds me of the moment that characters experience in a movie just after the climax, when everything has finally realigned. When friendships are rebuilt, love is rekindled, and unity is restored.
- “OK” by Wallows
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I had to include another Wallows bop, but this time about navigating uncertainty in a relationship of any kind. I feel like this song portrays that paranoia of not knowing how someone feels, followed by the moment of realizing that either way, things will be okay. While this song is about love, it’s also about accepting life no matter which way things turn.
- “Watermelon Sugar” by Harry Styles
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Do I even have to explain? Harry graced us with this chart-topping song and I can’t get enough. I think this is one of those songs that a character would hear when they’re on a fun date. The vibes are electric, the connection is there, and they don’t want it to end. I imagine a carnival scene at night, with sketchy rides, cotton candy stands, and a rainbow-lit Ferris wheel.
- “Ribs” by Lorde
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I absolutely LOVE this song, which describes that feeling of being with your friends for so long and having such a great time that you don’t ever want to leave. This would be playing at a party during a high moment, right before a low moment in the movie comes. I’d honestly recommend listening to the whole Pure Heroine album.
- “Coming of Age” by Foster the People
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I feel like this song would play during the peak of a movie, as the main character makes a huge realization about the world around them. It could be a moment of finally feeling free, or one where their entire world gets flipped upside down.
- “Weekend Friend” by Goth Babe
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Something about “Weekend Friend“ makes me imagine a beach day in a movie, where all the characters are surfing or hanging out on a sand bar. I imagine people messing around in the sand and having an amazing time, feeling like nothing could bring them down.
- “Vines” by Hippo Campus
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This song reminds me of a scene where the main character finishes a long day of work or class and finally lets go of their worries. The vibes I get make me think that they’ll go to the park and sit by a lake, or go on some swings to finally settle their thoughts.
- “Growing Pains” by COIN
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Feeling frantic or confused? It’s okay to not know what’s coming in the future. It’s okay to be afraid to get older. Growing up is a theme that’s universal and is in every movie and every book. Listen to this to encapsulate that theme.
- “Electric Feel” by MGMT
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“Electric Feel” seems like the type of song that would play when a character is going for exactly what they want. It radiates determination, being headstrong, and going for the gold. A bonus is that it’s also perfect for dancing with your friends.
- “iloveyou” by BETWEEN FRIENDS
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This song captures that perfectly imperfect love you only see in the movies. When I listen to this, I think of Will and Stella from Five Feet Apart. They can’t get too close or even touch each other, but their bond is so strong despite the odds.
- “Forever” by Labrinth
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Though this song is an instrumental, it tells a beautiful story and is great for a late-night drive. I feel like this song could be in the background of a really ground-breaking, sad scene, or a scene of relief. This is one of those songs that really can transform and cater to how you feel depending on the situation.
I hope these songs give you a little break from reality — whether you listen to them in the car, in your room, or while you’re on a run. You deserve to feel like the main character!