Looking back over the years, the seasons of my life are more often than not defined by the music I listened to. Middle school was filled with Arctic Monkeys, Mother Mother, and Metallica, while winter 2021—when I was a high school freshman—was all Taylor Swift, Kate Bush, and Lana Del Rey. Every time I hear Gracie Abrams, I feel a pit in my stomach remembering the fall semester of my freshman year at college.
This fall will no doubt be one I look back on with plenty of giggles and fondness every time I hear Fontaines D.C. or Jill Scott. As the forever nostalgic, methodical, and music-obsessed girl I am, I thought there was no better way to revel in the fall spirit than with an organized list of my favorite albums of all time—in no particular order—that feel inexplicably autumnal. From warm and cozy to hauntingly beautiful, these are my eight essential albums to listen to this fall.
- Dopamine Chamber by Fontaines D.C.
-
The Irish post-punk band Fontaines D.C. is best known for their fourth studio album, Romance, which features songs like “Starburster” and “Bug.” The band’s newest album has quickly become my go-to listen since its release on Oct. 16.
Leaning away from the more romantic and desirous themes of the last album, Dopamine Chamber focuses on the escapism and numbness that can come with intimacy and our ever-evolving world. The cinematic, brooding orchestral arrangements on songs like “Where Is Gone,” featuring Rosalía, make for a perfectly haunting album for the fall season.
- By Popular Demand by Jill Scott
-
While many of the hits on this compilation album have been neo-soul and R&B staples since their release in the 2000s, I only recently started diving into Jill Scott’s discography with the attention and admiration it deserves. This album reminds me of running errands with my mom in the fall of 2010, while sneaking swipes of her favorite mint lip gloss and whiffs of her perfume. The rich and impassioned vocals from Scott, paired with warm basslines and strong jazz influences in the instrumentation, make this album a timeless collection of her work.
- Absolutely by Dijon
-
This genre-defying album quickly became a staple in my fall rotation as of last year and has already been on full blast in my car this year. Dijon’s raspy and raw vocals add to the record’s overwhelming romantic and emotional depth. This album has both country and jazz influences that can be heard on songs like “Noah’s Highlight Reel” and “Annie,” which lay a foundation for beautifully vulnerable lyrics and cozy instrumentals.
- Seventeen Seconds by The Cure
-
The cold and gloomy post-punk sounds of Seventeen Seconds were a stark change in tone for The Cure in 1980 when the album debuted. Often classified as gothic rock, this record is defined by a melancholic, atmospheric sound that practically makes you feel the chill in the air that comes around every October.
I became a fan of The Cure in high school when my love for 80s music deepened, and my understanding of production and composition expanded. This record—and pretty much any album by The Cure—makes me think of going home for Thanksgiving and spending time with family, specifically my uncle Tony. My uncle, who is an even bigger fan of the band than I am, encouraged me to dive deeper into The Cure’s discography, leading them to become a pillar of my music taste today.
- Ella For Lovers by Ella Fitzgerald
-
There is no sound on earth that makes me relax and cozy up quite like the gentle and rhythmic voice of Ella Fitzgerald. As a lover of jazz music, there is no getting through the fall season without Ella Fitzgerald. This compilation album was released in 2004 and includes Fitzgerald’s most romantic and intimate songs. The delicate accompaniment of piano and strings perfectly complements Fitzgerald’s incredible vocal control and warm vibrato.
My love for jazz music started at my grandmother’s house over the holidays. No matter what we were doing, she always had a jazz CD playing, and while I can’t recall exactly how much Ella Fitzgerald she played on the regular, the simplistic and smooth arrangements on this album always transport me back to my grandmother’s dining room table.
- Hats by The Blue Nile
-
Hats by The Blue Nile is another atmospheric and gloomy record, but this time with lots more synth and a little more yearning. This album feels like driving around at night with the windows down after a full day of Florida fall showers. There is a dramatic and romantic quality in the tension that builds in each song. This tension comes to a close with “Saturday Night” as lead singer Paul Buchanan reaches contentment in his love for a woman or “ordinary girl,” as the lyrics describe. This album reminds me of sleepovers with my sister over the holidays when I have all the time in the world to giggle and stay up way too late with her. It’s the perfect short album to put on when you want to take a late-night drive and breathe in the petrichor.
- Third Eye Blind by Third Eye Blind
-
As the band’s debut self-titled album, Third Eye Blind is the pop-rock record that brought us the iconic “Semi-Charmed Life” and “Jumper.” The angsty and distinctly late-90s stylistic choices in both the instrumental and vocal performances make it the opposite of timeless, yet somehow that has given the songs even more longevity. This album is the perfect throwback that sends me down a rabbit hole of all my favorite autumnal early 2000s TV shows.
- I like it when you sleep, for you are so beautiful yet so unaware of it by The 1975
-
The minute I feel a slight chill in the air, I have no choice but to crank up The 1975, and three out of five times, I will be blasting this album. The record itself explores themes of addiction, grief, and failed relationships through synth-pop hits, indie-rock and 80s influences, and the essential 1975 gut-wrenching ballads. This album is a fall mainstay in my family. The starting notes of “If I Believe You” instantly take me back to laughing with my cousin, who recommended the album during my first fall semester at UCF.
As you might tell from my nostalgic awe for some of these albums, music is a big part of my life, especially when it comes to connecting to the people I love. Fontaines D.C. is one of my dad’s and my favorite bands, which has kept me coming back to their music over and over again. Even with artists I didn’t grow up listening to, like Jill Scott, familiar sounds and production styles still lead me back to memories of cozy autumn days spent shopping with my mom or arts and crafts at my grandmother’s house over Thanksgiving break. These albums, whether new or old, gothic post-punk or smooth jazz, have been and will continue to be my favorite part of fall.