1. “Kyoto” by Phoebe Bridgers
I feel like everyone has had the experience where they find a song that they love and then CANNOT STOP LISTENING for days or even weeks on end. This happened to me when I heard this song (the first Phoebe Bridgers song I hand ever been exposed to), except on a much larger scale. Truly this song was all I listening to for a period of three months—I have had Spotify for seven years, and within this short period of time when I discovered and was obsessed with “Kyoto,” it became my most listened to song of all time. There’s just something about the upbeat tune matched with the perfectly-crafted lyrics about being unsatisfied with your life and relationships that is truly addicted. I recommend listening to this song (AND to Phoebe Bridgers in general) to everyone I know.
Fav Lyric: “I wanted to see the world / Then I flew over the ocean / And I changed by mind (Woo)”
2. “This Must Be The Place” by The Talking Heads
I don’t often manifest things (I truly am just not mindful enough to do so), but in the hours before my UVA decision came out in April of 2021, I was so nervous that I resorted to Spotify looking for signs of my acceptance. After an intense and spiritual search through my Discover Weekly playlist, this Talking Heads song started playing on my car speakers, and I knew before I knew. I couldn’t open my decision until I got home, but the hour in between hearing this song and opening my acceptance letter, I felt almost no anxiety. Even though I didn’t commit to UVA for another two months, I think I always knew in the back of my mind from this day (and partially because of this song) that it MUST be the place for me :).
Fav Lyric: “Home is where I want to be / But I guess I’m already there.”
3. “Oregon” by Wabie
Another song from late in my senior year of high school, this song provided me comfort when I was scared to graduate and move away from my friends and family. As someone who spent everyday with my extremely close-knit high school friend group and was used to going home to family dinner, moving out of state for college (a whole nine hour drive away) was something I was extremely nervous about. I’m an introvert, too, and although I consciously made the decision to go to college far from home to discover more people and more about myself, I couldn’t help but doubt my judgement a little bit. This all changed when my best friend sent me this song one day. The lyrics described exactly how I was feeling during this time and reassured me that I made the right choice. To this day, the chorus brings tears to my eyes.
Fav Lyric: “I hope it’s better than it’s been back home / The life you find provides with a love for the unknown.”