Am I… Rory Gilmore?
You know that feeling. You’re walking to class or running errands on a golden fall day; the wind is brushing through your hair and your shoes are making a satisfying sound on the pavement and you feel, no, know that people are watching you. These “side characters” are probably wondering where you’re going and what you’re doing, and you smile at them as you stride past.
Feeling like the main character is one of the best feelings there is. One of the most important ingredients for this “main character aesthetic” is a good playlist that makes you feel like you are in a movie. For that reason, I’ve created a playlist below that’s full of songs that make me feel this way. Enjoy!
#1: “These Boots Are Made For Walkin’” by Nancy Sinatra
Naturally, we begin with this gem from Nancy Sinatra, because nothing channels my inner baddie like this tune.
#2: “Campus” by Vampire Weekend
No surprise here. This is the perfect song for walking between classes around campus!
#3: “Open Season” by High Highs
You might remember this song from that one part in Pitch Perfect when Beca contemplates her fight with Jesse and decides to watch the entirety of his favorite movie, The Breakfast Club. This song gets me in my feels, too. We all know the heavy feeling of regret after fighting with someone you love.
#4: “Redbone” by Childish Gambino
This is my favorite of Childish Gambino’s songs. The darker meaning behind the lyrics eerily contrasts with the funky and seemingly lighthearted beat of the music.
#5: “Oh My God You Are Fine” by Blue Rain Boots
This is a song I discovered recently and have been listening to on repeat. It makes me feel like I’m one of the main characters in a movie with vintage vibes like Sing Street or Lady Bird.
#6: “Good Kisser” by Lake Street Dive
This is a great song to listen to if you’ve ever been broken up with. It’s also a great song to listen to because it’s super catchy.
#7: “Vienna” by Billy Joel
This is my all-time favorite song. As Ferris Bueller says, “Life moves pretty fast. If you don’t stop and look around once in a while, you could miss it.”
#8: “Le Festin” by Camille, Michael Giacchino
This song transports me to Paris, a city I’ve never actually been to but like to daydream about. Sometimes, when grocery shopping, I like to pretend (don’t laugh) that I’m a French girl as I consider a display of fancy cheeses or study the bakery section’s baguette selection.
#9: “Dream A Little Dream Of Me” by The Mamas & The Papas
My roommate was teasing me the other day because I couldn’t stop humming this song. It has one of the sweetest melodies I’ve ever heard.
#10: “All The Pretty Girls” by KALEO
It’s funny that this song has made it onto my main character aesthetic playlist, because it’s about the opposite feeling–that feeling of being on the sidelines, watching someone else in the spotlight. It’s really a coming-of-age song, and since a lot of my favorite movies and TV shows center around this theme, I think that’s why I wanted to include it. As the lyrics go, “Life is anything but fair.”
Feel like a main character yet? It’s totally okay to edit this playlist or start your own–everyone is going to have different songs that make them feel like the Rory Gilmore of their campus. One way or another, I hope this article inspired you to seek out that main character energy through music!