Spring may only officially begin on March 20, but with the sun shining and temperatures of 60 degrees, it’s time to start listening to your warm weather playlists again.
As we near 7 p.m. sunsets, here are seven songs to play throughout your day, ranging from pop to R&B, all the way to alternative and classic rock. So, if you’re a University of Connecticut student, throw on some headphones, give these songs a listen while you lay out on the Student Union lawn.
“Secrets from a Girl (Who’s Seen it All) — Lorde
What better album to listen to as daylight saving time begins than “Solar Power” by Lorde? The track “Secrets from a Girl (Who’s Seen it All)” is a calm but uplifting indie pop confessional. Its changing pace is reminiscent of acoustic pop hits from the late 1990s or early 2000s by artists like Tori Amos and Natasha Bedingfield. “Secrets From a Girl” is playfully reassuring and sweet.
“Spring breakers” — Charli XCX
This suggestion may be slightly obvious with spring break approaching in the coming days. A hyperpop club-esque song, “Spring breakers” is perfect to blast while driving with the windows down or while on the plane awaiting your (hopefully warm) vacation. An addition to “Brat,” there is also a version featuring the trashy pop princess Kesha — which I prefer — and slightly differs from the original.
“Realms” — Sarah Kinsley
Following the pop theme but slowing things down slightly is “Realms” — a whimsical love song backed primarily by piano and drums. Kinsley is probably the most underground artist featured on this list, but her talent shines through on this number with her dreamy light vocals. “Realms” portrays yearning in a way that is less doom and gloom than many other songs do, making it perfect for spring.
“Tell Him” — Ms. Lauryn Hill
Off the ever-famous album “The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill” is “Tell Him” — a passionate R&B soul piece with an acoustic feel. Hill’s smooth vocals and backing harmonies add a level of rawness to this song that some of the other high production pop songs I suggested previously lack. Another calm love song, “Tell Him” will brighten your mood with repeated lyrics: “Everything is gonna be alright.”
“We Float” — PJ Harvey
Popular during the same era as Hill, but a completely different artist is alternative rocker PJ Harvey. “We Float” is the most melancholic of the recommended songs and begins rather mellow before picking up tempo and pitch later in the song. Harvey’s dragged-out vocals are transcendingly dreamy and “take life as it comes” is a perfect motto for springtime renewal. “We Float” is instrumentally reminiscent of Radiohead’s “All I Need,” and Harvey sounds similar to Fiona Apple, another influential female artist of the same genre.
“I’ll Be Back” —The Beatles
Switching gears slightly to classic rock with The Beatles, “I’ll Be Back” is primarily carried through acoustic guitar and vocals. A heartbroken John Lennon sings about returning to a former lover over and over, with beautiful harmonies sung by Paul McCartney and George Harrison in a minor key — adding the perfect touch of sadness to the otherwise major key song. The song is upbeat but hits you with reflection and heartache before recircling back to its cheerful sound. “I’ll Be Back” may be the perfect breakup song for spring — not gut-wrenchingly sad but emotional, nonetheless.
“Waiting for the Sun” — The Doors
My final suggestion is from another classic rock champion of the 1960s: The Doors. While we may not be waiting for the sun anymore, Jim Morrison uses spring and warm weather as a metaphor for a brighter future. He sings “Can’t you feel it? / Now that spring has come,” inviting listeners to reconsider their lives and take advantage of opportunities. Some listeners may find Morrison’s shouting strange, but they add to the intensity of his realizations and urgent nature of his reclamation of self-control.