Right now we’re in the thick of the semester with midterms and papers that need to be wrapped up by the end of the month while still consistently attending classes and extracurriculars and handling various other mid-semester responsibilities.
With that in mind, I have created a playlist that reflects the erratic nature of my current schedule, which you hopefully find relatable. If you don’t, I hope it’s because you’re much less put-upon than I currently am. No matter what, there might be something on this list that speaks to you. Check it out!
“Oh Love” by MisterWives: Hey, look! It’s a new release! Honestly, I don’t usually have a lot of brand new music on these playlists, but I’m excited about this one. I went to see Panic! at the Disco in concert (quelle surprise) and MisterWives was one of the openers. They played this song, among others, from their upcoming album.
This isn’t a promo for that, by the way, but I must say I am excited for it. This track has a great beat, and it’s also got a slight edge to it as well, which I think makes it perfect for spring-semester stress listening.
“Elle me dit” by MIKA: I believe I’ve put at least one MIKA song on a playlist before, but this one is in French! The title means “She tells me.” While it’s extremely upbeat, the lyrics are both sad and happy at the same time. The gist is that “she” (whoever she is) is telling the singer that he’s messing up his life and, in the chorus, telling him to dance.
When I was looking up the lyrics to this song, I wanted to see them in French because I’ve studied the language for a while. The funny thing is that some things don’t translate as well into English — but Google just did not want me to see the French lyrics. When I typed “lyrics in French” into the search bar, Google literally changed it to “lyrics in English.” It turns out there was an automatic translate function that I had to turn off. I mean I know I’m not exactly fluent but give me some credit here.
“Swear Jar” by Illy: Okay, this song is just super catchy. If you’re feeling stressed, it might help you release some of your inner frustration, particularly if there are particular people who are pissing you off. You’ll see what I mean when you get to the chorus.
“Fire” by Barns Courtney: I like this song because it has an eerie feel to it. The chorus is pretty intense too, and I can see it being a good song to write a paper to.
“Na Na Na” by My Chemical Romance: I don’t know about any of you, but for me this song is a throwback to high school. I remember at a party or wherever this would come on and everyone would find the emo/punk rock part of their soul for about three minutes. Plus it’s about time I put some MCR on one of these lists.
“Breath of Life” by Florence + the Machine: This song is epic, which can be good to listen to when you’re feeling stressed and dramatic. It makes me feel badass, which can be helpful at times.
“Roundtable Rival” by Lindsey Stirling: Sometimes you need music without lyrics to get you through the day. This song is super intense and beautiful to listen to. Let’s be real here, Is anything better than hardcore violin? I’m serious, it’s fantastic.
