Sometimes when bad things keep happening to you it feels like life won’t get easier. Having a rough couple of days, weeks, or months can be partially healed by a good playlist. This playlist reflects the sorrow, the anxiety, the angst, the desire for change, the heartbrokenness you feel, and puts it all into a tangible form. Music can be very healing, whether you choose to cry to the songs or scream along with the lyrics, I hope you find comfort in this empowering playlist I carefully crafted.
- “Visions” by Loving
It’s hard to have a set vision for yourself because it can create anxiety for what the future holds or prevent you from accepting your reality. You might want something to be your reality, but under unfortunate circumstances, it can’t happen. By holding onto things that aren’t real, it’s like lying to yourself. This song explains this feeling perfectly.
- “circle the drain” by Soccer Mommy
This song reminds me of something that would come out of an early 2000’s movie. It’s somber melody and catchy chorus emulates that scary feeling of life happening to you, but also reminds you that life does go on.
- “Sad Dream” by Sky Ferreira
Sleeping is so incredibly hard when you’re upset. To me, this song is recognizing that problem. Because if you got no sleep the night before, your next day is awful and the sleepless cycle can continue in order to prevent having a sad dream.
- “Paper Thin” by Lianne La Haves
It’s extremely frightening when you acknowledge that only you can feel the amount of pain that you are currently feeling. It’s very isolating and daunting to know that no one else can feel or completely understand how unique your pain is. This song is healing because it acknowledges just that, but it also says “your future is bright,” meaning one day things won’t hurt this much.
- “Loving You is Lonely” by Harmony Byrne
Having trouble getting along with your significant other, a friend, a family member? Realizing they have changed or that maybe you have too? Sometimes you can find yourself feeling lonely for someone and who they used to be. Or you could feel lost yourself. Finding yourself or searching for someone else is always difficult but this song helps remind you that this experience is common and that you’re not necessarily alone in this type of search.
- “Don’t Know How To Keeping Loving You” by Julia Jacklin
This is a great breakup song. Whether you have been the one dumped or you are the one who initiated the breakup, the consistently repeated lyric, “don’t know how to keep loving you,” is good reassurance to hear. It reminds you that you can’t keep loving someone who doesn’t love you back or that you can’t keep forcing yourself to love someone who you honestly don’t.
- “Cherry Tree” by Sam Evian
I find this to be a very calming song. It helps remind me of the healing power that nature has. If you’re having a rough day, taking a walk around your neighborhood with headphones in could possibly be really healing.
- “Graceland Too” by Phoebe Bridgers
This is my go to cry song. When I feel severely sad and need to let out a good cry, I come to Phoebe Bridgers and she never disappoints. Sometimes you just need to bask in your sadness and this does just the trick. Hopefully this song does the same for you.
- “Hypochondriac” by Fenne Lily
If you’re an overthinker or a constant worrier, this song encompasses all those thoughts and feelings that are stuck in your head and are hard to explain. I find this song especially comforting in times of a pandemic and constant paranoia of having COVID-19.
- “Saccharine” by Atta Boy
Life is so complicated. This song represents the contradictory feelings you can have about someone or something. Life is so incredibly complex and I like how this song shows just that as it is filled with a plethora of juxtapositions.
- “Too Good” by Haley Blais
I suggest listening to this song when you’re feeling very low about yourself. It’s easy to get stuck in a spiral of self-hatred, but it is not necessary and the narrative you start to create gets misconstructed. This song may help remind you of your worth when you are unable to.
- “I Don’t Wanna Be Funny Anymore” by Lucy Dacus
Putting up a cheerful facade when hanging with friends or family is a really tough, yet strong thing to do. This is a great song to dance to and unwind with alone in your bedroom. It feels empowering to do so.
- “Shut Up Kiss Me” by Angel Olsen
The chorus of this song makes it a great dance song. When you finally get out of your funk, I suggest singing along to this song while trying on all the clothes in your closet.
- “February” by Beach Bunny
Because February encompassed the Texas snowpocalypse and was a particularly bad month for me, I thought this song was an appropriate addition to the playlist. Now that we’re in March, it’s nice to know that truly, “any day’s better than February.” Whether you are like me and had a particularly awful February, or maybe you can relate to the feeling of having a bad month, this song is well suited for you.
- “anything” by Adrianne Lenker
I think this is a great song to end this playlist with. For a playlist filled with sad, angsty songs, this song is slow-paced but encompasses the feeling of hope and love. In my opinion, this song portrays the beauty of just being with someone, a friend, a partner, etc., and how your love for them blurs time.
Featured image by Kara Fields