The semester is coming to end and I don’t know how the days flew by so fast. I was looking for inspiration to write an article, while I had my “On Repeat” Spotify playlist on shuffle. The songs gave me such a dopamine release that I have to share them with you. Many of these songs were nostalgic and brought back memories, good and bad. I believe it is the perfect combination of a variety of genres such as Pop, Indie and RnB. It also includes some international songs for people who are looking forward to expanding their playlist. Finally, it’s a chill playlist to listen to while studying for finals. So, without further ado, here are the top ten tracks I’ll be playing all spring.
1. “WFM” – RealestK
I discovered this song thanks to TikTok. It went viral due to its sample of “Talking To The Moon” by Bruno Mars. It has all the features of a slow, romantic song. The hypnotic chorus became the trademark of glow-up videos. Since then it has been on my playlist when I need to relax and study.
2. “The Beach” – Giveon
Giveon is my favorite artist at the moment. I discovered him through his hit song “Breakup Anniversary.” The album “Take Time,” which this song is from, is his only full studio album and it is a masterpiece (in my opinion). This song is currently my favorite and is on repeat, every day. The excerpts of a voice call from his mom at the beginning and right before the end give a unique touch to this song. He performed it live at the Tiny Desk Concert arranged by NPR Music. And since then it has become one of my top three songs from this album.
3. “Broken Clocks” – SZA
Of course, SZA has to be on this list. Not one song by her has been a miss and this is one of my favorite ones. “Ctrl” was an amazing album full of hidden masterpieces. The lyrics of this song touched me on a personal level, especially when I was going through a hard time with my love life. SZA’s vocals really shine in this song and make you want to listen repeatedly.
4. “Love” – Keyshia Cole
Now, this is a classic. The high notes in this song are definitely achievable—but only in the shower. The song has been referred to as Cole’s “Breakthrough Single.” It is from her debut album “The Way It Is,” released in 2005. Cole’s highly relatable lyrics with her high notes and catchy hook makes it a household favorite. A perfect combination of the 2000s RnB scene, this song evokes the hopeless romantic in me.
5. “Nobody Like U” – From “Turning Red”
If you have not watched this movie yet, run to Disney+. It is Pixar’s cutest movie yet with accurate Chinese representation. The song is from Pixar’s first boy band (I am a 4Townie!) and is the perfect pop song to start the day with. If you ever wanna feel like the main character, just play this song on blast and your mood will change immediately.
6. “Time” – Free Nationals, Mac Miller, Kali Uchis
After seeing their Tiny Desk Concert with Anderson .Paak, I recently got into Free Nationals. They are an amazing band. Kali Uchis’ vocals with Mac Miller’s rap make the song perfect. And the lyrics are very deep. Free Nationals has many songs with Anderson .Paak…which brings us to the next song.
7. “Come Down” – Anderson .Paak
An amazing song from an amazing album, Anderson . Paak never misses. The bass drums in this song will make you want to get up and dance. I was introduced to this song by a good ex-friend of mine. I’m glad he at least gave me one good thing to remember him with.
8. “love” – Dean, Syd
Dean is a famous Korean R&B artist. His voice is beautifully soothing. And with Syd as the featured artist, the song is a beautiful upbeat love song (as the title gives away). I hope one day, I can hear this song live.
9. “The Weekend” – BIBI, MILLI
BIBI is another Korean R&B artist that I accidentally discovered on YouTube. She has a very nice rich voice and her concepts are always refreshing. This song was originally a single from BIBI alone, but later this version featuring MILLI was released. MILLI is a Thai rapper and her Thai-English rapping made the song even better. Beware though, the song on Spotify does not have some of MILLI’s parts, whereas the one released on YouTube has longer rap parts.
10. “Easily” – Bruno Major
Let’s end the playlist with a classic, aesthetic song. Bruno Major is famous for his song, “Nothing,” which you have probably heard already. Major’s calm, low voice paired with the slow instrumental creates such a nice mood: perfect for your afternoon relaxation time with a cup of coffee. The album this song is from is titled “A Song Every Moon,” and just from that, you can guess the vibes.