It’s finally fall, which means going to the mountains to see the leaves, getting the cutest pumpkin from Anderson’s Farms, and snuggling under a blanket while drinking a PSL. Whatever fall activities you decide to do, it’s important to get into the right mood. We’ve created the perfect fall playlist songs that are guaranteed to make fall your new favorite season, featuring the first five songs hand-picked by Oriel Voegele, the next five by Emma Holt, and the last five by Hannah Richardson.
- “Sweater Weather” by The Neighborhood
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This is the quintessential fall song. If you don’t see a leaf falling from a tree and immediately start playing this song, you simply aren’t getting the full fall experience. It’s just one of those songs that I never skip no matter how many times it comes on. Even though it was the first song The Neighborhood ever worked on together it remains one of their most iconic mostly because of the haunting lead vocal and powerful instrumentals that combine to make the perfect indie rock song.
- “Campus” by Vampire Weekend
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Even though this song was released way back in 2008 it recently started circulating again because of a TikTok trend where people use this song to show off their college campuses. Vampire Weekend has a lot of amazing songs, some of my other favorites being “A-Punk” and “Oxford Comma”, but there’s something addicting about “Campus”. It’s a fast-paced unrequited love story set at Columbia where the members of Vampire Weekend went to college. It’s also just a really fun song to listen to while power walking across campus.
- “Cough Syrup” by Young the Giant
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This is another song that was written 10 years ago but remains timeless. It has a catchy chorus and powerful indie-rock sound that’s essential for fall. The lyrics are also really meaningful and talk about feeling trapped and wanting to escape the restraints of suburbia and homogeneity. My roommates are probably annoyed by how much I’ve been playing this on repeat, but I can’t help it. Darren Chris also has an amazing cover of this song from “Glee” that I’d also recommend listening to because it’s just that good.
- “From Now On” by The Features
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You can say a lot of things about the “Twilight” movies, but you absolutely can not say that the soundtracks are not the actual definition of a masterpiece. Honestly, all five movie soundtracks remind me of fall and have some of the most iconic songs. Some of my other favorites include “Rosyln” by Bon Iver & St. Vincent, “Supermassive Black Hole” by Muse, and “Flightless Bird, American Mouth” By Iron & Wine, but seriously you can’t go wrong with basically any song from the soundtracks. “From Now On” specifically has such a fun and fast pace sound that has been stuck in my head ever since my roommates and I finished watching the fourth movie on our “Twilight” movie marathon.
- “All I Wanted” by Paramore
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Paramore is one of my favorite bands of all time, and this song is one of their best. Hayley Williams’ voice perfectly portrays the complex emotions of breaking up with somebody who at one point was everything to you. The heavy drums and guitar add an intensity to the song that Williams is able to match with her powerful vocals. I swear listening to this song is a full-body experience and I get chills every time I hear her hit the high note. Williams actually doesn’t perform this song live because she wouldn’t want to do that note injustice. Listen to the song and you’ll know exactly what note I’m talking about too.
- “Matilda” by Alt-J
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Alt-J specializes in experimental and instrumental music, and “Matilda” brings the experimental vocals and drums to mesh perfectly with a fall-like guitar riff. This song reminds me of sitting in a cabin in front of the fireplace and playing guitar. I actually found this song firstly on a fall playlist through the app “8tracks” when I was going through my seventh- grade emo phase, and it has stuck with me ever since. I play this song when I’m carving pumpkins, when I’m driving through the aspens, and when I’m having a bath in the rain with some pumpkin spice scented candles.
- “33 “GOD”” by Bon Iver
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I get teary-eyed every single time I listen to this song. Obviously, Bon Iver is the king of fall music with tracks like “Skinny Love”, “Roslyn” and “Perth”, but many people haven’t heard the more alternative, experimental sounds of Bon Iver that came from his album “22, A Million”, which features this song, “33 “GOD””. The progressions in this song are some of the most beautiful musical masterpieces I have ever heard, and the ebb and flow of this song are so powerful. I can’t explain it, but this song makes my heart swell and makes me nostalgic for memories I haven’t even made yet with the changing seasons.
- “Myth” by Beach House
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Beach House is another band that’s very good at fall music, with a more soft alternative rock approach. “Myth”, in my opinion, is one of their best songs because of its simplicity. It doesn’t have the aggressive musical progressions featured in “33 “GOD””, but it isn’t as calm as “Matilda”. It is perfect for a drive through the mountains or woods, and it is perfect background music for any fall time activity. It feels like it would be the music to a summer-to-fall scene transition in a movie.
- “Lovesick” by BANKS
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I am a little biased about this song because BANKS is my favorite all-time artist, however, I do believe that this is one of the best songs when you are falling in love in the autumn (move over, “we fell in love in october” girl in red.) “Lovesick” gives you the soft, alternative rock but combines it with her irresistibly sultry voice, and it definitely does something to the soul when you listen to it and think about that special someone. This song makes you want to crawl up under the covers with your lover and not come out until spring.
- “20 Something” by SZA
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I am also biased towards this song because SZA really did something unexplainable with this album “Ctrl”, and “20 Something” is so honest, raw, and relatable that it hurts. What makes it so good for fall is the guitar pattern and its simplicity, but what makes it stick is SZA’s beautiful voice singing you lyrics that echo of change. As the seasons change, we find ourselves also shifting, developing, and growing into new versions of ourselves, and “20 Something” can facilitate in those conversations you have with yourself.
- “I Close My Eyes” by Madison Cunningham
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A new icon emerging on the folk music scene, Cunningham’s seemingly simplistic scenes of love soothe the soul. At only 24-years old, Cunningham’s mature synthesis of jazz, acoustic brilliance, and 90s alt work together to produce strangely comforting soundscapes that will make you want to grab a cup of coffee and curl up on the couch. “I Close My Eyes” is no exception, and is one of her best lullaby-like acoustic favorites.
- “Carey” by Joni Mitchell
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Joni has never written a song so irresistibly charming. The ring of her dulcimers, acoustic guitars, and crystal clear vocals all scream of the simplistic values a cottagecore gal holds near and dear to her heart. “Carey” is infectiously cheerful and an absolute must for living that apple-cider-chai-tea-outside-of-a-cafe lifestyle.
- “How To Dream” by Sam Phillips
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Okay, have you even experienced the earthy 2000s aesthetic if you haven’t watched Gilmore Girls and observed its charming town of Stars Hollow, Connecticut? Singer/Songwriter Sam Phillips wrote all of the recurring musical themes featured throughout the seven-season masterpiece (but we don’t talk about the seventh) as well as wrote several songs that appear at pivotal points in the plot. “How To Dream” is a classic that always comes around the season of autumn and “change” during the show.
- “Betty” by Taylor Swift
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After Taylor’s recent performance of “Betty” at the ACMs, this song really needs no introduction. That said, we’ll still give it one. “Betty” sounds exactly how fall feels. The plucky acoustic guitar, nostalgic harmonica, and conversational storytelling set the stage for naivety tinged with the mundane sadness felt by those innocents who first fall in love. “Betty” is the perfect track for when you’re dressed up in a cardigan (pun intended) biking down a country road littered with remnants of orange and yellow leaves from the trees above. It fills your heart with happiness and nostalgia. It’s a must-listen.
- “Northern Sky” by Nick Drake
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A legend who died all too soon, every single one of Nick Drake’s songs could have been on this list. “Northern Sky,” however, is exceptional in its ability to generate this specific magic associated with autumnal comforts. Close your eyes as the celeste, organ, and piano merge with Drake’s silky-soft voice. This song is basically the auditory version of receiving a hug on a pumpkin farm.
We hope you love these songs as much as we do, and you can add them to your fall playlist to be even more inspired during this beautiful time of year. We’ve also created a Spotify Playlist so you can save time for doing more important fall activities!