As fall approaches Tallahassee, FSU students are just dying to make use of their (likely overpriced) mobile ecosystems through music. Whether it be via Spotify, Apple Music, or even Musi, students around FSU’s campus are attached to their headphones.
Spotify is the perfect place to cultivate the most niche playlists! With the help of AI, Spotify curates cute, sometimes oddly-named, personal daylists. So, I’ve carefully crafted a list of seven hits that best represent an FSU student’s Spotify daylist!
“Slim Pickins” – Sabrina Carpenter
“Slim Pickins,” a pop-country hit by former Disney Channel star-turned-global sensation Sabrina Carpenter, is one of my top picks for FSU students around campus. Carpenter recently debuted her new album Short n’ Sweet on Aug. 23, which includes titles “Juno,” “Bed Chem,” “Taste,” and “Slim Pickins.”
“Slim Pickins,” along with many others from the album, are perfect listens for walking around campus or lounging on Landis Green. Landis Green is the nicest place to have a fall picnic, kick around a soccer ball, and chat with friends!
“Not Like Us” – Kendrick Lamar
Moving on to a college staple, FSU has its beloved Leach Student Recreation Center. The Leach is a perfect spot for a quick workout, a dip in the pool, or a nice jog around the indoor track. It even has a delicious smoothie bar in the lobby!
While working out at the Leach, a must-listen for me is rapper-songwriter Kendrick Lamar’s track “Not Like Us.” Lamar has caused quite the shakeup this year with his ongoing rap battle with America’s beloved rapper-singer, Drake. The two spent a good few months hitting back and forth, dropping new songs that ranged from petty insults on height to vicious jabs at family dynamics.
“Northern Attitude” – Noah Kahan & Hozier
Although we may still be oblivious to it due to the blistering heat as we all trek from class to class this semester, autumn is approaching. Slowly but surely! Moving towards the cozier side of Spotify, we find stars like Noah Kahan and Hozier. These incredibly popular artists have a mix of primarily indie, pop, and country.
The walks around FSU’s campus during autumn are unmatched, especially the path near HCB. An evening walk surrounded by sparkling fairy lights and the cozy cover of the trees paints the perfect environment for a little bit of Noah Kahan.
If you’re interested in indie-pop or some underground country, Kahan and Hozier are the artists that you’ve been searching for. My favorite songs by Kahan include “Sarah’s Place,” a song by singer-songwriter Zach Bryan that he’s featured on, “She Calls Me Back,” which features singer-songwriter Kacey Musgraves, and “Homesick.” My favorite songs by Hozier include “Take Me To Church,” “Francesca,” and “First Time.”
“City of Stars” – Ryan Gosling & Emma Stone
As an FSU student, one of the best perks is bragging rights. We have the prettiest campus, team colors that aren’t orange and blue, the (eventually) best football team, and most importantly, one of the leading theatre programs in the nation.
Lounging in the Starbucks located in Dirac Science Library while cozied up with a good book is the best way to listen to theatre hits. This includes “City of Stars” from the 2016 Academy Award-winning film (and future Broadway production) La La Land. This film is revered by musical lovers everywhere and is a must-watch.
Sung by the lead stars of the film, actor Ryan Gosling and actress Emma Stone, “City of Stars” is full of cozy, autumnal vibes with a hint of melancholy, perfect for a rainy fall day.
“cardigan” – Taylor Swift
While, admittedly, “cardigan” is a very popular song of Taylor Swift’s, it does happen to be an unskippable listen. The song is best to listen to when you’re grabbing a quick meal in FSU’s dining facility, 1851. Part of Azalea Hall, 1851 is a delicious venue for students to stop by and grab a bite. Featuring Bento Sushi, Tally Mac Shack, Starbucks, Vato Tacos, and more, this area is a must-go for students looking to find good food.
“cardigan,” among other songs by Taylor Swift, is one of the many “autumn” hits from her album folklore, which was released in 2020. Her overwhelming presence in pop culture is the result of years of hard work, effort, and “girl-boss” mentality. She started writing songs around the age of 12 and hasn’t been able to put that guitar down since. She’s inspired plenty of other pop artists now and put me onto some similar, very impressive ones.
“lacy” – Olivia Rodrigo
Another Disney star-turned-world phenomenon, Olivia Rodrigo’s most popular song may be her debut, “drivers license,” from her first album SOUR. But her new album, GUTS, deserves just as much hype for its vibey fall hits like “lacy” and “teenage dream.”
Other masterpieces and must–listens of Rodrigo’s include “Can’t Catch Me Now” from The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes and “traitor.” “lacy,” specifically, is a nice balance of slow, somber, and sappy. It is one of the perfect listens for a study day at Robert Manning Strozier Library.
Strozier can be found right off of Landis Green and is a hot spot for students during all times of the year. Fall, however, happens to be a very studious season, so you can catch Strozier packed to the brim with hardworking students, plenty of whom likely adore listening to Rodrigo and similar artists.
“Video Games” – Lana Del Rey
Yes, folks, it’s Rey, not Ray! Lana Del Rey is an arguably amazing singer-songwriter who had her come-up around 2011. Her song “Video Games” was one of her first hits and continues to be a favorite among her supporters. Speaking of “Video Games,” one of the coziest places on campus is the Askew Student Life Center (ASLC). It’s one of the most amazing resources, filled with some of the most hardworking members!
Inside the ASLC, students can find plenty of video games and consoles to play, a movie theatre with popcorn and other snacks available, and plenty of more entertainment. “Video Games” is just one of the many cozy, autumnal listens by Rey, but it’s definitely on theme with FSU’s very own ASLC!
The pop music world has every type of genre for any listener at any season of the year. With enough luck, this FSU student-inspired daylist of mine, “vibey, autumnal, studious evening,” will be on theme with the slightly dreary (but hopefully colorful and Gilmore Girls-inspired) fall vibes that are rolling around the corner!
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