Have you ever wished you had a playlist full of songs perfectly curated for an oddly specific feeling or a super niche scenario that feels almost unreal? Or maybe you’re looking for new and upcoming artists to check out. You might even want songs similar to a popular one you’ve heard before. Well, you’ve come to the right place!
This week’s playlist is called “Writing Pretty Poetry, Don’t Text,” a collection of songs that feel like studying in the library at the beginning of wintertime and losing track of time while scrolling through Pinterest poetry. These tracks feel like wintertime heartbreak and that funny, wistful feeling you can’t shake off. Most of these songs are filled with acoustic guitars and soft vocals, while some are just your average bedroom pop slow jam. Disclaimer: these songs will get you in your feels while you study.
- “Nothing / Sad N Stuff” by Lizzy McAlpine
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One thing about Lizzy McAlpine is she will bust out the most heart-wrenching lyrics and vocals to a cute little acoustic tune. This song is from her debut album, Give Me A Minute, which has no skips, by the way. This deserves the first spot on the playlist because she wrote, “He feels good to come home to but not to stay,” and I haven’t moved on since.
- “Wella” by Delaney Bailey
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This song feels like picking flowers by the edge of a river while your lover reads old English literature beside you. Delaney Bailey has a gift for writing songs that fill you with nostalgia for a life that only exists in your head. If you want to be filled with a deep melancholy for a lost love while you study, listen to “Coffee Stained Smile.” If you still want to be filled with a deep melancholy, but for a love you still have, try “j’s lullaby (darlin’ i’d wait for you).”
- “X’s” by Cigarettes After Sex
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No slow study playlist can be complete without a Cigarettes After Sex song. Fun fact: I saw them in concert, and they sound exactly like that in real life, and it’s amazing. From their most recent album, “X’s” feels like those scenes in movies where the two main characters look at each other from across the room, and suddenly, everyone else disappears.
- “She” by Dodie
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Everyone has an artist they attempt to gatekeep at all costs, Dodie is mine. She’s insanely underrated, and every song she’s made gives me a dopamine rush. “She” is so painfully sweet and melodic, and it screams of unrequited love and endless yearning. Dodie’s soft and gentle voice makes for the perfect study soundtrack.
- “Monogamy” by Leith Ross
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Leith Ross has no rival when it comes to making literal poetry into music. Ross makes music for girls who crave a pure love that knows you wholeheartedly but refuses to ever let anyone in close enough to try. “We’ll Never Have Sex” and “You (On My Arm)” are honorable mentions you must listen to as well.
- “Make Me Blue” by Victoria Bigelow
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This is another banger I found during the pandemic that perfectly encapsulated that desire to be back outside. It feels like watching the leaves change color outside your window and the journals hidden in the back of your childhood bedroom. Victoria Bigelow is an underground artist you’ll want to follow as soon as possible.
- “Cherry Flavoured” by The Neighbourhood
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The Neighbourhood is the perfect change of scenery for this playlist. It’s more vibey than sad, it feels like sitting on a dance floor with a giant mirrorball spinning above your head reflecting light all around you. The echo of the vocals and soft drums all come together perfectly. Although this song is called “Cherry Flavoured,” this song is undeniably green.
- “When I Say You Are Killing Me” by Ten Kills the Pack
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The beginning of this song sounds eerily like “Be My Mistake” by The 1975, which is probably why I was hooked at first. How can you hear the lyrics “When I say you are killing me, I’m merely saying the past six hours have felt like one” and not instantly melt into a puddle? This is another small artist you have to check out.
- “Elise” by The Greeting Committee
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The Greeting Committee is the perfect blend of bedroom pop and cabin-in-the-woods acoustic session. The best thing about studying, with songs like these, is that you can drown yourself in the guitar or focus on the lightness of the vocals, and either way, you’ll feel calm and focused.
- “Bags – Recorded at Electric Lady Studios” by Clairo
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Although this is such a widely known song, not enough people have heard the version Clairo recorded at Electric Lady Studios. The key changes, drawn-out verses, electric guitar, and piano features…exquisite.
This has become my staple study playlist, and I love listening to the slow tracks I found in 2020 that never get old. Whether you actually want some melancholic tunes you can fall into, or you just want background music while you prepare for your exam, I got you covered!
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