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This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at NCSU chapter.

I listen to music pretty regularly, but this semester I rarely find myself without headphones in my ears. With nothing else to do but homework these days, I often find myself in a music rut. I’ve listened to all my podcast episodes for the week and am tired of every one of my playlists. The slower songs from my favorite artists aren’t cutting it, and I just want to hear something new. Luckily, as a pop music fan, Spotify has done all the work for me. This week I’m sharing with you some of my favorite playlists that are great for chilling out, doing homework, finding new artists, or when you just need some background noise. I’ve linked each playlist for you to listen to yourselves

Chill Pop No Rap

Unlike my other recommendations, this playlist was actually created by a Spotify user. I’ve had this playlist saved in my library for a couple of years and love it. It hasn’t been updated in a few months, but has pop songs from the past year. I enjoy this playlist because I recognize many of the songs but also am able to discover new pop songs and artists that I can save to my library. Additionally, none of the songs are too “loud” or intense pop, making it the perfect playlist to play whenever. 

Night Pop

For a while, this playlist was my go-to, and I was obsessed after my first listen. The description “deep cuts and new vibes for late nights” is exactly what the playlist is. This compilation includes some of the softer songs from some of my favorite artists, like ZAYN, One Direction, Khalid, and more. If you like pop and are looking for some new music to listen to when it’s late, this playlist is perfect.

Happy Hits

If you’re a pop fan, you’ll find yourself recognizing most of these songs. It features Dua Lipa, Demi Lovato, Charlie Puth, Shawn Mendes, and more. The cool thing about this one is that it includes some songs that are a couple years old that you may have forgotten you liked. If you want a feel-good playlist with some throwbacks, this is it!

Indie Pop 

This playlist is usually what I would play if I was in search of new music, but could also get some work done. Sometimes it’s nice to listen to a bunch of artists that you’ve never heard before, and you’re not distracting yourself by singing along to every song. I also find myself adding these songs to my 2020 playlist, or to my own study playlist! Definitely check this one out if you’re looking to expand your music taste beyond straight pop (like me). 

Work From Home

I actually stumbled upon this playlist just scrolling through Spotify looking for more options to write about. I’ve never listened to this playlist but with a quick look through the song list, I recognized every song-this is pop through and through. Everyone knows that feeling of getting tired of a playlist quickly since it’s not very long, but this one is actually eight hours in length, making it the perfect compilation to get you through your work day. I’m definitely saving this to my library for whenever I need some familiar songs to get me in the zone.

These are just a few playlists out of thousands. If you’re looking for more, I suggest browsing by genre. I’ve had a lot of luck in the “Chill” and “Indie” categories, but you could find lots of new music no matter what genre you prefer. If Spotify HQ doesn’t have one for you, it’s super easy to search for playlists made by other users. Follow your friends on Spotify and check out their public playlists. There are endless opportunities to find some new songs. Let me know what your favorite playlists are for studying or just hanging out!

Hi, my name is Allison! I'm a sophomore from Richmond, Virginia majoring in Communication with a focus in Media, and potentially adding a Spanish double major. I love writing about pop culture, specifically the music industry. I hope to work in broadcasting or music journalism someday. I'm so excited to see how I'll grow as a contributor to Her Campus. Let me know what things you want to read about!
Hi! My name is Isabella Castineyra, I am a senior majoring in communication media with minors in journalism and criminology. I am from Boston originally, so I am all for Boston sports teams (go Pats)! I love taking naps, listening to Billy Joel, and rewatching the same shows over and over again. Go Pack!!