9. "IV. Sweatpants" by Childish Gambino | The Odyssey Online
Start writing a post
Arts Entertainment

10 Songs that Changed my Life

A collection of some of the records that had extremely influential effects on me.

365
10 Songs that Changed my Life
https://www.pexels.com/photo/acoustic-amplifier-artist-audio-114820/

Music has been a part of my life for as long as I can remember, and I feel like this is a sentiment that many people share. Whether I was struggling and needed a pick-me-up or I just needed a song to blast as I drove down the I-5 with my windows down, music has always been there for me. Here are some of the songs that have had the greatest effects on me:

1. "Sierra Leone" by Frank Ocean

https://www.thisismyjam.com/song/frank-ocean/sierra-leone

"Sierra Leone," one of the best track's off of Frank Ocean's infamous album Channel Orange, was the song that I was listening to when I first discovered my synesthetic connection between colors and sounds (something I would later find out Frank Ocean had as well). I cannot even begin to count the number of times that I have listened to this song and reminisced about this huge turning point in my life. Frank Ocean's musical style so easily takes you out of your own reality.

2. "Sunday Candy" by Chance The Rapper

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i4ooH8frBWg

If it's ever a really sunny afternoon and you're hanging out outside with your friends in an extremely good mood, play this song to make that the perfect moment. "Sunday Candy" changed my life because no matter what I'm feeling, the sentiments expressed in the song can improve my mood in 3 minutes and 46 seconds every time without fail.

3. "Warm on a Cold Night" by HONNE

https://dailybruin.com/2016/07/28/album-review-warm-on-a-cold-night/

I will stand by this statement for the rest of my life: nothing beats night drive music. "Warm on a Cold Night" is the ultimate night drive song, and whenever anybody mentions the feeling of peace they get when driving on a cool moonlit night I immediately refer them to this record. The amount of serenity this song has brought me cannot be put into words.

4. "Atlas" by Luke Christopher

https://genius.com/Luke-christopher-atlas-lyrics

When you're deep in thought, sometimes the best thing to do is listen to somebody else's deep thoughts. I've always referred to Luke Christopher as a poet before calling him a songwriter, and this song and its metaphorical beauty is the perfect example of that statement.

5. "Dancing in the Rain" by Taylor Bennett

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v93dBXyCxRk

I discovered this song while sitting alone by a pool in Hawaii one night and I will never forget that moment. Dissociation is usually referenced in a bad light, but the dissociation I felt while listening this beautiful composition in that specific place was life-changing. This song is my hidden gem.

6. "New York Soul" by Jon Bellion

https://twitter.com/jonbellion/status/740668232726675460

This is the first song by Jon Bellion that I ever heard, and I had never heard anything like it. Jon Bellion as an artist and a role model changed my life and this was the perfect launchpad for that to happen. He's brutally honest on every track he's released, but "New York Soul" takes the emotional cake.

7. "FFYL" by Quinn XCII

https://genius.com/Quinn-xcii-ffyl-lyrics

Almost every song in existence can be interpreted to be about love, but the way in which Quinn XCII is able to put his emotions into words is unmatched by any artist I've ever listened to. "FFYL" is the Quinn XCII song I always turn to when I just need an artist to relate to, and I am forever indebted to him for that.

8. "Girl on a Train" by Skizzy Mars

https://genius.com/Skizzy-mars-girl-on-a-train-lyrics

If you're a hopeless romantic like me, I could not encourage you more to go listen to "Girl on a Train." Skizzy Mars' style of rapping is definitely one of the most unique I've ever heard, and I could not appreciate that more. I will always remember the moment when I saw this song live because as stupid as it sounds, I could actually feel it.

9. "IV. Sweatpants" by Childish Gambino

https://genius.com/Childish-gambino-iv-sweatpants-lyrics

If there's any song on this list that I expect everyone to know, it's this one. This is the song that comes on in the car and everyone starts freaking out and rapping every word with awkward pauses whenever the n word came up. Either way, this song started and built friendships.

10. "Islands" by Young The Giant

https://www.iheart.com/artist/young-the-giant-431871/songs/islands-9785914/

Another night drive song, "Islands" is most definitely one of my most played (if not THE most played) songs on Spotify. No other song on the planet will put you at peace as much as this one will. Guaranteed.

Report this Content
This article has not been reviewed by Odyssey HQ and solely reflects the ideas and opinions of the creator.
Featured

15 Rhyme Without Reason Greek Life Function Ideas

When you have no ideas for what to wear to this date function

314847
A dog and a frog
Healthy Pets

I am going to a rhyme without reason date function and I have looked at so many different rhyming words and I figured there need to be a new list of words. At these functions, there are usually at least two rockers and boxers and an umpteenth amount of dogs and frogs. I have come up with a list of creative and unique ideas for these functions.

If you like what you see, get a shopping cart going with these costumes.

Keep Reading...Show less
Featured

Yoga love

A long over due thank you note to my greatest passion.

27560
A person in a yoga pose surrounded by a supportive community of fellow yogis with a look of peace and gratitude on their face the image should convey the sense of strength mindfulness and appreciation that the writer feels towards yoga
StableDiffusion

Dearest Yoga,

You deserve a great thank you.

Keep Reading...Show less
Arts Entertainment

Epic Creation Myths: Norse Origins Unveiled

What happened in the beginning, and how the heavens were set in motion.

8679
The Norse Creation Myth

Now, I have the everlasting joy of explaining the Norse creation myth. To be honest, it can be a bit kooky, so talking about it is always fun. The entire cosmos is included in this creation myth, not just the earth but the sun and the moon as well. This will be a short retelling, a summary of the creation myth, somewhat like I did with Hermod's ride to Hel.

Keep Reading...Show less
Old school ghetto blaster sat on the floor
8tracks radio

We all scroll through the radio stations in the car every once in a while, whether its because we lost signal to our favorite one or we are just bored with the same ol' songs every day. You know when you're going through and you hear a song where you're just like "I forgot this existed!" and before you know it, you're singing every word? Yeah, me too. Like, 95% of the time. If you're like me and LOVE some good throwback music, here's a list of songs from every genre that have gotten lost in time, but never truly forgotten.

Keep Reading...Show less
Featured

27 Hidden Joys

Appreciation for some of life's most discredited pleasures.

37893
Best Things in Life

Life is full of many wonderful pleasures that many of us, like myself, often forget about. And it's important to recognize that even on bad days, good things still happen. Focusing on these positive aspects of our day-to-day lives can really change a person's perspective. So in thinking about the little things that make so many of us happy, I've here's a list of some of the best things that often go unrecognized and deserve more appreciation:

Keep Reading...Show less

Subscribe to Our Newsletter

Facebook Comments