We often turn to music to get us through the various stages and moods of our day. Sad? Maybe you want to put on some "Continuum" by John Mayer (shout-out to the album's recent 10-year anniversary!), or even some of those nice ballads off of "Plans" by Death Cab For Cutie, or anything by Adele (I'm bowing as I type this because I am not worthy).
Angry? "Riot" by Three Days Grace, and even "You Don't Belong" by Daughtry always do the trick for me. However, there are times when we need tunes to correspond with our upbeat, positive, happy-go-lucky moods. And I've got just the playlist for you. My absolute favorite kind of music is alternative and indie rock; it's not necessarily the music I was raised on (huge shout-out to my parents' affinity for Motown, Soul, and R&B!), but it's one of the tools that has helped me shape my individuality.
We play music to filter our mood, so here are 13 upbeat songs that might fill your day with a little more sunshine!
1. "I Feel It" by Avid Dancer.
Avid Dancer is an ex-Marine, and never fails to bring the upbeat, more whimsical side of indie-rock to his music! Check out his most recent album called "First Bath" from 2015! This song is so lovely, even if you don't have a special someone (as implied in the song), you can't help but sing along!
2. "Drag" by Day Wave.
Technically, this song's lyrics are a little downbeat, but the juxtaposition with the music makes it an infectious tune that I've been obsessed with all summer long!
3. "Give It Up To Guru" by Miniature Tigers.
I discovered this song during my freshman year of college, and have kept it with me as a staple ever since. The melody is so cute and happy, I can't help but dance along when it comes on my shuffle.
4. "Radar Detector" by Darwin Deez.
Despite the (sort of) strange music video, Darwin Deez is a consistent favorite of mine as far as happy indie rock goes! He always keeps me on my toes, and hopefully he'll be doing the same for you.
5. "We'll Be Fine" by Lincoln Jesser.
This electro-pop anthem is sure to ignite your bones (please ignore the loose Coldplay reference). It has such an uplifting message, and I always listen to it when I'm feeling down. It elevates my mood almost instantly.
6. "Faucet Love" by Ruby the RabbitFoot.
I happened upon this artist one day, and am so glad I did! Even though her album sounds like a not-so-fun event to attend ("Divorce Party"), and the message itself is (probably) about an on-again, off-again relationship, it still makes me a pretty happy camper.
7. "The Ruminant Band" by Fruit Bats.
The lighthearted guitar and crisp vocals of this song have always made it a favorite of mine to include on my upbeat playlists. I also particularly love the music video, too. I've never been able to put a name on why, but Fruit Bats are one of my favorite indie acts right now.
8. "(If You're Wondering If I Want You To) I Want You To" by Weezer.
Weezer is a classic, and always has been! This is one of my favorite upbeat songs by them (save for "The Good Life" off of their "Pinkerton" album). I always sing along, to every note, including all the "Goooooo!"s. It gives me extra merriment singing along to that.
9. "The Middle" by Jimmy Eat World.
This is a feel-good song I believe everyone can get behind. It's been around since 2001, and I don't think the message has dimmed any. It's about being yourself, living in the moment, and refusing to take validation from anyone or anything. If you don't know all the words to this song, or if it isn't in your repertoire, then you're really, really missing out.
10. "Do You" by Spoon.
FAVORITE ALERT! Spoon is my favorite band of all time, and as soon as the "Do do do do" sounds in the beginning, I get this rush of excitement that can't be bested by anything else. This is such a happy, sunshine-y indie song; I can't imagine anyone who wouldn't be able to get down with this! (If you can't, then we need to have a serious discussion). This song puts all of my worries on the back burner, and I'm able to just relax and enjoy the wonderful merriment of music from Brit, Jim, Alex, Eric, and Rob. Spoon is a wonderful, magnetic band.
11. "Gamma Ray" by Beck.
Beck is an all-time favorite of mine! His effortless genre-hopping, while always remaining different than the rest, is unparalleled. Beck is definitely an experimental artist, and this song right here embodies a "surf-rock" vibe that I can't ever shake off. He's a genius, and he's got a new album dropping soon, and it's said to include more upbeat songs than his previous effort "Morning Phase" from 2014. So definitely look out for that this upcoming October.
12. "Doors Unlocked And Open" by Death Cab For Cutie.
DEATH CAB!!!!! Another one of my absolute favorites. This album came out in 2011, and has been in the forefront of my repertoire ever since. This is one of my favorite songs, ever, actually. I feel it when Ben Gibbard sings about getting lost in the "ocean of sound". It's so indie rock it's almost not funny. It's a bit of a lengthy song, but totally worth the listen. Their 2015 follow-up, "Kintsugi" follows this sort of formula in a few of their songs. If you don't know about Death Cab for Cutie, you are sorely, sorely missing out, my friend.
13. "In My Head" by Betablock3r.
One of my best friends introduced me to this song. I love to make playlists for different moods and, when we happened upon this song, I had to immediately add it to my collection. The electro-pop, funky vibe to this song absolutely cannot be denied, and even if this isn't necessarily the type of music you're into, I think you would do well to give this a listen. And it's sort of a love song, too. Who doesn't lovelove songs?! (Excuse my awful puns, I know I'm not funny).
This, honestly, is just scratching the surface. These were some of the first songs that popped into my head. If you knew some of these songs before, I've been happy to give you a refresher! If not, I hope you found something new you liked! Sharing the music is sharing the happiness is sharing the wealth.
