The new year is nearly upon us, my friends. Winter has settled in, as I hope we all have, too–into cozy blankets with a warm cup of tea and maybe a snuggly little animal friend. It's the time for some fresh new songs fit to be the soundtrack of slushy days and nights by the fireside.
1. Cry Baby by The Neighborhood
"I think I worry a lot
I need to take it easy
I got this anxious feeling
But it goes away for a minute
When I'm with you breathing"
Like most songs from The Neighborhood, this song has such a groove to it. It's a mixture of mellow and groovy and it's hard not to love every second of it.
2. Run and Hide by Sabrina Carpenter
"And when did we all stop thinking that world
Stops spinning in a kiss goodnight
And when did our heartbeat beating too fast
Stop meaning it was worth the while"
Sabrina Carpenter's voice kills everything she sings, but her silky smooth tone shines so brightly on this track that you can't help but put it on repeat.
3. Sleep On The Floor by The Lumineers
"And if the subways flood and bridges break
Will you lay yourself down and dig your grave
Or will you rail against your dying day"
I'm always a sucker for the voice and sound of The Lumineers (please add their song Ophelia as a bonus track to this playlist...as well as this entire album), but this track paired with the perfection of its music video has me in a permanent state of swooning–it's exhausting.
4. I Will Be There by Odessa
"If you ever need someone
To just love you
If you ever need someone
To simply adore you"
The pretty tones and airy vibes to this song makes it the perfect addition to your winter playlist. The simplicity of the lyrics meshed with the soft beats are refreshing and quite ideal for car rides, I must say.
5. Broken Bones by Lucy Spraggan
"He sees life through a two pint glasses,
Sticks to a bottle like a back stage pass,
Starting to feel like he's disappeared from view"
This wonderful British track is upbeat and modern–the perfect jam. Lucy Spraggan's voice is deep, endearing, and might I add, her accent coming through in this song is simply unparalleled.
6. Mr. Brightside by Run River North
"Jealousy turning saints into the sea
swimming through sick lullabies
choking on your alibis"
This cover is such a twist on The Killers' original and legendary song that it's actually refreshing. Soft, melodic, full of emotion–and quite the opposite of trash, as pictured in the album art.
7. Sick of Losing Soulmates by Dodie Clark
"We will grow old as friends, I've promised that before
So what's one more?
In our grey-haired circle, waiting for the end
Time and hearts will wear us thin"
This song will tug and pull and yank at your poor little heart strings in the best and worst ways possible, but I promise you'll love and feel and maybe even shed a tear.
8. Colder Throats by Laila
"cold smoke spilling out of colder throats
young handsome blue eyes the night goes on
until the time reaches the night sky of dawn
does this even count as living at all"
This melodic, celestial masterpiece was made for sleepy slow dancing on wooden floors beneath twinkling lights.
9. Someone To Stay by Vancouver Sleep Clinic
nothing worsens; nothing grows
I know how it feels being by yourself in the rain
we all need someone to stay"
Not only is this Aussie band phenomenal live, but their music is nearly mandatory for the frigid winter days. Winter road trip essentials: a car with working heat + four wheel drive, some light snow, and Vancouver Sleep Clinic.
10. Ocean Eyes by Billie Eilish (Blackbear Remix)
"I've been watching you for some time
can't stop staring at those ocean eyes
burning cities and napalm skies
fifteen flares inside those ocean eyes"
The original version of this song by Billie Eilish is so pretty, but this remix by Blackbear is just too perfect. The beat, the delicate tone, the emotion. IT'S ALL SO BEAUTIFUL. THESE AREN'T TEARS, I JUST GOT SOMETHING IN MY EYE. LIKE A TWIG OR A BRANCH OR SOMETHING.
11. Jailbird by Tiffany Lee
"It's been a long time comin'
just to see my honey runnin'
oh, he's runnin' fast for me"
The distinct bluesy sound to this song is what immediately drew me in. It's so different from most of the popular modern music and the jazzy piano along with the subtle beatboxing in the background is just unreal.
12. Clay by Grace VanderWaal
"Trying to tear her down was your first mistake
'Cause little do you know. She wasn't built to break"
This little superstar blew the world's hearts away with her viral performance of 'I Don't Know My Name' on America's Got Talent, and her EP 'Perfectly Imperfect' is just as incredible. Her raspy, angelic voice undeniably slays this beautiful track.
13. Never Really Mine by Liz Longley
"Lying there in the darkness
thinking your heart was harmless
now you're in this hotel room
trying to wash the pain from my eyes"
This song is chalk full of words and notes meant to play your emotions like a violin, but since it's so beautifully sung and strung together...you just kind of have to be okay with being played this time.
14. DNA by Lia Marie Johnson
"Twice a year, you come in crashing
nice to see you too,
Johnny Cash and backseat laughing,
always ends too soon"
My favorite part of this song–aside from Lia Marie Johnson's angelic voice–is that it tells such a vivid story. It's so easy to let this track take over your imagination and fill your mind with images, almost like you're creating your own music video for it in your head (or maybe that's just me being insane, who knows).
15. Echoes by Lauren Aquilina
"Cause you built love inside a vacant home
You put my hand in yours
But I was never yours to hold"
The beginning of this song is all you'll need to draw you in. The spacey piano with the snapping beats fulfill your needs until the beat drops, only leaving you even more satisfied. Something about this song just makes me think of winter–it might be the crisp tones or maybe it's just the pine tree in the album art. Probably both.
16. Catch Me (feat. Naaz) - Candlelight Remix by Yellow Claw & Flux Pavilion
"Tell me we can make this real
If we can follow what we feel
I'm running but I've reached the edge
And now I'm falling, so promise that you'll catch me"
This is another song powered by a beautiful voice and a catchy musical track. I was immediately drawn to this song by the singer's tone but kept listening because the general vibe of the song is just so appealing.
17. Lighthouse by Alex G
"So tired, this voice I am losing is
both a red and white flag that
tells a more honest story than my mouth does"
This one's a doozy, folks, so please, have your tissues handy. It's also about 9 minutes long, so please have an entire box to spare for you and whoever's listening. This song is a cross between an actual poem and music–with Alex G hitting beautiful notes in between Danielle Bennett's emotional reading of a poem. Powerful, unique, and packing a poignant punch.
18. Lit by Happy Sometimes
flicker in the window,
paint it rose gold,
soaking in the warm glow"
Not only does the lead singer of this up-and-coming group have a gorgeous voice, but this song is SO catchy. It's a quintessential jam for this list–the perfect beat and just the right amount of sass and emotion for me.
19. Weight Of The World by Jon Bellion + Blaque Keys
"The darker instruments inside my head
we're playing suicide but not by choice, by choice
was calling out for help, but heard no noise, no noise"
Jon Bellion always has such a distinguishing musical track to back up his vocals in every song that he creates. This song, however, has such an airy, fresh quality to its instrumentals and paired with the beautiful lyrics and the completely different dynamic Blaque Keys brings to the song, it's such a prime addition to any winter playlist.
20. Poison by Luhx.
"Too much of anything is poison
and it's laced upon your lips
but the cure is in the venom so I keep on coming back
my soul is stained with your poison"
The raw emotion and vulnerability in this song is really what makes it shine. The lyrics along with the intricate instrumental track are ridden with feeling and it can't help but come pouring out through the speakers upon pressing play.
21. High Hopes by Kodaline
"Broken bottles in the hotel lobby
seems to me like I'm just scared of never feeling it again
I know it's crazy to believe in silly things
but it's not that easy"
Kodaline has such a somber yet hopeful vibe to most of their songs, some of my other favorites being All I Want and Honest, but this song is pretty much the epitome of that. It's emotional, great to belt to, and the perfect ending to this playlist! So go forth, my children, you are musically empowered now, and you're fully prepared to kick winter's butt.
