After a long and cold winter, spring has finally blossomed! And with that, I personally feel there’s a shift in the type of music that someone might listen to this time of year. Or maybe that’s just me. The type of songs that I might be bumping to in December may not translate to the playlist I have when April rolls around. Hence, I wanted to show a handful of songs that I personally believe capture the essence of spring and are melodies that you should play this season.
1) Biking – Frank Ocean (ft. JAY-Z and Tyler, the Creator)
The perfect song to ride your bike to (not just saying that because it’s the title of the song). The light piano keys play at the start of the song with JAY-Z making references to bikes in his rapping including the line “Life goes in cycles,” or shouting out American BMX professional athlete Nigel Sylvester.
Then it transitions to Frank’s smooth vocals with guitar strings playing gracefully in the background. The music puts you in that relaxed mood while you ride around your local park with the clouds screaming light blue while the sun is smiling up in the sky. Trust me. I remember riding on the Neuron e-bike (the orange electric vehicles all around campus) from Central Station in downtown Kitchener all the way to UWaterloo with this song popping up at some point. Felt like a top 10 experience to me. Add in an extra verse from one of hip-hop’s dominating figures in Tyler, the Creator and this song really does put you in that biking mood.
2) good 4 u – Olivia Rodrigo
Yes, I know, the song was overplayed. But this just screams raging out after dealing with the hell of winter. This makes me want to break stuff in the best way possible. Sure, I’ve never been in a relationship before to relate to the song’s theme. But speeding up the pace of what was originally a slow winter into a faster, peppy spring is what this song provides. This song just pumps me up to fight another day for whatever reason. And that could be good for you (see what I did there?).
3) Tragedy – Dhruv
Someone recommended this to me from an Instagram poll the Iron Warrior did. Man, was that a good idea. This gives me walking outside in the rain vibes with my headphones jammed in my ears. The sky is for sure a gun metal grey. Although it sounds gloomy on a first listen, the four piano keys playing in the background mixed with Dhruv’s vocals is chef’s kiss. I feel like the main character of an anime that’s questioning my existence (okay, maybe not that, but it makes me want to think about something). This weirdly isn’t a tragedy unlike the song’s name.
4) Put Your Records On – Corinne Bailey Rae
Although I am not the targeted demographic for this song, it is still beautiful to listen to. It’s a flexible song to immerse yourself in based on whatever task you do, whether it’s biking, laying down on your bed, or going for a walk in the park. I would recommend driving around with this song as it gives that calm, soothing vibe to de-stress to. Especially with finals coming up, the sweet vocals from Corinne Bailey Rae could give you the insight that everything will be okay in the end.
5) It’s A Beautiful Day – Michael Bublé
The title alone speaks for itself. Spring is the season for growth. The flowers are blooming. The mushy snow is melting away. The birds begin chirping. There’s nothing else to describe it other than it’s beautiful. So beautiful that I bet you’ll forget it’s a breakup song disguised as a happy melodic banger. Nonetheless, the high energy and trumpets blasting in the background from this track will pump you up in the morning especially if you’re bouncing back from a rough time the day before.
6) Butterflies – Kacey Musgraves
I won’t lie to you. I’ve never been a big country fan. Even today, it usually does not manage to seep into my music rotation most of the time. This is one of the exceptions. Have you ever been to St. Jacob’s Farmer’s Market? I have. And for some reason, being in a market with lots of booths mixed with walking around the fairgrounds on a sunny Saturday morning is perfectly captured in Butterflies. I remember I was a part of UWACC in which the a cappella group I was a part of performed and hung around the market on Saturday. And that song was constantly bumping in my head when we were together eating apple fritters.
If you’re not a big country person like myself, listen to this. It will make you feel like you can fly just like a butterfly.
7) When It Rains (Chove Chuva) – saib.
When It Rains perfectly captures the gloom of being stuck at home while it’s raining outside. I remember back in 2020 while I was remote learning as a first year, I found the song from a Brazilian lofi hip-hop playlist on YouTube (link to the playlist: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZhstyJSNKME) that I was using to focus on studying effectively for one of my finals. You don’t need to understand Portuguese to appreciate the mood the song is going for. The opening guitar ballad followed by the soft, melancholic piano keys give the track that perfect laid-back feel for when the rain is bringing you down.
8) Cherry Wine – grentperez
Spring can sometimes blossom love at first sight. And Cherry Wine just encapsulates that feeling the most. This slow jam is great for any couples who want to enjoy each others’ company whether by looking at the clouds or having a romantic picnic of sorts. I always pictured this song in the background of a European indie short film with two people falling in love and enjoying the beauty of a small, rural town.
Just sit down with your loved one, relax, and enjoy this track to the fullest.
9) Honey – BJ the Chicago Kid (ft. Chloë)
If you love soul, this is for you. I’ve been a big fan of BJ the Chicago Kid and his recent album that was released last November. It is an incredible R&B/soul album that is filled with incredible production and vocal performances. One of the biggest highlights is Honey, which is an optimistic pop hit that’s filled with so much positive energy that you just want to dance along with it. BJ along with songwriter Chlöe bring an infectious amount of sauce that almost tastes so sweet and succulent (just like honey!). It’s also nice for that throwback vibe.
10) Garden Shed – Tyler, the Creator (ft. Estelle)
Ever had those odd situations where you’re doing nothing and just staring at a large field or something? This song sort of feels like that. The majority of the song is just a calm instrumental playing in the background. This song personally makes me feel at peace with my constant inner thoughts that are rambling on and on about how life can suck sometimes. I recommend listening to this outside while laying down in the grass as you look up in the clouds. I know it’s a bit corny, but it will be worth it.
11) Flowers Need Rain – Preston Pablo and Banx & Ranx
You probably heard of this song if you ever listened to a Canadian pop music radio station. Preston Pablo’s melancholic love song just makes that rainy day in the week feel less dreadful. When you’re thinking of that certain someone that you care about, play this in the background. Pablo’s iconic chorus of the song will be in your head non-stop, but you won’t mind as you sing along with the lyrics.
12) Where Do I Go – MINOVA
This track really is relatable to a degree. It tells the story of someone who does not know what they want to do after the person they’ve been close with goes away in some manner. Maybe I’m sounding deep about that, but the song’s lyrics saying, “Listening to music that I once adored/Thinking maybe I should leave the house some more/I need you to understand I’m getting bored” is something that I am dealing with now. As someone who realizes they have one more year until graduation, Where Do I Go sometimes puts me in a position to wonder what I should do right now with a fair share of my friends doing co-ops in different parts of the world.
And this is added on with the light drums playing like it’s a coffeehouse performance. If you ever feel like you don’t know where you need to be or what to do, play this song in a place where you feel the most relaxed. Like I said before, since finals are coming, this song will help you out during those tough times of the year.
You’re almost done with studying. I believe in you!
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