Fall has finally arrived and with the changing of seasons comes the arrival of new playlists. When I think of fall music, I imagine calm, serene, and acoustic songs that help me focus during school and keep me motivated throughout the week.

• Champagne Problems- Taylor Swift 

Taylor Swift’s “Evermore” album captures the essence of fall music perfectly. The entire album centers around an indie sound, unique to her previous albums. “Champagne Problems” specifically has a calm feel and a somber tone overall. Swift has once again shocked the world with her talents as she continues to release unique music. If you don’t enjoy her usual pop songs, try this album as it gives an interesting spin on folk music. 

https://open.spotify.com/track/0sY6ZUTh4yoctD8VIXz339?si=8716e6617b9649da 

• Where You Lead- Carole King

Carole King gained lots of success in the 1960s with her pop music, and today, her voice is still known as one of the greatest of our time. If you enjoy the 60s/70s rock era of the music industry, Carole King is the perfect choice. “Where You Lead” was written by King in 1971, and now is most notorious for its reputation as the theme song in the early 2000’s show “Gilmore Girls.” For fans of the show, it reminds us of fall in the comfy town of Stars Hollow. 

 https://open.spotify.com/track/0APt4t1Dab58sYmGQ4jgij?si=20bd2c30ece84e1f 

• Amoeba- Clairo

Clairo made her music industry debut a few years ago with her hit song “Pretty Girl.” Since then, her sound has evolved significantly and in quarantine she released the album “Sling.” Stylistically, her newest album was inspired by 1970s folk singer-songwriters. The songs on the album tell stories of regret, lost youth, and struggles of being a part of the music industry. On this album, the second track “Amoeba” struck me as a fall song because of its calm nature and hidden meaning in the powerful lyrics she sings. 

My favorite lyric: 

“Gather to one corner of the woods

Echo chambers inside a neighborhood

And centerfold, humility shown.”

https://open.spotify.com/track/0HAqq2GcQKyi3s87GuN7jU?si=b4a7916285224bec 

• Across the Universe- Fiona Apple 

Fiona Apple is a very popular punk rock singer from the 1990s. Apple’s cover of the Beatles classic “Across the Universe” ranks as one of my favorite fall-inspired songs. She uses the poetic lyrics of John Lennon and takes a drastically different approach to the message of the song, celebrating peace and love throughout the world. 

https://open.spotify.com/track/6ZQgooEk8PvsLxedYaT6Oa?si=910835b7972f4855 

• Garden Song- Phoebe Bridgers

Phoebe Bridgers is a 27-year-old singer-songwriter who is known for her sorrowful way of performing. Bridgers has been in the music industry for nearly 7 years, and released the album “Punisher” in 2020. The second track on the album, “Garden Song” is a slow piece about nightmares Bridgers experienced while on tour. This song in particular stands out to me as a fall song because of the feeling of nostalgia you get while listening to it.  

https://open.spotify.com/track/25Syi9wnfn6ZGAmiOBypPq?si=d47027c56f7149b8 

• Skate- Silk Sonic

In 2017, singers Bruno Mars and Anderson .Paak formed a duo, naming themselves “Silk Sonic,” and in March of 2021, they released their first song. After 4 months, they came out with “Skate.” If you need a change of pace from the more somber sounding tunes, Silk Sonic’s second latest number offers an R&B influenced style incorporated in modern music. 

https://open.spotify.com/track/2sXf2JdbB2GlNju00kw9WE?si=29588cf6450b4238 

• Moonlight on the River- Mac Demarco

Mac Demarco is a Canadian indie artist who first gained popularity for his 2014 album “Salad Days.” Demarco’s music centers heavily around production, giving him the “alternative” music title. In 2017, the artist released his tenth album “This Old Dog.” While the album at times has very upbeat and optimistic tones, the message is quite the opposite, as it was inspired by his strained relationship with his parents. This theme is present in the heartbreaking song “Moonlight on the River.” Demarco chose to wrap up the album with this song, and this to me seemed as the best choice for a fall song because it portrays a feeling of isolation. 

https://open.spotify.com/track/2fhOljbX79loRcdl47SFye?si=836cd0c76a81470d 

• Duvet- Bôa

The English band Bôa was first formed in 1993. Their music centers around an alternative/indie sound, and it consists of 6 members. In 1998, they released their album “The Race of a Thousand Camels” which featured the song “Duvet.” Bôa’s music recently started gaining attention again when people on TikTok began using this song behind their videos, increasing their streams to 300,000,000 listens. The song “Duvet” specifically has a very addicting chorus and tune which makes it impossible to stop listening to. Personally, this song acts as the perfect fall song because of its ability to balance the elements of rock and indie pop. 

https://open.spotify.com/track/7urtwZEtOypb3r8HNi42dT?si=30cd2b6ec0484078

“I think Tiktok plays a big role in exposing teens to more music. A lot of creators use it as a platform to get their music into the world and it’s given me some great songs to listen to,” said Jenna Nabelsi, junior. 

• Say Yes- Elliott Smith 

“The first time I heard Eliott Smith was in ‘Good Will Hunting,’ and I loved his songs in it. He sounded so sad and it fit the fall atmosphere of the movie really well,” said Lily Jackson, junior. 

Elliott Smith was a singer from the 1990’s who used songwriting as an escape from his troubled past and struggles in his life. Smith released the song “Say Yes” in 1997 on the album “Either/Or.” The song, despite having a very gloomy melody and heart wrenching lyrics, is meant to be an optimistic and joyful song about emotional endings in Smith’s life. Before his death, he released very similar pieces of music such as: “Miss Misery” and “Between the Bars.”

https://open.spotify.com/track/6ZQgooEk8PvsLxedYaT6Oa?si=910835b7972f4855

“Music on a daily basis helps me to focus as well as express my emotions,” said Dalia Ahdab, junior.

 To listen to these songs visit https://open.spotify.com/playlist/76NUBxjfyvRfzkFpnOuFne