In honor of the fall break, I’ve chosen my top ten songs to help welcome in the season of pumpkins, falling leaves, and sweaters.
As the song title suggests, summer is indeed over. The funky synthesizer beats, mixed with bass and drums, create a chill and catchy beat – perfect background music for baking holiday cookies or reading a book. Jordana’s voice pulls all these elements and creates an almost hypnotic melody. While this song is a bit on the sadder side as it discusses heartbreak, it is still a great song and the melody is one of my favorites.
- “we fell in love in october” (girl in red)
While “Summer’s Over” discusses heartbreak, this song by girl in red subtly explores the joys of a new relationship. This song can be found on pretty much any fall playlist, and for some good reasons too! The guitar and the percussion on the backtrack create a dream-like song, perpetuating the chill beats we hope to envelope ourselves with in the fall.
- “There She Goes” (The La’s)
As it was iconically featured in the hit show Gilmore Girls (which many people hold as an icon of the fall season), “There She Goes” is almost representative of fall itself. The raspy vocals mixed with electric guitar create an upbeat and inexplicably catchy melody; one that is sure to be stuck in your head for hours after listening to this hit.
- “Dark Red” (Steve Lacy)
R&B, with its chill beats and unique musical influences, is the perfect representative of the season many consider as a calm, transitional period from the heat of summer to the chill of winter. “Dark Red” features heavy bass and layered vocals, creating a song that’s almost impossible not to bob your head to and one that should definitely be added to your fall playlist. As an added bonus, the color in the title is one of the quintessential colors of fall.
- “There Is a Light That Never Goes Out” (The Smiths)
Just like The La’s, The Smiths were also a British rock band and similarly contributed another upbeat love song to this list. The electric guitar and drums in this song aren’t overwhelming, but rather blend with the vocals to create a beautiful song (which one wouldn’t typically expect from a rock song). The message, which happens to be a bit morbid, is perfect for a season celebrating skeletons and ghosts.
- “Witches” (Alice Phoebe Lou)
Fall is when we welcome in Halloween and all things ghoulish, so the title of this song is just another reason this song is a must-add on any fall playlist. The backtrack features sound effects that sound almost like sparkles, perfect for a song about magic. The rather upbeat song is still chill enough for the season and really just helps bring the “fall vibe” in.
- “Vampire” (Dominic Fike)
Once again, we have another song focusing on the spooky side of fall. I love the electric guitar intro on this and Fike’s vocals are really lovely; the faster pace of the lyrics creates a continuous beat on its own. This song is really chill, but I also find it adds an eerie twist to any fall playlist.
- “Forrest Gump” (Frank Ocean)
Fall is football season, and for those of you that have seen “Forrest Gump”, you would know that he’s a football star (even if he doesn’t understand the game). The organ intro on this track is really interesting and makes it fun to listen to; adding a quirky influence to typical R&B. Frank Ocean has a great voice, and this composition really allows him to show off his skills. The background sound effects – such as clips from sport commenters and whistles – tie in that football feel.
- “Her” (The American Dawn)
This song is one of my personal favorites – I think the composition of it all is really pretty and while the message is melancholy, it’s still a great love song. The vocals in this are really interesting because they have been layers, making it feel as if there’s a chorus of people singing rather than just one. The guitar and interesting sound effects create a beat that’s chill and relaxing.
- “Look at That Woman” (Role Model)
The country influences on this song not only make it fun to listen to, but they also help welcome in “the season of the harvest”. The message in the song is really sweet and Tucker Pillsbury’s voice intertwines well with the guitar, creating a melody that makes it hard to decide between dancing and listening while chilling on a couch.
