Congratulations, fellow October lovers, we've officially made it. It's finally time for fresh air crisp enough to bite your cheeks and revive you from the induced coma of the summer heat, but not quite bitter enough to slip through the warmth of a worn-in hoodie. For someone who feels everything deeply, fall is for leaves sacrificing their lives to please our eyes and for getting overemotional on train rides. I'm not only here to provide you with some great gazing-somberly-out-of-a-train-window-and-feel-all-the-feels songs, but also to replace the overplayed summer hits that radio stations had to go and make redundant. From somber, heart-wrenching melodies to beat drops to throw down to, here's some musical masterpieces for the hearts that belong to fall.
1. Youth by Daughter
I need someone to give Elena Tonra a grammy simply for creating the lyrics "and if you're still breathing, you're the lucky ones 'cause most of us are heaving through corrupted lungs setting fire to our insides for fun collecting names of the lovers that went wrong the lovers that went wrong."
2. All We Know by The Chainsmokers and Phoebe Ryan
This is coming from someone who's a sucker to any Chainsmokers song, but add Pheobe Ryan's silky voice to a sick beat typical of the Chainsmokers and my shoulders will be grooving along to every drop.
3. Alright by Keaton Henson
If there's one thing that you need to know in this life (besides essentially a WHOLE lot of other maybe more significant facts and life lessons), it's that Keaton Henson is a poetic genius. Please delve head first into his entire album and discography, I beg of you.
4. Trust Nobody by Cashmere Cat, Tory Lanez, and Selena Gomez
Let's be honest, it's not lyrically stimulating. But if you're not here for the lyrics, let this beat fill all of your musical needs and let your shoulders groove to this one.
5. Needed Me by Rihanna
As a general rule of thumb, everyone should channel their inner sass when listening to Rihanna. If the killer beat of this song doesn't get you in a fierce mood, Riri's voice, dripping with attitude, will get you feeling empowered for sure.
6. Every Other Sunday Morning by The Wind and the Wave
7. Seaside by The Kooks
Oh come on, even their artwork just screams Rolling-Stones-level cool. This song may only be a minute and thirty nine seconds, but every second of it will have you enveloped in fog and salty air, feeling every strum of the guitar as it comes.
8. I Need Love by Ciaran McMeeken
"Trying to deny that there's something wrong with me, collateral damage at the top of my anatomy." This song was made to be felt in your core, and Ciaran McMeeken's honeyed voice certainly does the powerful composition justice.
9. Helplessly by Tatiana Manaois
You can't help but be drawn in immediately after the first pluck of the string. It might be the innocent simplicity that somehow works or the catchy guitar matched with a sweet voice, but this song has made an appearance on my queue everyday so far this season.
10. God Damn Fool by Charlie Sztyk
It's the hopping guitar. No, the gravelly voice. No, both. Wait, actually, it's the lyrics. Nope, no, it's definitely the key change on the last "fooooOOOOOL." Yep, got it, that's it. Nailed it.
11. Humble and Kind by Tim McGraw
"When those dreams you're dreamin' come to you, when the work you put in is realized, let yourself feel the pride but always stay humble and kind."
For all my country fans out there, you all know that Tim McGraw can sing his heart out. The message that this song sends, however, outdoes any song he's ever done in his career, in my opinion.
12. Drive by Glades
The. Beat. Drop. It's so subtle. But it's so important. This is the perfect song to blast while driving on the highway with the windows cracked and the colorful blur of autumn trees flying past you out the window. You must experience this, please trust me.
13. Ultraviolet by Dagny
This song is throwing your hands up, dancing around the room, and letting all of your responsibilities get lost in the rhythm of the drums.
14. Instead by Ryan Amador
Confession time: I've gone on 1hr+ long drives and only played this song on repeat. Self-inflicting torture? Maybe. But if you need to let yourself cry to this song, let it happen. Ryan Amador and his piano make an excellent therapeutic duo.
15. Novels by Rusty Clanton and Dodie Clark
The harmonies. The lyrics. The delicate strum of the gentlest guitar in the entire world. The sweet, sweet purity of these artists' voices. Again, someone please get me in touch with whoever's in charge of handing out Grammys, because Rusty Clanton needs one in his hands IMMEDIATELY: "what if I asked, what if I asked you to stay? What if it cost you your heart and your last name?"
16. Rivers and Roads by The Head and the Heart
The perfect melancholy melody for a rainy fall day. The gravelly male voice mixed with the soft high pitched feminine voice is the perfect soothing mixture. The buildup in this song is absolutely gorgeous, as are the harmonies, and the ENDING. ALL THE FEELS.
17. Changes by Mutemath
Snap along. Sing along. Groove along. The techno-piano vibe in this song is a beautiful thing, folks. And you already know I can't help but fall for a good beat drop. Thank you, Mutemath.
18. Somebody Else cover by VÉRITÉ
As a big fan of the 1975, I'll go ahead and tell you right now that VÉRITÉ took this song, completely innovated it, and ROCKED it. The slow start, the beat drop, the dramatic pauses, the rock-techno feel, the muffled chorus, EVERYTHING IS PERFECT. PROTECT THIS SONG WITH YOUR LIFE.
19. Say You Won't Let Go by James Arthur
The deep toned verses that slip into the high notes of the chorus, all the while coated in complete honesty. Even though this song has a hard beat to it, it's so hard not to melt into the tender twang of the guitar.
20. Atlas Hands by Benjamin Francis Leftwich
This is the perfectly soft, delicate masterpiece was made for calm autumn drives when you're trying to clear your mind - when you're looking to go somewhere, anywhere, to escape your mind.
21. Incarnation Song by Chris and Thomas
Please just let the finger picking take over your entire being. Let the angelic voices ease your worries and close your eyes, let this song itself sweep you through the season of fall.
