It has been a difficult year and a half since the world as we know it changed and hasn't stopped changing. A lot has gotten better since then, but there is still a lot of work to be done. This knowledge added onto the fact that I spent much of this past summer preparing for my first year of college in the middle of a pandemic and political unrest made my summer far from stress-free. Luckily, I had my favorite playlist - poetically named "music that makes my brain go brr brr" - on Spotify to give me some kind of distraction from the real world every once in a while. In no particular order, these five songs are the ones that gave me the most serotonin and can hopefully do the same for you.
1. "Run Boy Run" by Woodkid
Starting off this list with Woodkid's most famous song, "Run Boy Run," and all I really have to say about this one is if the ending doesn't give you literal chills, I really don't know what will.
2. "Best Friend" by Rex Orange County
It might just be because it perfectly fits my vocal range or just because this song is a certified bop. Still, Rex Orange County's "Best Friend" became one of my favorite songs the moment I heard it. I decided to make it everyone's problem.
3. "good 4 u" by Olivia Rodrigo
Yes. That's all there is to this one. Just. Yes.
4. "Wait For Me (Reprise)" by Hadestown Cast
Did I only discover this song because I had to perform it in choir? Perhaps. Did that stop it from immediately getting added to my playlist? Absolutely not. Belting this song out gives me all the feels and after your first listen, you will have the tune stuck in your head 24/7.
5. "Second Chance" by HSMTMTS Cast
The ending of the second season of "High School Musical: The Musical: The Series" was a hot mess, but the one good thing to come out of it was this song. While I personally think that the rendition that my sister and I perform in the car is better, this song is still definitely worth a listen - whether you are a fan of "HSMTMTS" or not.
All jokes aside, these songs helped me get through a very stressful time in my life. Hopefully, they can do the same for you if you're willing to give them a listen.
