A new year is a good time to refresh your playlists and add a little something new. These are my personal favorites at the moment-- some old, some new, all good for long car rides and late night study sessions.

1. Fire and the Flood- Vance Joy

This song isn’t exactly recent-- it was released in 2015 on the deluxe version of Joy’s first studio album. However, I decided to include it here because it’s been a favorite of mine for a long time. Its unique blend of ukulele and horns makes for an interesting musical line, and Joy’s distinctive voice pulls it all together beautifully.

2. Death of a Bachelor-Panic! At the Disco

I’ve been listening to Panic! since I was in the seventh grade and I wore too much black eyeliner and those rubber band bracelets. Brendon Urie and I have both chilled out (and learned how to apply makeup right) since then, but I never could quit listening to them. This particular song I really like because it’s smooth and lyrical-- a little different than Panic! of the past.

3. Good Grief- Bastille

Anyone who talks to me for more than ten minutes will know that Bastille is hands down my favorite group. Since their breakout album, Bad Blood, in 2013, they haven’t released much new music, and so I was highly anticipating the release of their newest studio album. The first single, Good Grief, embodies everything that Bastille is-- quirky, upbeat, and honest-- and is a good sample of the new album (which everyone should check out!).

*Please note I included the clean version of the music video due to sensitive imagery in the original, which you can find on YouTube.

4. Play That Song- Train

When I was doing research for this, a friend of mine pointed out that you can never go wrong with Train. She was right-- since 1996, Train has continuously released feel-good music and Play That Song is no exception. It riffs off of the classic piano line made famous by Tom Hanks’ movie Big, turning it into a sweet ballad that drips of classic Train.

5. This Town-- Niall Horan

Back in my One Direction phase, Niall was always my favorite. Now, the obsession may have mellowed but I still really love Niall Horan, and I was so excited when he released his first solo single. It’s radically different from most of the 1D stuff--his influence from close friend Ed Sheeran is clear, and the song is carried solely by an acoustic guitar, rather than overloaded with electronic background music. It’s a refreshing change of pace from the former boybander.

6. Castle on the Hill and Shape of You- Ed Sheeran

After almost a full year of social media hiatus and radio silence, Ed Sheeran surprised fans everywhere with the release of two new singles. I couldn't choose just one to include, so I put them both on here. Shape of You is a little different from Ed’s normal sound, which isn’t surprising because he originally wrote it for Rihanna,but ultimately kept it for himself. Castle on the Hill, my favorite of the two, is more like what we heard on his last album, x-- acoustic with heavy focus on vocals and lyrics that come from Ed’s personal experience. Based on these two songs, I’m guessing that the new album, Divide (which drops March 3rd) is going to be everything we love about Ed Sheeran.

7. Starboy- The Weeknd

I’ve been a fan of The Weeknd for a while, and so I had pretty high expectations for this new music. Starboy does not disappoint-- it’s The Weeknd’s signature mix of R&B and electronic that has drawn everyone in, including myself, since his track for 50 Shades of Grey.

8. All Time Low- Jon Bellion

Jon Bellion is an artist that has been in the woodwork of the music scene for a while. He’s done work with Zedd and Eminem, most notably penning the chorus for Eminem and Rihanna’s Monster. Because of the airtime it’s been getting lately, I was surprised to find out that this song was released on Bellion’s first studio album back in 2015. For whatever reason, it’s now being pulled to the forefront, and I’m glad-- it’s a mix of rap and alternative that I’ve never quite seen before, but that works well.

9. Missing You- All Time Low

All Time Low released their latest album, Future Hearts, in 2015, so this song isn’t exactly recent either. Missing You wasn’t a single, and didn’t really get any airtime, but I think it’s the hidden gem of the album. In contrast to All Time Low’s usual punk-y vibe, Missing You is acoustic and pure.

10. Toothbrush- DNCE

Everyone knows DNCE because of Cake by the Ocean (and because of Joe Jonas) but I’d argue that there are better songs on their album, including Toothbrush. Its syntho-pop feel is catchy and fun-- it’s guaranteed to be stuck in your head for the rest of the day.