Well, this weather is incredibly depressing. Looking outside (and being outside) makes me want to drop everything and move to Hawaii. Alas, I don’t have the money for that. So, I just have to get by whatever way I can. One of the best ways to get through this horrendous weather is music.

I don’t know about you guys, but every January 1, I make a new playlist on Spotify. I don’t discriminate (much) against Apple Music users : I simply grew up using Spotify. This isn’t about my choice of music streaming app, though.

Every January 1, I have a minor identity crisis. This crisis only takes place in the form of deciding what music I’m going to listen to that year. By the end of the year every year, I’ve gone through roughly 25 different music tastes. January 1 is when I like to make a fresh start.

This week I thought I’d invite readers to listen to some of the same music I’ve been listening to for the past few weeks. Do I know what genre they are? No. But are they bangers? Absolutely.

“Over the Moon” by WizTheMC

I first listened to WizTheMC way back in 2020 when he released his song, “For A Minute.” This song took off and still remains his number-one song on Spotify. Truthfully, though, I forgot about this guy. Once “For A Minute” filtered out of my playlists, so did this artist. However, this musician just popped back into my head in late December. I thought to myself, “I wonder how that guy’s doing?” So I gave him a quick search and listened to his recent music. This song in particular really caught my attention and thus earned its spot in my first playlist of 2024.

What makes this song worth a listen? This song starts out a little slower. The lyrics aren’t necessarily sad, but they aren’t entirely happy either. The beginning of this song is quite peaceful. Suddenly, the beat picks up. The song gets a little peppier. The lyrics get happier. The rest of the song remains with this upbeat, catchy lyricism and tune. This song encapsulates both my somber and happier feelings, earning its worth in being on my playlist.

“Raspberry” by GROUPLOVE

I don’t have any beautiful backstory for my relationship with this song. My simple explanation is: I need music recommendations, so I asked my friend and he sent me this song. He really came in clutch with this one, let me tell you.

This song starts off with a bang. I don’t know how to explain it better than that. I’m not very musically inclined, I just know what music I like. I like this song. This is the song that I listen to when I need to get out of bed in the morning. There’s no tired moment in this song, so I can’t be tired while listening to it. I will warn you: the chorus of this song is incredibly catchy. I do find myself humming the chorus fifty times a day. However, it’s worth it. This song is a banger.

“Freakin’ Out on the Interstate” by Briston Maroney

This song is pretty different from the last two songs I’ve mentioned. It doesn’t have that same, vaguely rock feel. This song feels like having a mental breakdown in a barn in the middle of nowhere. I cannot explain why I feel this way, I just do. This description is contrary to the title of the song, but I honestly usually feel pretty peaceful on interstates. Not so much in barns in the middle of nowhere, though.

I love Briston Maroney. So much so that I’m going to his concert in Minneapolis next month(!!). The first song of his that I ever heard was “June,” and I’ve been hooked since. His voice, his lyrics, and his melodies all work together to create some of my favorite songs of all time; this song being one of them.

This song also starts out quite abruptly, but it works well. It’s a bit on the slower side but isn’t quiet by any stretch. The chorus makes me want to throw myself at a wall but in a good way. The emotion this song carries just makes me feel every feeling at one time.

Once again, I’m not the most musically inclined. I can’t tell you exactly what makes these songs so amazing, but I hope you give them a listen. Perhaps they’ll even end up on your Spotify(or Apple Music) playlist.