The days have grown colder. The nights have gotten longer. Winter is nearly upon us. With the changing of the seasons should come the changing of your playlist.
Here are some recommendations for that playlist:
"Fake Plastic Trees" - Radiohead
The winter blues strike hard every November and December for many people, and it's only fitting that their music taste might shift, too. Enter "Fake Plastic Trees," a melancholy song about a lack of meaningful connections in a world of fake people, with a narrator desperately seeking someone real.
"The Beach" - The Neighbourhood
Nobody does cold weather music like The Neighbourhood. While "Sweater Weather" might immediately come to mind, their song "The Beach" off their 2015 album "Wiped Out!" is another worthy candidate. The song's vibe feels cold, with an instrumental of soft guitars and drums under vocals that bounce between restrained and soaring, solidifying its placement on this list.
"Northern Attitude" - Noah Kahan feat. Hozier
"Northern Attitude" was already a great song, but Hozier made it all the better. The soaring vocals and fingerpicked guitar serve as the instrumental, guiding the song along. But the real shining star is the lyricism, describing the negative effects that the cold and a long, hard winter can have on a person, a theme that much of Kahan's musical catalog has explored.
"Violet Hill" - Coldplay
Coldplay's 2008 song "Violet Hill" takes a harsher, more rock-oriented approach than many of the more melancholy songs on the list. It speaks of corrupt governments led by crooked leaders, told over military-esque drums and electric guitars. But, the wintry aspect comes in the imagery alongside the anti-government theme, telling of people being left to freeze in the cold December snow.
"Don't Look Back In Anger" - Oasis
The coming of winter also means that the year is drawing to a close. It's a perfect time for self-reflection and remembering what has happened through the past several months. But, some parts are easier to look back on than others. "Don't Look Back In Anger" urges listeners to look back on those hard parts without worrying too much about them, making a great message for the new year.
"Landslide" - Fleetwood Mac
"Landslide" by Fleetwood Mac is another song for the end of the year. Though, it looks at change differently. Rather than putting the past behind them, the narrator has struggled with change for a long time and is slowly realizing that they are becoming older and will have to deal with change at some point. Plus, the song has abundant cold weather imagery, which is a bonus for any winter playlist.
"Nights In White Satin" - The Moody Blues
While "Nights In White Satin" is not necessarily rife with wintery lyricism, it still feels like a song for a cold winter night. The impassioned vocals mixed with flute create an interesting combination that still feels cold.
"December" - Dayglow
"December" carries the same theme of change, though it is a bit more direct in its connection to winter through the title and the lyric, "Every year has its December." It is much funkier than the other songs, carrying the trademark '80s-inspired synths, cheerful drum beats and brass instruments.
"Cold Cold Cold" - Cage The Elephant
This one is also more direct in its winter connection. It uses imagery of ice and the cold to describe someone who is suffering from mental distress and a complete numbness to the world. The song shows the confusion and worry at the state the narrator has found themselves in, pleading with a doctor to fix them.
"Wintertime Love" - The Doors
"Wintertime Love" is a bit less complex in theme than some other songs on the list. It is simply a love song, with the narrator asking the object of their affection to come with them to keep them warm throughout the frigid season.
