Spooky season is fast approaching and, if you’re anything like me, you need the perfect playlist to get you in the pumpkin spice latte sipping mood; in other words, a compilation of notes and beats that just scream fall and make you want to put on your comfiest sweater and chunkiest boots. Here are a few of my favorite songs and artists that emulate all the season has to offer!
One of my favorite artists to listen to during this season is The Cranberries. Most of the songs I listen to during fall come from their 1993 album, Everybody Else is Doing It, So Why Can’t We?, which include tracks like “Linger,” “Dreams,” “Sunday,” and “Put Me Down.” Their music has a dream-like quality that transports you to a rainy fall day when the fallen leaves have just the right amount of crunch. Lead singer Dolores O’Riordan’s voice is truly otherworldly.
The Smiths are another band with some fall staples, many of which come from their compilations Louder Than Bombs and Hatful of Hollow. Some of their autumnal classics are “This Night Has Opened My Eyes,” “Please, Please, Please, Let Me Get What I Want,” “This Charming Man,” “Back to the Old House,” “I Know It’s Over,” and “Heaven Knows I’m Miserable Now.” Fall is the perfect time to get into The Smiths if you haven’t already. Their music creates a moody ambiance that perfectly captures the fall vibes we’re aiming for.
While now super popular for his most recent albums, I think Harry Styles’ self-titled debut album is perfect for the fall season. With songs like “Woman,” “Ever Since New York,” “Sign of the Times,” “Meet Me in the Hallway,” and “Two Ghosts,” his album epitomizes modern pop rock aesthetics, creating music that is moody yet warm and inviting.
Adriana Simancas, a senior marine and environmental biology and policy student, explained, “Harry Styles’ first album is one of my favorites for this time of year. The album has a comforting, feel-good vibe that pairs perfectly with the changing season.”
Stevie Nicks is another outstanding vocalist whose unique sound and witchy aesthetic make her a standout for the fall season. “Crystal,” “Rhiannon,” “Edge of Seventeen,” “Gypsy,” “If You Ever Did Believe,” and “The Chain” are a couple of my favorites that emulate autumnal vibes.
Any Twihards out there know that all the songs from the Twilight soundtrack are perfection, but if you’re skeptical because of the whole vampire versus werewolf thing, look no further than “Roslyn,” “Meet Me on the Equinox,” “Flightless Bird, American Mouth,” “Full Moon,” “Supermassive Black Hole,” and “The Antidote.” I have these songs on repeat as soon as I feel the slightest breeze in the air. They’re quintessentially fall (and so are the movies).
Hope Sandoval, lead singer of the band Mazzy Star, and Fiona Apple are two of my favorite 90s girlies. I am obsessed with Mazzy Star’s album So Tonight That I Might See. With songs like “Fade Into You,” “Blue Light,” and “Into Dust,” their music is melancholic yet comforting. Fiona Apple is in the running for the queen of fall. With her emotional and oftentimes vulnerable lyricism, her music is truly transformative. Some of my favorites of hers are “A Mistake,” “Pale September,” “Sullen Girl,” and “The First Taste.”
I can’t forget my girls Taylor Swift and Lana Del Ray. Taylor’s albums Evermore and Red (Taylor’s Version of course) will be featured on my queue for the next couple of months (more so than normal). Some of my favorite songs from these albums: “cowboy like me,” “gold rush,” “evermore (feat. Bon Iver),” “Red,” “All Too Well (10 Minute Version),” “Sad Beautiful Tragic,” “Come Back…Be Here,” “State of Grace,” and “Treacherous.”
Victoria Ponce, a senior psychology student, added, “I like listening to Taylor in the fall because that’s usually when her songs come out, and it reminds me of when I first listened to them while watching the leaves fall out the window.”
Lana has a little bit of fall throughout her discography. Some standouts include “Season of the Witch,” “Cinnamon Girl,” “Bel Air,” “Blue Velvet,” “Brooklyn Baby,” “Sad Girl,” “Paris, Texas (feat. SYML),” and “Let the Light in (feat. Father John Misty).” Both women have a way with a pen, writing transportive and emotional songs, which, coupled with their melodious voices, make them perfect additions for an atmospheric fall playlist.
For your quick reference, some additional standout songs that best encapsulate the spirit of fall include:
“What Once Was” – Her’s
“The Blonde” and “Loving Machine” – TV Girl
“The Right Side of My Neck,” “Kingston,” and “I Know You” – Faye Webster
“Duvet” – bôa
“The Boy” – The Smashing Pumpkins
“Celia’s Dream” – Slowdrive
“The Perfect Girl” – Mareux
“Halloween” – Phoebe Bridgers
“We Are Stars” – The Pierces
“Kiss Me” – Sixpence None the Richer
These songs are sure to put you in the perfect mood. So, take a listen while sipping on your PSLs and baking your Pillsbury ghost cookies to get the most out of the season!
