As the leaves change from green to burnt colors like orange, yellow, red and brown, so does your playlist. Gone are the carefree days of summer. You need a playlist that helps you hunker down in the library for a cram session. Or pumps you up for the biggest Halloween party on campus.
And don’t worry about bothering your roommates with all the noise—College Magazine’s got you covered. We’re giving away Beats by Dre. All you need to do is enter to win on Instagram.
Keep reading for 10 songs on your fall playlist that’ll sound amazing on your new Beats.
1. “Youngblood” by 5 Seconds of Summer
“Youngblood” landed the number one spot on U.S. radio. “I listen to it when I’m doing my homework. The beat keeps me active when I’m working and spurs me forward. It relates to my feelings both when I’m in a relationship and getting over a breakup. Nothing could make me skip this song,” said William & Mary junior Laurel Perchalski. The strong beats shake you from your ribcage. The lyrics echo how dead you feel after your exams. All the while you find yourself dancing along.
2. “Woman Like Me” by Little Mix (ft Nicki Minaj)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4l1cz0kLkb4
The wait for new music from this girl group is finally over. Little Mix released a teaser to the next girl power song you’ll rock to every morning to get yourself ready to face the day. “I am so excited for Little Mix’s new single ‘Women Like Me’ because they are promoting female empowerment with an amazing beat and killer vocals like usual, and this time with Nicki Minaj!” said Ithaca College senior Taryn Falkenstein. So far you can only hear the teaser. But Little Mix and Nicki Minaj promised a new fall anthem to rock out to everywhere from the dance floor to the drive to class.
3. “Without Me” by Halsey
Halsey released a song perfect for those chilly autumn walks to class. Picture cloudy days and fading leaves or stormy shores and hollow-eyed skeletons. If you don’t see that when you listen to this song, what are you even picturing? “Without Me” offers an escape from campus when all your back account offers is a vacation to someone else’s Netflix account. Halsey’s haunting lyrics take you away, letting you forget about the fall semester for three minutes and 24 seconds of someone else’s sorrow.
4. “Breathin” by Ariana Grande
Grande had a tough summer, no doubt. Her face keeps making headlines on every news site for everything but her music. If you feel even half as stressed as Grande recently, she released just the reassuring song to keep you going. “Breathin” offers that last motivational push to keep moving forward when life wants to tear you down. You’ll easily fall asleep peacefully to this song after a long day of cramming. Or blast it on your way to class. Or dance your heart out to it on a Friday while getting ready for a fun night.
5. “Lost in Japan (Remix)” by Shawn Mendes and Zedd
“Lost in Japan” dominated radio waves all summer long. Don’t knock I toff your playlist just yet. This fresh remix with Zedd will make you want to stream the song straight into your fall Spotify playlists. You’ll need this song to relieve your stress as the weather cools down and your midterm grades roll in.
6 .“Last One” – the Aces
“Last One” by the Aces works perfectly for your before, during or after party playlist. And in case you wondered, the Aces sound just as good on stage as they do playing through your Beats. This playful take on letting go of relationships that aren’t right perfectly captures how hard it is to move on from someone that just seems stuck in your life. Their sickly-sweet music video is fun and freaky. The song itself will make you want to you skip away from all your problems.
7. “Head Above Water” by Avril Lavigne
The emo queen from our pre-teen years officially made her comeback as an adult. With a song much calmer than your middle school favorite “Girlfriend,” “Head Above Water” will relax you at the end of a long day. Every college student knows the feeling of drowning, especially during midterm season. When your work load feels like a little too much, put on your Beats, shut your eyes and turn this song on full blast. Avril grew up just like we did and her music still flows perfectly on our playlists.
8. “Loser” by Jagwar Twin
Some days you spill your coffee, fail a midterm, fight your roommate and sleep through a class—all in the same 24 hours. On days like that, you need a pick me up. Bubbly pop just won’t vibe with your mood; Jagwar Twin’s “Loser” has your back. These relatable lyrics will help you make it through the weeks that seem to drag on forever.
9. “Netflix and Dusse” by Smino
The bouncy beat in “Netflix and Dusse” keeps the energy up mid-study session. Good luck resisting the urge to dance along. “I think the style is very unique and different from a lot of the music coming out today. The rhyme scheme is so playful and fun, every time I jam out to it I smile,” said Montclair State sophomore Daniel Waldman. The lyrics emanate college romance, just waiting for bae to surprise you at home with pizza. At the same time the vibe fits the mood when you hang out with your closest friends, making memories that last way past graduation.
10. “Broken” by Lovelytheband
The lively beat and lyrics in “Broken” will resonate with any college student making their place in the world. You’ll want to listen to it all the time: while getting ready for a party, heading to class or lying in bed trying to bring yourself to do homework. “I listen to it mostly when I’m chilling or driving to school. My commute is long so I’m always listening to music when I drive,” said George Mason junior Alaina Johannson. Lovelytheband brings a loveliness to the loneliness that comes with being on your own, that comes with being in college, that comes with being a person.
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