As staffers of the Pleiad, a multi-media news publication, it should come as no surprise that we are avid media consumers. We love all types of media, but especially music.
Below you will find a collection of song recommendations from members of our staff.
For more song recommendations, check out our Instagram for the Pleiad’s first video column: What the Brits Have to Say.
Bella Bakeman, Editor-in-Chief
“Enough,” by Yoke Lore: The first time I heard this song I described it as life-altering. My favorite song of his is called “Beige,” I love it so much that I have a playlist dedicated to songs that make me feel similarly. “Enough” comes from his most recent album, “Toward a Never Ending New Beginning” and is my favorite, so far.
“You’re Gonna Go Far,” by Noah Kahan: If you’re ever doubting yourself in college or feeling like you made the wrong decision leaving home, listen to this song. Kahan’s artistry is like no other.
“This Isn’t Me,” by Towa Bird: Over the weekend, I took my friends and sister to the Renee Rapp concert. It was life-changing for a few reasons, but one is that I met Bird and gave her bracelets. She doesn’t have a ton of music released yet, but this is my favorite. Her new song “Drain Me” comes out today.
Bonnie Lord, Managing Editor
“Goodbye Evergreen,” by Sufjan Steven: His newest album is amazing – bright, unique, catchy and mournful all at the same time – and “Goodbye Evergreen” is my favorite in the album. The album, “Javelin,” is dedicated, per his Instagram, to his late partner. Every song in the album follows a theme of love and loss – and the grief is tangible in every note. This is, by far, the most profound album I’ve ever listened to.
“Kiss Her You Fool,” by Kids that Fly: This song is fun and romantic and upbeat, everything a good love song should be!
“Labour,” by Paris Paloma: Feminine rage meets low and slow pop-rock. Paris Paloma knows exactly what to say to make you want to spend your days burning the patriarchy to the ground.
(Bakeman seconds the final recommendation).
Juan Rodriguez, Opinions Editor
“Meet Me In The Woods,” by Lord Huron: We all go through things and we live to tell the story about it. Opening up to others is a hard thing, but it’s something we do to not feel alone and to properly move on from the ordeal we went through. Hauntingly beautiful, it has yet to loosen its hold on me. Considering the season, I don’t expect it to do so any time soon.
“Dumai/’Think’,” by Daniel Kahn and The Painted Bird: I’m fond of songs that play around with language. Kahn, in particular, weaves together Yiddish with English throughout the song, singing of a land divided by a government that has no concern for the people and communities it tears through. In the context of recent events unfolding in Israel and Palestine, it’s a song I find myself clinging to as I go about my day.
“Against the Kitchen Floor,” by Will Wood: I’m not good with people; I struggle with making the connections that others go about with ease in developing. I’ve gotten better with platonic relationships, but romantic relationships are still something I struggle with. “Against the Kitchen Floor” really captures that feeling of regret that comes from not really being able to give a partner your all, even when you know you’re doing your absolute best. There’s still that desire to do better, to try and make yourself better for their sake, even if you feel it deep inside that it’s gonna be a long way to go and the two of you have much more pain ahead.
Gabriel Peraino, Sports Editor
Peraino simply cannot choose a song so instead here are his favorite artists/bands. He suggests you listen to all of their music:
The Beatles: So many timeless classics to choose from; they developed new ideas and techniques for music.
Michael Jackson: More or less the same reason as the Beatles, including many hits and his impact on other artists and culture, is off-the-charts.
KISS, Guns N’ Roses, and Def Leppard: All because they’ve contributed greatly to the legacy of the rock genre.
Heidi Faramelli, Features Editor
“Vienna,” Billy Joel: It has always been important to me and has taught me that slowing down is important, especially in terms of my anxiety.
Katherine Simpkins, Media Editor
“Live more & love more,” by Cat Burns: Recently, life has just seemed harder than usual; probably because I’m a senior. My anxiety and the worries I have daily seem to pile with nowhere to go. A few months ago, I was scrolling through Cat Burns’ songs looking for ones to add to my playlist containing her music and I discovered this beautiful song. Right off the bat, she sings,
“Since I’ve gotten older, I’ve realized we all care about things that don’t really matter, we’re just told it does.”
This aligns so well with what I’ve been feeling lately. The chorus is so powerful:
“If there’s something you wanna do Just do it Don’t let your head stop your heart from moving … Who knows who we’d be if we just live more and love more We all just need to live more and love more”
The chorus reminds me to keep pushing forward with how I feel and that I am better off living and loving. It all comes down to who we are and what we stand for at the end of the day, and this song makes me feel heard and loved.
“I Drink Wine,” by Adele: I have been an Adele fan since I was little, stemming from my mom’s influence. When she released her album “30,” so many songs skyrocketed to the top of the charts such as “Easy on Me” which is an amazing song as well. However, the chorus of “I Drink Wine” is so moving. I felt the lyrics in my soul. It says, “So I hope I learn to get over myself, stop trying to be somebody else.”
“Mayday,” by Elijah: I am a sucker for all types of music, but especially rock. The beat and the lyrics combined have me head-banging in the car. Always a great song to get amped up to.
John Reno, Staff Writer
“Epitaph” by King Crimson: This song is downright magical to listen to. The vocals, lyrics and slightly somber tone of the song make for a listening experience unlike any other. On top of hearing it from personal speakers and headphones, seeing this song performed live was nothing short of transformative. The silence of the crowd for this song was unlike anything I’ve seen at other concerts, making for a somewhat eerie experience that complimented the song perfectly.
“Worst Day Since Yesterday,” by Flogging Molly: This is one of those songs where you think it’s got a deep philosophical and emotional meeting until you go see Flogging Molly live and learn it’s just about a hangover. Nonetheless, the song is a bittersweet kind of song that’s good to work to, especially when it comes to writing way too early in the morning.
“Machine,” by Regina Spektor: This song has a certain tone and aesthetic to it that can be fun to hear, potentially discomforting to listen to and an absolutely haunting tune to think to, in a good way, obviously.
Killian Altayeb, Staff Writer
“Pompeii MMXIII” by Bastille and Hans Zimmer: I fell in love with the band Bastille when I first listened to the original song in 2013; since then, I’ve gone through multiple life-changing events with this song by my side. When I heard that the legendary composer Hans Zimmer and his orchestra were covering the song 10 years later, I jumped to listen to it. It feels like the sort of song you listen to while embarking on a grand adventure or in the middle of one. The orchestral notes are beautiful, and they make me feel like anything is possible. It is a song that rips me apart and then sews me back together so that I look the same on the outside but am completely different on the inside.
Aidan Shapiro, Staff Writer
“Black Hole Sun,” by Soundgarden: This song just feels like fall to me, and I love it for that. Fall is the best time of the year for grunge in my opinion, and I love the guitar solo in the middle/end.
“Feel Good Inc.,” Gorillaz: Another song that just feels like the time of year for me. I like what this song has to say about taking things in stride.
“Bullet With Butterfly Wings,” by The Smashing Pumpkins: Like my first song, fall, to me, means grunge. This song talks about the dark side of the music industry, and how even though The Smashing Pumpkins are huge, they don’t feel like they can express themselves properly.
Phoebe Holm, Staff Photographer
“Rain” by Sleep Token: It is a song about the realization that the people around you or the person you love most don’t deeply care about you the way you care about them. It’s about waiting for someone else’s emotional availability, that will never happen. Sadly, I like this song because I relate to it in the sphere of platonic relationships. It also is beautifully composed and there is a lot of emotion in the lyric delivery and melody.
“Sextape” by Deftones: The vibe of this song is something I look for in a lot of other music, that I just can’t find. There is something about the lead singer’s voice that makes it so satisfying to listen to and the melody leaves an itch in a certain place in my brain. This has led me to listen to this song an unhealthy amount of times. Even though the song’s title seems explicit in its context it tells a story about intense emotions and trying to understand the complexities of life and relationships.
“Milk of the Siren” by Melanie Martinez: It is a song of pure female rage. It is about how women have been held down and abused by men in positions of power throughout history, and to combat this we must rise up and take control of our autonomy and livelihood. This song tells women to stand up to men who try to hold them down.
Lindsay Ratcliffe, Volunteer Writer
“Leave Her Wild” by Tyler Rich: This is a pop country song about love. It’s a song about learning to love someone for who they are, rather than trying to change them into the person you want to be. “Leave Her Wild” is just that. Rich tells the listener
“If you’re gonna love her, leave her wild.”
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