How to Curate the Best Spring Playlist

“You can cut all the flowers but you cannot keep Spring from coming.”

~Pablo Neruda

Renewal, rebirth, revitalization: this is what spring is about. The cherry blossoms are blooming, the sweaters are going back in the closet, and we are reminding ourselves what we look like with a little bit of sun coloring our faces. Our Lenten promises might be hanging on by a thread, but everything about spring points towards a new beginning and a new you—it’s the season of re-introducing ourselves to ourselves! 

Who are we really? Spring has a way of washing away the things that cloud us and digs deep into the soul, the way that music often can. Sometimes, we don’t even realize how we feel until we listen to the lyrics of a song. Having someone put words to your feelings is restorative—we discover parts of ourselves through music, and, as the season of rebirth, spring should be paired with the perfect playlist. 

Like your fall playlist, the spring playlist should follow the course of your day and accompany you through your daily routine; it should embolden the parts of the day that feel like spring, so you can fully embrace the season. 

Whether you are studying for finals, packing for a springtime picnic, or spending Easter break with family, the perfect spring playlist is a necessary addition to your life. 

The first few songs in the playlist should be the tunes that introduce the season of spring to you: this song is the background to the intro credits, rolling as you wake up to birds singing outside your window, the early sun rays shining into the bedroom as you’re getting ready for the day, dressing in your spring Sunday best. 

Les Fluers - Minnie Ripperton

Wasteland, Baby! - Hozier

No Name #3 - Elliot Smith

The Wind - Yusuf, Cat Stevens

Sarah - Alex G

Zinnias - Clairo

Sea, Swallow Me - Cocteau Twins

Simulation Swarm - Big Thief

The next few songs are the transition songs—they are the songs for when you are finally able to roll the windows down in the car, smell the fresh air, and feel the sun on your skin. Make sure to listen while on the way to brunch or while picking up flowers at the farmer’s market. 

Dirty Work - Steely Dan

He Doesn’t Know Why - Fleet Foxes

Saint Ivy - Beach Fossils

Don’t Think Twice, It’s Alright - Bob Dylan

Hunnybee - Unknown Mortal Orchestra

Green Aisles - Real Estate

The Ecstasy of Dancing Fleas - Penguin Cafe Orchestra 

Spring - Saint Etienne

Spring is also a time for loved ones—these songs should play while you're with friends. They are meant to be played while sitting around and enjoying the kind of picnic where the blanket is not big enough for everyone, so the dewy grass sticks to your legs and your mom texts to make sure you remember a cardigan in case you get chilly. After all, one of the best parts of making a playlist is enjoying it together with loved ones. 

Cannock Chase - Labi Siffre

I Can Only Whisper - Charlotte Day Wilson 

Velvet Ring - Big Thief

Cherry Wine - Hozier

Motion Sickness (Demo) - Phoebe Bridgers

Lavender Blood - Fox Academy 

august - Taylor Swift

The Bug Collector - Haley Heynderickx 

The last couple of songs on your spring playlist should close out the day. I personally picture myself listening to these songs sitting on a back porch with a cold drink (sometimes it's a mint julep, other times a sweet tea), with the sweet after-rain smell and damp wood. However you spend your evenings, make sure to pair these songs with a good sunset view. 

Southern Nights - Allen Toussaint

I’d Like To Walk Around In Your Mind - Vashti Bunyan

Julep - Punch Brothers

Shrike - Hozier

Sodom, South Georgia - Iron & Wine

Mama, You Been on My Mind - Jeff Buckley

Little Changes - Clairo

As We Go Along - The Monkees

Freshly Laundered Linen (feat. Phox) - Boom Forest

Your spring season deserves the perfect soundtrack for when the sun starts to come out from behind the clouds, drying off our raincoats and shining a light on our personhood. Realizing the way in which we change, or don’t change, is a part of experiencing spring and music. Try as we might, transformation is inevitable. Spring is coming, so don’t forget your headphones. 

April 2022