Alt-Rock: “Can’t Stop” by Red Hot Chili Peppers
A mesmerizing blend of funk and early 2000s alt-rock sound, this song is a late-night summer daze. Uplifting and high-energy in both lyric and beat it describes an unstoppable drive for creativity and musical expression; a quintessential teenage summer force. A non-intrusive rigg and ‘stream-of-consciousness’ lyrics make for an infectious serotinal sound.
Pop: “Night Changes” by One Direction
This nostalgic pop ballad perfectly captures the changing tides of time in an air of romantic nostalgia. Soft and reflective, acoustics and the iconic soothing vocals of the four 1D members perfectly seize the end of the school year: basking in memories while manifesting feelings of bittersweet inevitability.
Classical/Instrumental: “Bundle of Joy” by Michael Giacchino
This piece from Pixar’s Inside Out truly embodies its title. Referencing youthful innocence, it portrays a coming-of-age motif that feels nostalgic, heartfelt, and captures an almost melancholic ‘Joy’ (the character and concept). A piano-driven orchestra of strings, harp, and light woodwinds transitions from light, airy melodies to deeper moments mirroring the growing complexities of aging emotions.
Bossa Nova: “Girl From Ipanema” by Stan Getz ft. Astrud Gilberto & Antonio Carlos Jobim
Soft and smooth, this song is a perfect blend of Brazilian jazz and American pop. Its soft and cooling nature tells a dual-sided tale: in English, a sweet sunkissed girl, in Portuguese, the melancholy of the fleeting nature of beauty. Its breathless delivery and subdued sound are the perfect complements to an afternoon of reflection in the sun.
R&B: “Champagne Coast” by Blood Orange
Dreamy and atmospheric, this track feels like the freedom in late-night drives and beach walks with friends. Its 80s-synth sound, falsetto vocals and themes of longing give it a sultrily melancholic, “fading disco” aesthetic that blends coastal pop with funk. The wistfully hypnotic track perfectly captures dreams of summer and graduation.
Hip-Pop: “Good Life” by Kanye West ft. T-Pain
Using a chopped sample of Michael Jackson’s “P.Y.T” as a backbeat, this song serves as a celebratory summertime anthem. Shimmery production and lyrics depicting the joys of success make this song a bright, over-the-top dream of summertime and post-graduation bliss.
Indie Pop: “Tongue Tied” by GROUPLOVE
A coming-of-age summer anthem that captures the exact moment when school ends and the joy of summer begins. It’s the sound of running across sun-lit fields “to your best friend’s house”, with shouty choruses, pulsating synths, and energetically raw vocals. Explosive and carefree, the lyrics evoke teenage dreams of nostalgia and intense joy.
