Tunes for your winter blues
Four playlists that will keep you dancing til spring
February 27, 2019
Created on Canva by Caroline Sudbeck
Some energizing music to get you through the remaining winter days.
Living in South Dakota often makes one feel as if they are trapped inside of a snowglobe; consisting of inescapable, never-ending, winter and snow. Even though we cannot control the weather, we can control our attitudes as we await the sunnier days of spring and summer approaching.
This time of year is especially difficult for many, including myself, to stay motivated. Simple tasks have the tendency of transforming into draining and constant demands, but we are closer to the months bringing spring and warm weather than we may think. Although, living in South Dakota makes it pretty unreliable to assume that the earlier months of spring-like March or April will not bring a few blizzards. Another more promising change is that there is already less than 100 days until the 2018-2019 school year comes to a close. Instead of feeling down about winter, we should be beginning to feel optimistic about the change in pace soon to come.
I am here to help as a playlist provider, and possibly an attitude changer. The goal of the playlists below is to encourage you with some upbeat song options to get you through these remaining winter days. Listed below are four different playlists- each with their own unique and distinct sound- that might help you power through and enjoy your work, homework, workout, cleaning or just life in general during winter. Sometimes a little musical push is simply necessary. Feel free to try them out and determine which playlist you think you are better suited for.
Playlist number 1: Oldies but Goodies
Get motivated by listening to some hits from the past. The songs in this playlist are upbeat and full of some of the most accomplished artists in music history: including artists like David Bowie, The Beatles, etc. If you don’t find this playlist particularly motivating, at least you’re being educated on some songs everyone should know.
“Got to Get You Into My Life”- The Beatles
“Under Pressure”- Queen and David Bowie
“Rebel Rebel”- David Bowie
“China Girl”- David Bowie
“I Would Walk 500 Miles”- Kenny And The Scots
“Save It for Later”- The English Beat
“Close To Me”- The Cure
“Don’t Bring Me Down”- Electric Light Orchestra
“Mr. Blue Sky”- Electric Light Orchestra
“December, 1963”- The Four Seasons
“Move on Up”- Curtis Mayfield
“Crazy”- Gnarls Barkley
“I Can’t Help Myself”- Four Tops
“Take On Me”- a-ha
“Reelin’ in the Years”- Steely Dan
“I Melt With You”- Modern English
“Surfin’ U.S.A”- The Beach Boys
Playlist 2: Groovy Old School
This playlist is sure to get you up and on your feet, stopping procrastination and the winter blues in their tracks. These groovy beats will transport you to a discotheque, where you will be dancing and forgetting your worries in no time. I also suggest pairing this funky playlist with a workout because of its quick beats that make you want to move around.
“It Takes Two”- Rob Base & DJ EZ Rock
“I Wanna Dance with Somebody”- Whitney Houston
“Boogie Wonderland”- Earth, Wind, and Fire
“Let’s Groove”- Earth, Wind, and Fire
“Play That Funky Music”- Wild Cherry
“Get Down Tonight”- KC and the Sunshine Band
“You Should Be Dancing”- Bee Gees
“Stayin’ Alive”- Bee Gees
“Super Freak”- Rick James
“Funky Town”- Lipps Inc
“Thriller”- Michael Jackson
“Billy Jean”- Michael Jackson
“Blame it on the Boogie”- Michael Jackson
“Disco Inferno”- The Trammps
“Brick House”- The Commodores
“Mambo No. 5”- Lou Bega
“Bust a Move”- Young MC
“I Feel Love”- Donna Summer
“Gonna Make You Sweat”- C+C Music Factory
Playlist 3: Get Moving
This playlist combines all kinds of different music and artists from more recent years to create an uplifting playlist that makes you want to keep pushing forward when times get tough.
“How far We’ve Come”-Matchbox Twenty
“The Underdog”- Spoon
“Wake Up”- Arcade Fire
“Star Roving”- Slowdive
“Beautiful Day”-U2
“Genghis Khan”- Miike Snow
“Another Episode”- Sticky Fingers
“Slip Away”- Perfume Genius
“Perfect Places”- Lorde
“Falcon Eye”- Off Bloom
“Someday”- The Strokes
“Young Folks”- Peter Bjorn and John
“Standing In The Middle of The Field”- Cut Copy
“Steal My Sunshine”-Len
“Sleepyhead”- Passion Pit
“Peach”- The Broods
“South London Forever”- Florence
“Miól Mór Mara”- Outsider
“Sky So Blue”-Hot Flash Heat Wave
“The Beautiful Game”- RAC
“Jungle”- Tash Sultana
“La Ciudad”- ODESZA
“All We Need”- ODESZA
“Love$ick”- Mura Masa
Playlist 4: Relaxing
This playlist matches the slower tempo of a winter’s day in South Dakota, but also reminds us that these slow days are sometimes okay and beautiful in their own way. These songs are perfect to do your homework to because of their soothing sounds.
“Walls”- The Lumineers
“My Sweet Lord”- George Harrison
“The Way I Am”- Ingrid Michaelson
“Fast Car”- Tracy Chapman
“We’re Going to Be Friends”- The White Stripes
“Spirit Bird”- Xavier Rudd
“Late Bloomers”- The Growlers
“Woman”- Mumford and Sons
“Nowhere Man”- The Beatles
“Head Full of Doubt/Road Full of Promise”- The Avett Brothers
“Play With Fire”-Vance Joy
“Drive”- Oh Wonder
“Swept Away”- The xx
“Youth”-Daughter
“Another Love”- Tom Odell
“All I Want”- Kodaline