1.“Blue Sky” by The Allman Brothers Band 

As they celebrated their 50th anniversary at Madison Square Garden on Tuesday night, the remaining Allman Brothers Band members continued to praise their cherished blue sky. It’s a feel-good tune that suits welcoming the sunshine and clear skies that we have been missing for the last couple months in Hamilton.

2. “Sensitive Heart” by Yoke Lore and Jax Anderson

Premiering on Valentine’s Day a little over a month ago, this feel-good indie jam is a dreamy duo, blending both Yoke Lore and Anderson’s voices in a bright track. The song encompasses the theme of becoming the architect of your own reality in light of heartbreak. 

3.“Maybe She” by Still Woozy

Off of their hit 2019 EP Lately, Bay Area artist Sven 

Gamsky, a.k.a Still Woozy, embraces a youthful energy through his soft vocals and quirky insertion of guitar in this track. With a constant groove and funky vibe throughout all his songs, Still Woozy’s sound compels listeners to follow his infectious beat.

4. “baseball” by Hippo Campus

Originally released on their three-track EP in 2017, “baseball” is a great addition to any Spring Break road trip playlist. Throughout the song, the bouncy guitar line gives a skipping, upbeat sound, characteristic with Hippo Campus’ unique sound: a cross between Imagine Dragons and Local Natives.

5. “Supalonely” by BENEE and Gus Dapperton 

The 20-year old Kiwi Pop Icon Stella Bennett, aka BENEE, broke through the charts with “Supalonely” and recently won Best Solo Artist at the New Zealand Music Awards in 2019. When writing this song, she intended to poke fun at the sad girl trope post-heartbreak, which helped her actually “feel good in a very weird way.”

6. “Kahlil Gibran” by STRFKR

An alternative-indie throwback from 2013, “Kahlil Gibran” is the perfect tune to space out to while relaxing over break or doing some last-minute studying. The heavily multi-tracked vocals and ethereal effects can help diffuse any mental stress or pressure.

7. “Before I Know It” by Whitney

I cannot say enough good things about this up-and-coming soulful band. Whitney has consistently put out quality tracks with incredible harmonies and moving lyrics, all while keeping it relaxed and simple. “Before I Know It” is a standout from their 2019 alblum Forever Turned Around.

8. “Forrest Gump” by Frank Ocean

Who wouldn’t appreciate this “channel ORANGE” staple? In this song, Ocean explores the theme of running from love, embodied by the main character in the 1994 film “Forrest Gump.” Ocean also references his unrequited feelings for a man from a young age.

9.“Before Paris” by Tom Misch

Misch pushes the boundaries in this track off his successful album Geography by blending spoken word from a 2011 interview with jazz trumpeter Roy Hargrove with his own story about the struggle to become an artist with ingenious guitar improvisations and jazz melody. 

10. “The Heart Pt. 1” by Kendrick Lamar

Kendrick Lamar’s Heart series is a four-part series about his life and his love for hip-hop. Part One is where the story starts, released before the Kendrick Lamar EP. By Part Four, he was a week away from releasing DAMN. The beat for this song is borrowed from Mos Def’s “UMI Says.” 

11. “Bitter” by Palace

UK-based band Palace released “Bitter” in 2017 to explore the idea of jealousy and what its all-consuming nature can do to someone. The tune is rich in lead singer Leo Wyndham’s vocals and incredible guitar melodies, while looking at the destructive nature of how poisonous jealousy can be. 

12.“The Bottom of It” by Fruit Bats

This breezy, opening track off of Fruit Bats 2019 album Gold Past Life has a groovy backbeat with an elusive melody and lyrics; lead singer/songwriter Eric Johnson claimed that the song embraces “simple victories.” That’s all we can ask for at this point in the semester, right?

13. “Unwind” by Tim Atlas

Atlas’ intent for this song was to provide a reminder of why we love music; through his falsetto and lo-fi beats, he entrances us into serenity and lyrically urges us to take care of our well-being and to relax.