As the seasons change, so does our choice of music. Everyone has a go to playlist for each season and some people even have a playlist for each month. Fall tends to correspond with the idea of heartache and music passionate about a new beginning and starting over. To some people that tends to include the ending and beginning of relationships. After asking around the Liberty halls and looking through social media, here are seven songs that everyone is adding to their fall playlist this year.
Pain Is Cold Water
“Pain Is Cold Water” by Noah Kahan was recently released to Spotify on a live version recorded in Fenway Park on August 30, 2024. This song is very touching and explores the ideas of emotional struggle and personal growth within relationships. It talks about love being a sickness he can no longer catch, and he is immune to. Kahan also compares pain to cold water saying it is a feeling of numbness and isolation. Kahan shows a sense of vulnerability letting the listeners relate to the struggles he shares. Overall, “Pain is Cold Water” is a powerful song that faces the inner challenges surrounding love and just like many other Kahan songs the mood and tone fits the Autumn breeze perfectly.
Pretty Slow
“Pretty Slow” by Benson Boone has started to consume many peoples’ for you pages on TikTok and for a good reason. This song shows the emotional struggle when a relationship you expected to be very successful ends up not moving forward as expected. Boone is able to present a story of someone that wants nothing more than to move on but feeling stuck on a person and the past. He paints a picture of frustration of waiting for the relationship to work but realizing the partners have different mindsets and timelines. Boone expresses his internal struggle with uncertainty. To conclude, Pretty Slow is a fast paced song crafted with passion but as the song plays it progressively slows down.
I Love You, I’m Sorry
Gracie Adams released “I Miss You, I’m Sorry” April 8th, 2020 and on August 9t, 2024 she released the sequel “I Love You, I’m Sorry.” This song contrasts but also continues the story of the song Adams released 4 years ago, highlighting regret, forgiveness, and complexities within the idea of love. Adams sings about the pain and remorse following a breakup or a conflict within a relationship. Adams reflects on her own mistakes and realization of reality, wishing they could undo what they’ve created and fix what is broken and earn forgiveness. This song is slower and less upbeat but it holds a lot of meaning and character listening to the instrumental contribution.
Little Freak
“Little Freaks” portrays Harry Styles’ vulnerability with smooth melodies. He looks into the idea of falling in love with someone who doesn’t feel the same. He hints at the unique and unexpecting compelling relationships that can happen between two people. Styles hints at a past relationship that was complicated in more ways than one. He speaks metaphorically about how this void is left in the spot that person used to be in his life. It has strong instrumental contributions accompanied by Styles’ vocals. The song tells a relatable story while also being personal with many listeners. This song showcases Harry’s talent in songwriting and his vocals while relating to relationship complexities.
Sparks
“Sparks” by Coldplay is a beautiful but haunting song. It tends to hold a deep place in the listener’s hearts. It really focuses on the feeling of love that didn’t work or a relationship where the two are slowly drifting apart. The song paints a longing sadness that holds a special place in their heart. The song is very reflective and the guitar instrumental is gentle similar to the vocals. It almost feels like a lullaby, but with a bittersweet edge. “Sparks” is emotional with a subtle essence of nostalgia to connect with your emotions.
Ceilings
Lizzy McAlpine’s “Ceilings” is a raw and emotional track portraying deep and intense feelings and memories. She describes being haunted with these emotions especially since she’s trying to let them go but she can’t. She captures the idea of letting go and the way past relationships can still linger. She focuses on the small and initiate details of a relationship. Musically the song is very dreamy and soft with McAlpine’s vocals and acoustic guitar. The song has a bittersweet meaning and melody remembering past struggles and relationships on an emotional level.
My Tears Ricochet
From the album folklore “My Tears Ricochet” by Taylor Swift has been brought back into the public eye after the movie It Ends With Us landed it back on many people’s fall playlists this year. This song is about dealing with betrayal and the pain that comes when someone you trusted turns against you. Swift uses a lot of imagery and talks about her tears bouncing back to her. This is saying how emotions always end up coming back to her. She writes a story of reflection on a relationship and touches the themes of regret, loss, and the lingering effects of a broken trust. Overall, “my tears ricochet” captures the complexity of dealing with betrayal and emotional pain.
