Whether it’s BookTok, Bookstagram, or BookTube, voracious readers everywhere love to relate music to what they’re reading. Half of my liked Spotify playlists were made to convey the general feelings a book’s environment has, or has lyrical significance to a certain character. Many artists have grown in popularity due to their music being added to book-related content on these apps, and some of them even purposely cater their content toward this audience. Here are eight phenomenal artists that I typically see on such playlists and a little bit about their work.
April Jai
April is a UK-based singer and songwriter who enjoys writing songs targeted toward “BookTok girlies,” specifically romance and “spice” readers. Her song “Morally Grey” became wildly popular with the BookTok audience earlier this year, hitting over four million Spotify streams. The overwhelming reception blew her away, motivating her to write similar songs, including her recent release “Grovel” and the highly anticipated “Love Letter.”
Since then, April has performed at several events in the UK and was a guest speaker on Georgia Fordyce’s podcast I Don’t Have My Sh*t Together to talk about her journey as a musician and her struggles and successes. She originally started her career as a country artist, but eventually transitioned to a more pop-like sound that she feels is closer to who she is. If you’re a reader who loves characters with a dark side, April is a must-listen.
Neoni
Speaking of a dark side, many tracks by Neoni certainly carry that energy. Sisters Sidney and Caitlin began recording music together in 2020 that blended alternative, electronic, and pop music into something new and explosive. In 2021 the duo released their first album Wars In A Wonderland and then came out with ALL MY FAVORITE MONSTERS the following year in addition to numerous singles featuring this edgy electronic sound.
The bookish corner of social media drew attention to their songs “DARKSIDE,” “VILLAIN,” and “Royalty,” causing Neoni’s fanbase to grow bigger. The sisters used this in their music promotion on Instagram, suggesting their songs to fans of certain books or shows to expand their audience. The group has been able to appeal to readers of fantasy and horror books by linking their music with certain stories.
Valerie Broussard
Valerie’s powerful vocals and heavy instrumentals make her a favorite of mine. An avid fan of fantasy and sci-fi stories, she has collaborated with many film and video game studios, featuring on well-known soundtracks. In 2019, she wrote and performed the League of Legends theme “Awaken,” and many of her singles caught the attention of companies like Netflix and HBO.
The darker, “girlboss” vibes of Valerie’s music captivated BookTok creatives, especially those with a penchant for villains. Fans of Leigh Bardugo’s Grishaverse books especially took a liking to older songs like “Trouble.” If you’re a fan of young or new adult fantasy, definitely give this a try.
Ruelle
Pop singer Ruelle’s musical journey took a similar path–she appeared on the soundtracks of popular TV series including Sleepy Hollow and Wynonna Earp. Her single “Carry You” was featured on Grey’s Anatomy in 2018, boosting her career enough for Tunefind to name her their Top Artist of the Year. Another single, “Fire Meets Fate,” appeared in Shadowhunters, a FreeForm original show based off of Cassandra Clare’s eponymous book series.
Since then, she has grown her Spotify following to three million monthly listeners and released even more well-loved singles. A BookTok favorite, “War Of Hearts,” has reached nine figures in streams. Ruelle’s expressive instrumentals and poetic lyrics appeal to fantasy and romance lovers in many corners of the bookish community.
Sparkbird
Singer and songwriter Sparkbird creates music with just as much emotional impact. Originally, they released songs on Spotify under their real name, Stephan Nance, but have since taken on the alias Sparkbird in 2021. Their smooth, meaningful sound drew the notice of Good Music Radar, Sinusoidal Music, and similar organizations. In addition to making music, Stephan is an Oregon Literary Fellow and a fiction writer of young adult novels.
Their singles “November” and “Disembodied Mind” appear on countless book or writing playlists, which Stephan features in social media marketing. These songs, as well as their newest single, “Arboretum,” are gradually gaining momentum through engagement with readers and book lovers. Listening to them feels just like stepping into a lush fantasy world.
Bea Miller
A versatile, multi-talented musician, Bea released her first album Not An Apology in 2015 and began to grow as an alternative pop artist. She released two more albums, aurora and elated!, and later wrote and performed “Playground” for the hit series Arcane in 2021. Her 2019 single “feel something” trended on TikTok for some time, often used in book-related content.
Whether you’re looking for confident, high-energy jams or softer songs with earnest lyrics, Bea delivers both. Most book playlists featuring her music lean toward the former, and there’s no shortage of great songs to choose from.
Amber Run
For those who prefer a softer, but just as emotionally charged music style, you can’t go wrong with Amber Run. Band members Joe Keogh, Tomas Sperring, and Henry Wyeth first began releasing music back in 2014 starting with their debut album 5AM and their beloved single “I Found.” Their later albums, For A Moment, I Was Lost, Philophobia, and How To Be Human feature hard-hitting lyrics that listeners could emotionally resonate with.
Since then, their fanbase has reached over 2 million monthly listeners on Spotify. Readers on TikTok and Spotify fell in love with Amber Run, adding their music to numerous videos and playlists. “I Found” alone reached nearly 400 million hits. I highly recommend giving them a listen if you want a great writing soundtrack.
Ricky Montgomery
If you’ve been anywhere near BookTok or Bookstagram in the past three years, you’re likely familiar with Ricky already. His most popular songs, “Line Without A Hook” and “Mr. Loverman,” released seven years ago, yet they took the apps by storm, surpassing half a billion streams. His more recent music shows us a new side, and it’s definitely worth exploring.
This year, Ricky has released three new singles, each with a more indie twist. I imagine many readers online will adore “Reptilia” and “Unknown Phantom” for their thoughtful writing and smooth instrumentals. They’re already in my own book playlists, and I’m looking forward to hearing what we’ll get from him next.
Each and every one of these musicians is uniquely talented and well-suited for an audience who enjoys fiction stories. Check them out on Spotify, add them to your reading playlists, and have fun!
