Ah, spring. A season of renewal, growth, change, and allergies. We clean out our cluttered desks in the hopes of starting anew, we exchange our bulky sweaters for T-shirts, and we go through millions of tissues and curse pollen (despite the beautiful flowers it creates).
After a long and dreary winter, we once again find ourselves in April. Along with the sound of bees buzzing and April showers on the roof, we find a much more important change in our auditory environment — what are we to make of our spring playlists? What are the most essential sounds of spring? What songs do we carefully assimilate as the background of our walks and drives through the blooming town?
To answer these burning questions, I took to the most reliable public forum: social media. I posted an open-ended question box to my story and asked my followers, “What are your favorite songs to listen to when spring rolls around?” I received a wide variety of responses, ranging from the iconic Indie sound of the early 2000s to the industrial hip-hop of Death Grips. Below is a compilation of the trending sounds of spring in 2024, according to Instagram.
Most Popular Band: Fleetwood Mac
It comes as no surprise that the English-American band Fleetwood Mac was a common response to my poll. The dreamy, funky, good-vibes sound created by many of their songs (save for some vengeful tunes like “Silver Springs”) makes for great background music for your strolls through campus or sunny picnics.
Described by one follower as “folky, whimsical sounds,” my favorite Fleetwood Mac songs for spring include “Sara” off of their album Tusk, “You Make Loving Fun” and “I Don’t Want to Know” from the iconic Rumours, and “Rhiannon” from their self-titled LP.
Looking for deeper cuts? Check out “Storms” (Tusk), “Landslide (Live)” (The Dance), or “Songbird” (Rumours). Whatever mood describes your season, Fleetwood Mac is a versatile choice to enjoy.
Most Popular Genre: Indie/Alternative Rock
Rock of all kinds is one of my favorite genres of music for any season, but especially during a bright season like spring. To my delight, many of my followers seem to agree. With songs coming from bands like Boygenius, Vampire Weekend (pictured above), and Car Seat Headrest, indie/alternative rock is very popular among the young crowd.
Though the difference between an “indie” and an “alternative” band seems to be somewhat muddled, for the sake of this article I will be combining them under this section. I’m sorry if you have strong feelings about this.
If you’re looking to listen to something in this area, my followers recommend “Me & My Dog” by Boygenius, “Kilby Girl” by The Backseat Lovers, and “There She Goes” by The La’s. As for me, the list of indie/alternative rocks songs for April is endless. However, I’ll narrow it down to “Walcott” or “Step” by Vampire Weekend, “My Boy (Twin Fantasy) by Car Seat Headrest, or “Avant Gardener” by Courtney Barnett.
Most Popular Song: “Solar Power” by Lorde
A song quite literally about triumphing over the darkness of winter, Lorde’s “Solar Power” is the perfect upbeat tune to introduce spring back into your life. Boasting backup vocals from other indie artists Clairo and Phoebe Bridgers, “Solar Power” is not only infused with the power of the sun but also feminine energy.
If you’re anything like me or my followers, the music video alone is enough to get you up and wishing you were doing yoga on a beach somewhere, rather than locked up in a library studying. Additionally, her goofy tone throughout her singing (“Can you reach me? No, you can’t!”) makes the listening experience all the more fun.
Honorable Mentions: From the 60s Onward
Since music is highly subjective, the responses I received to my poll were highly varied. In this section, I decided to highlight some of the outlying but equally deserving answers along with some of my personal favorites.
The 60s and 70s
Beyond the sounds of powerhouse Fleetwood Mac, other recommended artists from around their time included Electric Light Orchestra, Simon & Garfunkel, Joni Mitchell, and more. If you’re looking to build a playlist of folksy, older music for your April listening, these are the songs that my followers and I suggest.
Electric Light Orchestra: In addition to the obvious option of “Mr. Blue Sky,” I recommend “Turn to Stone” and “Livin’ Thing.” ELO are masters of the kind of weird and artfully orchestral toe-tapper. Listening to their music, you’ll find yourself unwillingly bobbing your head in a public place—as I am right now.
Simon & Garfunkel: For at least the last five years, Simon & Garfunkel have been the first musicians to make their way to my April playlist with their song “April Come She Will.” Beyond being thematically related to the month, their gentle vocals and acoustic guitar make this song the most beautiful backdrop to blooming flowers and sunny afternoons. Other springy highlights from their catalog include “Leaves That Are Green,” “Kathy’s Song,” and “Mrs. Robinson.”
Joni Mitchell: Spotify users, rejoice! Ms. Mitchell has made her return after many years of absence. Thankfully, I use Apple Music, so I could always listen to her (ha.) This April, I am enjoying “Free Man in Paris” and the more mournful “A Case of You.” I would also venture to suggest “California” and “Help Me.”
Onward
My final artist plug will be for the magnificent Adrianne Lenker. Though her music finds its way into all of my monthly playlists, I find her folksy tunes especially fitting for the spring season, as do my followers. Whether you listen to her solo work or her band Big Thief, you cannot lose with a single song.
Big Thief: For your spring playlists, my all-time favorite Big Thief song is “Haley” from their 2017 album Capacity. I also recommend “Mythological Beauty” (Capacity), “The Only Place,” “Spud Infinity,” “Time Escaping” (all from Dragon New Warm Mountain I Believe In You), “Velvet Ring” (Masterpiece), and “Born For Loving You” (single).
Adrianne Lenker: Narrowing down my favorite songs of hers is a lofty task, so these songs are exclusively my favorites to listen to in the spring. Off of her new album Bright Future, I suggest “Already Lost,” “Fool,” and “Free Treasure.” Other works of hers you may like are “not a lot, just forever” and “zombie girl” from her 2020 album songs, “Gone” (Hours Were the Birds, 2014) and “symbol” (abysskiss, 2018).
I hope this list helps make your spring as lively as possible. Now, get outside and soak up the sun!
