Top tunes to listen to for spring break

By: David Waterman

Spring break means a time of warmer weather, vacation, or just days of sleeping in and binge watching Netflix. Whether you are stuck on a long car ride with bothersome siblings, relaxing under a palm tree, or just hanging at home, this playlist can help you get in the spring break mood. The full spring break playlist can be found on Spotify by searching Songs for Spring Break. The playlist is public under the user “punksdelight.”

PLAYLIST — This playlist ranges from underground rock to electric dance music. These selections were handpicked with the purpose of introducing people to new music, not the same pop standards that are picked every year.

Anna Sun” by Walk The Moon

With the word ‘sun’ in the title of the song, it is clear this song is all about summer adventures with friends. The pop-oriented themes with the great vocals of Cincinnati Hills Christian Academy graduate Nicholas Petricca are full of a longing for fun nights and great friends.

“Kids” by MGMT

An upbeat tune with simple instrumentation and a lot of electric influence, “Kids” is perfect for chilling with friends. This song encourages foot tapping, and with cheering crowds throughout, it epitomizes the feeling it gives.

“Midnight City” by M83

A thematic follow-up to “Kids,” “Midnight City” is full of electronic synthesizers, jamming beats, and similar vocal style with an ethereal and choral quality to provide goose bumps. Atypical for an electronic song however, is the saxophone solo by James King from Fitz and the Tantrums.

“Too Close” by Alex Clare

This song works double duty, serving as both a break up song and a spring break jam. The impassioned vocals combined with energetic beats work to build excitement. The complex layering of tracks and ear candy makes this a standout on the list.

“The Dynamo of Volition” by Jason Mraz

This is not among the well-known songs of Jason Mraz, but the unique combination of funk-inspired rhythms, expertly crafted rhymes, and great musical talent produces a more relaxed tune to jam to. It is hard to not want to move to the beat and melody.

“Taxi Ride Kinda Night” by Michael Tolcher

This is a song all about plans in a bustling city; the fast night and faster taxi cab meshes well with the chill tune, which is good for cruising through the city or walking on the beach. This song features a silly attitude and an amusing story within its own lyrics.

“Cherry Lips” by Loon Lake

The story of partying in the nighttime and dancing out on the floor gains an introspective twist with this song in a way that condemns the party scene. Regardless, this song is fun to dance to, has an exciting but simple tune, and catchy lyrics.

“The Sound of Sunshine” by Michael Franti & Spearhead

Lighthearted hippy vibes abound in this acoustic jam from Michael Franti & Spearhead. A catchy chorus with happy lyrics and exciting backing music make for a song that pushes away the rain clouds and encourages friendliness.

“Doin’ Time” by Sublime

A classic song reminiscent of rolled down windows and sunshine, “Doin’ Time” echoes of great times with friends. The song is a loose cover of “Summertime,” composed by George Gershwin, but with Gershwin’s core lyric “summertime and the living’s easy” changed to “doin’ time and the living’s easy.” The lyric had to be changed again during production because the lead Sublime singer died of an overdose, so close friends of the singer stepped in to sing “summertime” instead, in line with the Gershwin original.

“From the Ritz to the Rubble” by Arctic Monkeys

A rock song straight from Britain, this track was released in 2005 from the Arctic Monkey’s own record label, Bang Bang Records. It talks about the contrast between people’s nights out on the town and how they would then deem it unacceptable on Sunday, poking fun at the party attitude.

“HandClap” by Fitz and the Tantrums

From Fits and the Tantrums’s self-titled album, “HandClap” is an indie-rock song gone platinum. This song fits perfectly the relaxed excitement that characterizes spring break, and with the track’s variation from the band’s signature sound, it characterizes the adventures of spring break too.

“Something Just Like This” by The Chainsmokers

“Roses,” “Closer,” and now “Something Just Like This” are just a few of the dance hits from The Chainsmokers. This song really is a hit too, with the stunning vocals of Coldplay’s lead singer, Chris Martin, and the expertly crafted backing one can come to expect from The Chainsmokers.