From lo-fi rap to electronic, here are 7 pop songs that can match your mood to their beat.
What comes to mind when you think of pop music? The answer is often a popular song with upbeat energy and infectious choruses. Yet when you’re frustrated or sad, overly positive tracks can feel grating.
Interestingly, pop music often centers on optimism and resilience, and many songs still manage to deliver comforting messages. These seven recommendations are the kind of tracks you can easily sit back and sway or tap your feet to.
“end of a life” (Calliope Mori)
While pop rap is not always considered chill, “End of a Life” is one exception. Its relaxed tempo is paired with soothing piano, strings, and occasional saxophone instrumentals. The vocals seamlessly shift from soft melodies during the intro, chorus, and ending to sharper, more intense rap verses in between.
What truly elevates it is its deep lyrics with many interpretations of its meaning—ranging from wandering, departure, and longing—that can resonate with anyone. Still, the song manages to provide solace in its message, as best stated by Calli herself: “It’s okay to feel sad when one story ends. It’s also okay to keep remembering it happened.”
“Thank You” (Dido)
Odds are you’ve already heard a slower, pitched-down version of this song from YouTube or Instagram shorts of people standing in the rain. The original version is a touch more uplifting than downcast, though both versions carry the same message that another person’s presence alone is enough to get you through hard times. (Caution: Much like cigarettes, listening to music in the rain is dangerous to your health.)
“Warm” (Ariana Grande)
If “Thank You” was about having another person to lean on during hard times, this song is the opposite. The synths alone and the soft vocals are already enough to make you feel like you’re floating. “Warm” is made even more touching by its beautiful message of being fine on your own while still remaining open to comfort from someone else.
If this song hits just the right chords for you, the rest of the album Eternal Sunshine Deluxe: Brighter Days Ahead is a must for an in-depth exploration of the highs and lows of love.
“Leave a Message” (a!ka)
Next is the debut single of a fresh Filipina pop artist, who you may already know from her TikToks or her single “Coffee.” “Leave a Message” is a breakup song in a lively pop and R&B style, with lyrics about leaving dysfunctional relationships and growing stronger because of them. It also carries a personal meaning for Aika herself, who relates it to letting go of her self-doubt to grow as an artist.
A song with a similar message, “All Bark No Bite,” has recently been teased by the artist on her YouTube channel. Its full release is expected on May 29.
“Shine a Light” (Banners)
Another upbeat entry on the list is this pop rock song turned stadium anthem. This and Banners’ other songs have been featured in several movies and TV shows, including Lucifer, New Amsterdam, and The Royals. Many of them reflect his belief that people are good at their core.
“Shine A Light,” however, is best known as one of the biggest tracks in the FIFA 16 video game. The song has also been featured in Beautiful Boy and The Good Doctor. What starts as a piano ballad turns into an alt rock-inspired anthem without being too intense, with a message of hope in a sea of loss and confusion. Songs dealing with similar emotions can be found in the artist’s debut EP, Banners.
“still feel.” (half•alive)
Next up is another electronic pop song with space imagery like Grande’s music, but jazz elements as well. “Still Feel” was the lead single of indie-pop group Half Alive’s debut album Now, Not Yet. The song’s music video remains the band’s most popular video on their YouTube channel due to its choreography.
“Still Feel” starts off with floaty tones, before transitioning into deeper basslines and heavier synths during the chorus. The lyrics also explore the ideas of feeling lost and hopeless in its metaphors of space and weightlessness. Lead singer Josh Taylor has said the lyrics, as well as the song itself, were inspired by this feeling that, “Okay, we don’t know if we’re going to make it or not.” Still, the title and chorus ground this mood with the idea that in spite of being lost, one can always find something to hold onto.
“Everything Goes On” (Porter Robinson)
Closing this list is one of the most empowering songs about pain. Though Robinson’s lyrics about grief and loss are strikingly painful, the song is accompanied by soothing pianos, acoustics, and an oddly upbeat tempo.
The song is nothing short of a well-done balancing act of all these different elements and putting it all towards an emotionally vivid experience. Its unexpected comfort lies in making you sit with these emotions and learn to embrace them.
What song are you adding to your personal playlist?
Sources: Billboard, Genius, Lifestyle Inquirer, Riff, Spotify
