Music on, world off
- Nov 5, 2018
- 4 min read
When I feel like my life is moving too fast or my thoughts are just too jumbled up in my head, there’s only one thing that can make it all disappear for a moment.
Music.
I think a lot of people use music as a coping mechanism. This past week, I was having a rough time. I’m not sure whether it was because I’m tired and finally catching the bug that’s going around, or that I’m just losing motivation. I just felt stuck, and I all I wanted to do was lay in bed. I noticed I distanced myself from my friends, and spent more and more time with my earbuds in and my eyes closed than paying attention to my surroundings.
It’s okay to feel that way sometimes. It’s not okay to pretend you don’t feel that way.
I think my music tastes have made me the person I am today, and the music I chose to listen to has gotten me through some of the worst and best times of my life. It’s amazing how one 3-minute song can either make you feel like you’re on top of the world, or that you’re the lowest you’ve ever been. I use music as a way to get lost, and escape from the world, if that makes any sort of sense. I usually find a few songs that match the mood I’m feeling and listen to them on repeat until I absorb each and every lyric.
Since I’ve spent so much of the last week listening to music, I thought I’d share a few of my favorite songs at the moment.
“Sad Still” by Quinn XCII- I discovered Quinn XCII last year when I fell in love with his hit song, “Straightjacket.” Ever since then, every time he releases something new, I listen to it immediately. His music has a unique flavor, and his lyrics are so flawlessly written. This song, “Sad Still,” was just what I needed to listen to after this long, mentally draining week. It’s about ending the stigma on anxiety and depression and coming forward to talk about it. I learned when I listened to this song that Quinn XCII is one who is quiet about his struggles, just like me. I can’t imagine how difficult it was to put his feelings into words, and then release them for the public to hear. I’ve honestly been listening to this song on repeat since Friday, because it hits just the right note. It’s nice to hear that it’s okay not to be okay, and that everyone struggles sometimes
“Stupid Deep” by Jon Bellion- I started listening to Jon Bellion the summer before my senior year in high school. He has released several albums, all of which are amazing. He has a very eclectic sound, and it was completely new to me. I immersed myself in his music especially during the fall of my senior year, which happened to be an extremely hard time for me. I won’t get into the gruesome details, but I was going through a lot, and had been hurt by a lot of people. Somehow, listening to Jon Bellion’s music, while it sometimes made me cry, made me feel just a little better, and less alone. I’ve been waiting the last two years for him to release some new music, and he finally has in the last few weeks. “Stupid Deep,” is an emotional song about self love and loss. It’s another one I really needed to hear this week. Jon Bellion is also releasing a new album, and I can’t put to words how excited I am to hear it.
“Hit This Hard” by Post Malone- I couldn’t help but include a Post Malone song, he’s one of my all-time favorite artists. This song is actually from one of his older albums, Stoney, and my little sister Maggie showed it to me during the summer. I’m obsessed with Post Malone and his most recent album, Beerbongs and Bentleys, but this song is one of my favorites. It’s much darker and intense than his other songs, but strikes the right chord when I’m in one of my moods. Post Malone has a few angry songs, and sometimes, when I’m having a particularly bad day, that’s exactly what I need to listen to.
“Thru These Tears” by LANY- I’ve also been listening to the soundtrack from the newest ABC show, A Million Things, on repeat. I actually found this song a while ago, but when I found it again on this soundtrack, I fell back in love. It has a solid beat and is catching, but is also a relatable song about hurting and not wanting to move along with life. It reminds me that even though things can be really difficult and almost impossible sometimes, somehow they’ll work out. This is something really important to remember, especially at this time of year when life gets overwhelming. LANY was a group I randomly discovered on Spotify, and I just have to say I’m incredibly thankful I didn’t skip this song when it started playing.
As I take on these next few weeks of the semester, I’m going to try to keep a positive attitude, and push through. I know things are going to be busy, and they’re going to be hard. But as long as I have my earbuds and a few of my favorite songs, I’m sure I can make it.
(to listen to these songs and check out the lyrics, click on the album covers up top.)
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