After a year filled with loss, election chaos and stay-at-home orders due to the coronavirus pandemic, the idea of starting over in 2021 sounded pretty appealing to most. Yet starting new can be harder than it sounds, and sometimes all you need is some inspiration and good music to start off your new year right.
Luckily enough, The Eagle has a playlist for just that.
Whether you’re searching for songs to dance to or songs for those daylong study sessions, this playlist has a little bit of everything, with music focused on new beginnings.
Starting off the playlist are classic tracks such as Foo Fighters’ “Times Like These,” which the band performed at President Joe Biden’s Inauguration concert. With lyrics like “It’s times like these you learn to live again / It’s times like these you learn to give and give again,” the song is able to communicate what this playlist is all about. Alongside Foo Fighters, there are also classic feel-good songs like “Here Comes the Sun” by The Beatles and “It’s Time” by Imagine Dragons. Both are sure to encourage listeners to begin this year with an open mind through catchy and iconic lyrics like “Here comes the sun / And I say it’s all right,” or “It’s time to begin, isn’t it?”
There are also more recent songs as well. For one, there’s Ariana Grande’s hit song “thank u, next,” which quite literally speaks to looking back on past experiences, recognizing what they’ve taught you and being able to say — as the title suggests — “thank you, next.” The repetition of the lyrics “thank you, next” combined with initially subdued keyboard parts and a fast tempo conveys the desire for a new start. Additionally, Grande makes references to her past relationships with lyrics such as “wrote some songs about Ricky / now I listen and laugh” to showcase self-empowerment and growth.
Tracks like Lizzo’s hit single “Good as Hell” will leave listeners feeling inspired, confident and “good as hell” walking into 2021. With the repetitive lyrics, “I do my hair toss / check my nails / baby how you feelin’ / feeling good as hell,” Lizzo projects unapologetic confidence in this feel-good song.
The playlist also consists of songs such as “We Are Young” by fun. (feat. Janelle Monáe) and “Do It” by Chloe x Halle for you to start this year right with “good vibes only.” And, of course, no playlist is complete without Beyoncé. Her classic track “Love On Top” will have you dancing into 2021 with the positive energy that we all hope to have throughout the entire year. The upbeat instrumental styling and the pure energy in Beyoncé’s vocals make the song practically impossible to not sing along to, and, as suggested in the lyrics, “dance the night away.”
Whether you’re looking for songs to get you inspired, to dance to or to sing along with, this playlist has it all. We hope that the songs on it are just as exciting and enjoyable as starting this new year.
