With Spring Break coming up, it is important that we relax and unwind from the stressful school year. One fantastic way to do this is to listen to music. Music can be used to take us away from reality and forget about stressors. There are so many different songs that do just that. Here are some recommendations for over the break. 

Rap 

For those who are into rap, Tyler, the Creator’s CALL ME IF YOU GET LOST album is perfect for the break. This is not like the rest of Tyler’s work; it is very mature, more experimental, and even vulnerable. The album has a mixtape feel to it hosted by DJ Drama, the producer of the Gansta Grillz series. The whole album walks you through a story about Tyler’s love life at the time and really makes you forget about everything going on around you. The opening track, SIR BAUDELAIRE, is Tyler talking about all the places he has traveled in the past two years and how great his life has been. This song really sets the tone for the rest of the album. Following it is CORSO. This is where we start to get into the story, with more boasting in the mix. The beat of CORSO is busy, but Tyler knows how to work with it. The fourth track, WUSYANAME is the best song for Spring Break on this album. It has a fun, dreamy feel to it. The sample from the 90s R&B track Back Seat (Wit No Sheets) makes the song feel very nostalgic. A song later in the album, RUNITUP is very motivational and inspirational. RUNITUP makes you feel like you can conquer the world. The horns at the beginning make it feel like a victory song and the adlibs from Teezo Touchdown really motivate you to keep going. If you are more into love songs, I THOUGHT YOU WANTED TO DANCE is great for making you feel like you’re in love. Fana Hues does an amazing job with her female response to Tyler. Her voice really pulls the song together and is perfect for the “in love” mood. I highly recommend this album for Spring Break. It is perfect for any mood and takes you away from reality for 53 minutes.  

R&B 

R&B is an amazing way to unwind. If this is your speed, SZA’s latest album SOS is perfect for you. This is another album that takes you away from reality and makes it irresistible to not sing along. Since her powerful debut album, CTRL, SZA has always made very relatable and vulnerable music. Starting with track 2, Kill Bill, SZA expresses her jealousy of her ex and his new girlfriend. The song has a very dream-like feel to it and makes you feel like you are in a movie. Seek & Destroy, the next track, is very catchy. SZA’s voice is extremely capturing and makes you want to sing along. As you move through all 23 songs, you will have many different emotions, but at the end, you’ll want to play it all again. SZA really knows how to make hits and the charts are proof. SZA has made history as SOS charts #1 for its ninth week. As you can see, the album has amazing replay value. I highly recommend listening to SOS this Spring Break because it will sweep you away from any stress you have and make you sing along no matter what. Start with Kill Bill! 

K-R&B 

Prefer to listen to Korean R&B? Great! Indigo by BTS’s RM is just for you. While the album is short, it is very impactful. All ten songs are perfectly curated and RM’s attention to detail is shown in each minute. The album opens with Yun featuring Erykah Badu. It is a slow traditional sounding r&b song with Badu carrying the chorus and RM rapping in the verses. Erykah Badu’s voice is extremely dreamy and makes you feel like you’re floating. RM’s rapping style is very distinctive and original. Both have very calming voices, so they mesh well in the song. Following Yun is Still Life with Anderson Paak. This song has a much faster tempo and makes you want to get up and dance. He talks about how much his life was put on display due to his fame and refers to it as “still life” but that doesn’t stop him from moving. The following eight songs keep the calm vibe going. They are all extremely vulnerable for RM as he has never been able to speak about his personal life. The very last song is No.2 with parkjiyoon and this was the best way to close an album. It starts out with parkjiyoon’s light voice singing the chorus and then perfectly transitions to RM’s deep voice rapping. This song really gives the album closure as they repeat “don’t look back no more.” I feel this album is perfect for the break as it is both calming and makes you want to dance.  

K-Pop 

If you are into K-pop, there have been so many new releases just for you. I highly recommend Tomorrow X Together’s Temptation. While this album is only five songs long, it is very addictive. Each song gives you a different vibe, perfect for any mood. Devil by the Window is the opening track with a dark mood and lyrics but upbeat tempo. The pre-chorus in this song makes you feel very light and is my favorite. The next song, Sugar Rush Ride, is very bubbly and fun and makes you want to dance. The chorus is where the darker feel from the previous song comes back. Happy Fools with Coi Leray is a very fun and happy song. You can’t resist dancing when this comes on. Coi Leray’s rap is very light and fun, as expected from her. Her voice really suits the vibe of the track. The next song, Tinnitus (Wanna be a Rock), is afro beats inspired and is executed extremely well. This song is catchy and once you hear it, you won’t be able to forget it. The closer, Farewell, Neverland, makes you feel like you’re falling but in the best way possible. Temptation is really a great name for this album because you will always be tempted to put it on no matter what mood you are in.  

Pop 

Want to dance like no one’s watching? SAWAYAMA by Rina Sawayama was made just for you. After the intro, Dynasty, XS is the first song on the album. The song has a royal yet rock and roll vibe to it. The lyrics really boost your confidence and make you feel like you deserve it all. Comme des Garcons (Like the Boys) is house music inspired and the lyrics “I’m so confident” in the chorus are repeated so much that you start to feel confident. Definitely listen to this song when you are feeling down and having low self-esteem. The next song, Akasaka Sad, has a dark feel but brings back the royal feeling from XS in a different way. Track eleven has a traditional pop sound that makes you check out from reality and be completely immersed in the song. Bees and Honey on volume two of the same album is amazing. It is extremely catchy, and you cannot resist singing and dancing when you hear it. Lastly, XS remix with Bree Runway is easily one of the best pop remixes we have had in a while. Bree Runway comes in the second verse and kills it. She really reinforces the feeling of being confident. This entire album has been on repeat since I heard it the first time. I highly recommend listening to SAWAYAMA this spring break when you are feeling low. It is impossible to be sad while listening to this album. Start with XS! 

Jazz 

Do you like jazz? Linger Awhile by Samara Joy is just the album for you. The opening track, Can’t Get Out of This Mood, has a traditional jazz feel and really lifts your spirit. You really can’t get out of a good mood while listening to this song. Guess Who I Saw Today is the following track. It is a slower song with strong vocals and lyrics. Throughout the entire album, Samara Joy sings of being in love and it is all very calming music. While she is only 23, her voice sounds older and is very rich like older jazz musicians. I highly recommend listening to Linger Awhile whenever you want to relax and ease your mind. The entire album will put you in a good mood. 

Rock

If you are more interested in rock music, listen to Collide with the Sky by Pierce the Veil. When this album was released, it was an instant rock classic. The first song, Hell Above, has a very strong instrumental that you can’t help but dance to. The lead singer, Vic Fuentes, has a powerful voice that is perfect for rock. You might have heard the next song, A Match into Water on TikTok. While it was released in 2012, this song keeps regaining popularity throughout the years. It is well deserved because the lyrics are very impactful and have deep meaning. Every part of this song is perfectly put together and makes you lose yourself in the music. Another popular song from this album is King for a Day with Kellin Quinn. Vic and Kellin’s voices go together so well in this track and make you sing along. This song has a classic screamo vibe and the instrumental is insane. Needless to say, this is my favorite song on the album. Bulls in the Bronx is the next song, and it really makes you sing and jump around. As always, the instrumental is incredible, and Vic’s voice is perfect for rock. This whole album is composed of powerful songs with deep lyrics. All twelve songs are perfect for those who want to be completely lost in the music.  

The albums included are albums that make me feel good and release my stress. I highly recommend listening to at least one of them to help you too. The goal this Spring Break is to let go of all things that make you feel stressed and anxious. No matter what genre you like, these albums will help you fulfill this goal.