We all have days that just feel, well, damn hard. Sometimes you can pinpoint the cause—a poor night of sleep, work stress, knowing you’ve got a marathon of to-dos ahead—and sometimes, you just don’t wanna. Of course, in an ideal world, we’d all be able to stay cozied up in bed watching a soothing show or reading a favorite book on the days we generally lacked motivation. But unfortunately, that’s not always the case.
So if you’ve recently found yourself dragging your feet to get out the door in the morning, or on your third cup of coffee by 10:00 a.m., this week’s playlist is for you. These upbeat songs are all intended to put some pep in your step and a smile on your face. While it’s not a workout playlist by name, you could certainly use this to power your morning cardio or strength routine just as easily.
Here you’ll find tracks from indie darlings Tegan and Sara, The 1975, and Bleachers, plus newer hits from Janelle Monáe, Taylor Swift, and Maggie Rogers. For a little extra delight, a few hip-hop tracks—”Sure Shot” by Beastie Boys and “Check the Rhime” by A Tribe Called Quest—also have a place on this list. Overall, it’s an eclectic mix, but one that we hope helps you to open your eyes a little wider, pull your shoulders down from your ears, puff up your chest, and know that you can handle whatever the day throws your way.
Full playlist:
- “Sure Shot” by Beastie Boys
- “Want Want” by Maggie Rogers
- “S.O.B.” by Nathaniel Rateliff & The Night Sweats
- “Make Me Feel” by Janelle Monáe
- “What I Like About You” by The Romantics
- “Closer” by Tegan and Sara
- “TenTwentyTen” by Generationals
- “Check the Rhime” by A Tribe Called Quest
- “Keep a Secret” by Project Bongo
- “When I Dance With You” by The Pains of Being Pure at Heart
- “Saw Lightning” by Beck
- “Don’t Take the Money” by Bleachers
- “Chocolate” by The 1975
- “The Wire” by HAIM
- “I Want It All” by COIN
- “My Type” by Saint Motel
- “1901” by Phoenix
- “If You Wanna” by The Vaccines
- “Daylight” by Matt & Kim
- “Lavender Haze” by Taylor Swift
- “It Runs Through Me” by Tom Misch, De La Soul
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