Music to Avoid Seasonal Depression

A playlist to get in the winter mood without the winter gloom

written by Kiara Tynan | Design by Abigail Jay

“Blood Bank” by Bon Iver The husky timbre of Justin Vernon’s voice perfectly sets the tone for winter, with sweet, loving lyrics. The track details little sweet moments in a relationship, painting a romantic image of being trapped in your truck in the snow and kissing your lover. The instrumentation mimics the relief of warmth in your hands on a cold winter night.

“Cherry Wine” by Hozier This song creates contrasting imagery of ice and fire throughout to detail the intense passion of a relationship. Hozier’s vocals crawl slowly through the body as you listen to the track, keeping you warm in the dead of winter. The contrast of the dark subject matter of the lyrics with the soft acoustics and vocals creates a reflection of the sweetness you may try to inject into those dark, cold nights. “Angel in the Snow” by Elliott Smith As tragic as much of Elliott Smith’s discography is, the soft acoustic guitar relays a sense of comfort on the listener. With the image of laying beside a lover in the snow, you can feel the cold surrounding you as the snowflakes fall gently.

“Hackensack” by Fountains of Wayne This track was included in the 2005 Christmas rom-com Just Friends, in which Ryan Reynolds returns to his New Jersey hometown for Christmas for the first time in 10 years, forced to face all of the locals—including his high school lost love. As college students return home for the holidays, Hackensack stirs those feelings of returning to your hometown and seeing all the familiar faces and places that either made your upbringing heaven or hell. This song is the perfect backdrop for reminiscing on those you used to know, and reflecting on the way things have changed since you’ve been gone.

“Sleigh Ride” by The Carpenters For the classic holiday mood, Sleigh Ride is the ultimate, lighthearted music for the season. It instantly transports you to a childlike feeling of giddiness for the holidays, no matter how basic it may appear on surface level.