When springtime hits, the ancient prophecy proclaims it’s time to go crazy, go stupid. The ORANGE Music Staff has the right tunes to match your rising serotonin levels this spring.

Story by ORANGE Music Staff

If you spend your day on Twitter, you may have come across the term “serotonin.” Some users discuss how their brains are reacting to a lack of serotonin, while others are wondering where it’s at. I’ll have you know, the serotonin is on its way! That little chemical that tackles depression and causes a rush of endorphins to our heads peaks in spring, with all the sunshine and breezy weather. The ORANGE Music Staff is bringing you all our favorite serotonin raising songs that will make you feel light and airy this spring.

“Say Something Loving” by The xx

While The xx is typically known for making music characterized by morose lyrics and minimalist production, this song is the complete opposite. The sonic choices, made by the band’s producer Jamie Xx, is expansive and it feels as though one is gliding seamlessly through the clouds. On a surface level, the lyrical subject matter focuses on a romantic relationship; however, on a more latent level, they can be interpreted as the emotions found in a blossoming friendship. With exam season right around the corner, this song is sure to raise your serotonin levels. – Miles Eackles

“This Must Be The Place” by Talking Heads

This song takes me to my absolute happy place. I listen to it on sun shining days or when I’m feeling transformative. My clearest memory while listening to this song is when I woke up at sunrise to drive home to Austin from my hometown, with the lyrics “home is where I want to be, but I guess I’m already there” ringing in my ears. It’s impossible for me to not smile while listening to this song, it activates the best parts of my mind. It’s light, fun and joyous. It’s also one of the only romantic songs that the Talking Heads ever wrote, and it’s filled with lyrics that give me warm feelings, so much so that I have a tattoo based on the lyrics “you’ve got a face with a view,” which I think is a sweet sentiment. Both the original or live version of this song from “Stop Making Sense” are great.  

– Gabrielle Sanchez

“Floaty” by Foo Fighters

Before Dave Grohl was filling arenas with his sing-along (scream-along, rather) anthems, he was writing and recording quirky little songs on his own that weren’t supposed to see the light of day. One of my favorites from his pre-arena rock days is Floaty, aptly titled for the way it makes you feel. In Grohl’s attempt at shoegaze, the acoustic beginning lodges the riff into your brain, but it’s not long before his famous drumming crashes in and everything explodes. The circular motion of the unique 6/8 time signature chugs the song along, lulling you in in the process. These are the qualities that make “Floaty” one of my go-to serotonin boosters; it’s an earworm, but repetitive enough to soothe you. I recommend it for the times you need to psych yourself up before a dreaded responsibility; air-drumming along to the chorus has become part of my pre-work ritual. And when the track’s journey ends, the last crash of the cymbals breaking the guitars’ spell, it’s as if all my problems have been resolved. – Carys Anderson

“Don’t Feel Like Crying” by Sigrid

I won’t be the first to admit it, but spring and surface-level pop songs are the perfect pairing. When that heat-wave hits and my allergies start itching their way to the surface, a girl just wants to blast some Norwegian pop anthems and yell the lyrics off-key in her car! Sigrid transforms the situation of feeling in the dumps post-dumping into an airy, confidence bop. From the truth etched into the lines of “Wallowing in it would be such a waste/that isn’t gonna fix it anyway,” I can feel myself shrugging off whatever pointless issue that was bothering me that day. Hordes of homework and group projects due? It doesn’t matter in the two minutes and 37 seconds of this song! When the beat drop arrives, the combination of violins and tinkling synths gets my feet going until I’m out of breath and feeling emotionally lighter than before. – Savannah Olson