By spring break, everyone just needs a week off. Whether you’ve been stressed with midterms, work, class or just need time away from everyone, this break comes at a prime time.

It’s also a perfect time to catch up on music if you’ve been too busy to spend time discovering new tracks. I’ve compiled a few songs that are perfect for a variety of spring break plans.

Beach

A lot of people plan on going away somewhere warm for spring break because it’s winter, and people want to escape the cold. Also, the beach can be a quiet, serene place to relax. When I’m on the beach, I like listening to a mix of pop, hip-hop and R&B, like:

“Candy Paint” by Post Malone: This song is perfect for laying on the beach. It’s not too slow or too fast, and it works well if you want to close your eyes for a few minutes. It has a catchy hook, if you’re in the mood to mouth the words.

“Moon River” by Frank Ocean: This song is perfect for all my Frank fans out there who are really trying to relax but also take in the music. It’s a heartbreaking ballad, a cover Ocean released hours after Valentine’s Day.

“Heaven” by Julia Michaels: This track has gotten a lot of traction since its feature in the new “Fifty Shades” movie. People have really started to like Michaels, and this song solidified her rise to success. It’s great for daydreaming on the beach because it has lyrics that show romantic love.

Road Trip

The songs you want to listen to on a road trip are tracks you’re trying to belt and jam out to. These are usually chart-topping pop songs, such as:

“The Middle” by Zedd, Maren Morris & Grey: This song has dominated the charts and pretty much the world these past few weeks. It’s a classic, and blasting it at top volume would definitely make a road trip less exhausting and boring, especially with everyone singing along.

“God’s Plan” by Drake: Like “The Middle,” this track has been playing nonstop since its release. Drake did it again — coming out with a banger — and this song has led the charts for weeks on end. Belting “I only love my bed and my momma, I’m sorry,” on repeat is a great way to make the time in the car pass.

Staycation

If you’re stuck inside, whether that’s at Syracuse or wherever you’re from, I would take this time to discover new music. This means tracks you haven’t heard yet or haven’t dominated the radio, including:

“Bloody Waters” by Ab-Soul with Anderson .Paak and James Blake: I have to take this time to promote my favorite track from the new “Black Panther” album. I went to see the movie solely for the soundtrack, and while the film didn’t include much of the music from the album, I highly suggest listening to the soundtrack in its entirety. It’s so interesting to hear how the songs relate to the movie as well as the rappers singing it.

“Ps & Qs” by Lil Uzi Vert: While this song isn’t super new, I hadn’t explored Lil Uzi Vert’s music until I heard this song. He seems to be on every music publication’s radar, so I finally started to listen to him. This song is super catchy, as Lil Uzi Vert reminds himself to stay on his “P’s” and his “Q’s.”

Phoebe Smith is a senior public relations major. Her column appears biweekly in Pulp. You can email her at phsmith@syr.edu and follow her on Twitter @phoebesmithh5.

Published on March 8, 2018 at 12:56 am