Over the course of the unprecedented past few months, we have lost many simple joys. We lost the ability to connect with one another in person as we feared the unknown impact of the COVID-19 coronavirus. Within this darkness, I brought some life back into my 2020 by finding happiness in good music.

Due to our inability to gather with friends and go out safely, many of us have taken up different activities to distract and entertain ourselves. One of those things being TikTok.

TikTok is an app where people can come together and share their favorite jokes, dances, comedy skits and music. Over the course of many boring weeks spent inside my home, I downloaded the app where I found an impressive amount of quality music.

Through the app, I discovered various songs that I really enjoy. The first song is “Smile” by Lily Allen. This spunky song about a tough breakup gives back the feeling of power to women who were mistreated.

The second song, “Lemons” by Brye, is also a catchy song that reevaluates the way men treat women in relationships.

I also entertained myself by watching copious amounts of Netflix, Disney+ and Hulu. Disney+ released “Hamilton” July 3  and shook up my playlists.

Not only was the musical fantastic but the array of talented actors was quite surprising. I looked into the cast members and found that many of them had music careers outside of Broadway. The most notable songs include “Mind over Matter” by Anthony Ramos, and “Little Bird” by Jasmine Cephas Jones. 

There were also many songs that were released mid-quarantine. “Wildflower” by 5 Seconds of Summer (5SOS) was released March 27, along with the rest of their new album CALM. The “Wildflower” music video was filmed in each of the four band members’ homes in front of a green screen. Dua Lipa released “Break My Heart” on March 25. 

As the spring quarantine transitioned into summer, I spent time outside, swimming, at the beach or by a bonfire where I returned to my classic summer tracks. There are many songs that remind me of the freedoms of summer. 

“Tongue Tied” by Grouplove is among one of my favorites. It is a perfect song to reminisce about time spent with friends. This song was released back in 2011 but continues to make its rounds on my summer playlist. “Electric Love” by Børns is also a staple in my music repertoire, a song that fits perfectly for a mid-July sunset drive. 

This time in our lives has been hard but music never fails to lighten the mood. I strongly encourage you to spice up your summer playlists with a few of these memorable songs. 

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