The temperature just started to drop below thirty degrees, the second marking period at J.P. Stevens has just about ended, and a world-wide sensation’s tour has just come to a close. Of course, there’s always that one kid in class who bets a Taylor Swift song is going to be played on the announcements everytime… and is always wrong. However, when it comes to pop music that fits the winter mood (as well as being the most streamed artist on Spotify for the year), Taylor Swift takes the crown.
Of course, winter isn’t just the season of holidays- it’s also the season of music and the art of sound. No matter how gloomy it may get, there’s always a perfect tune for everyone that can cure their winter blues- whether it’s pop, holiday music, or even classical tunes.
One of Taylor Swift’s most well-known winter songs would definitely be “Cold as You,” a classic winter heartbreak anthem for Swifties and writers alike. The famous track five includes many literary elements that are taught in English classes everywhere: it’s partially the reason why Taylor Swift is considered to be the modern day version of Shakespeare. The most obvious use of figurative language in “Cold as You” would be the indirect metaphor used to describe a person to an extremely cold place, creating the perfect winter vibe.
Although Taylor Swift’s album could be listened to all year long, some holiday songs only get a month or two in the spotlight, which is why we never see any on Spotify Wrapped. But if you’re a top one percent Taylor Swift fan, you know her song “Lover” or should I say “we could leave the Christmas lights up until January.” You also know that it’s winter when choir students are singing “Last Christmas” by WHAM! in the halls. Despite this song being a holiday classic, there have been many famous covers released throughout the years: some honorable mentions being Ariana Grande’s and Billie Piper’s cover of the song. Another holiday classic would be Mariah Carrie’s “All I Want for Christmas is You,” with over 16 million copies sold worldwide. The record-breaking song spent 12 weeks at number one on the Billboard Hot 100, making it one of the most popular songs of all time.
When it comes to winter, the first thing that comes to mind for J.P. Students are when the marking period will end, and what grade they need on their final quiz/test. Classical music is a life saver during all nighters and quiet study sessions in the library, but it doesn’t hurt to add a winter vibe to your study playlist either. One must have on classical music playlists would definitely be Tchaikovsky’s The Nutcracker Suite, which creates a perfect snowy atmosphere during any study session. However, the perfect soundtrack to “lock in” would definitely be Vivaldi’s Four Seasons. The concertos provide a perfect seasonal feeling, while also not being overly distracting. People often associate winter with sadness, but it doesn’t have to be that way- all you need to do in order to truly enjoy the season is to create a playlist perfect for you.
