Songs to kick off this upcoming autumn

1. “Fall” by Dotan: This first one is a new discovery of mine. Of course, I chose it because of the name, even though it’s not really referring to the season, but also because it’s got this really beautiful airy sound that somehow reminds me of a fall breeze. It’s not a slow song by any means either. If you’re going to check out only one song from this list, I’d suggest this one.

2. “Grand Theft Autumn/Where is Your Boy” by Fall Out Boy: Okay, this one is 100 percent chosen for the name. I’m not even sure why it’s called “Grand Theft Autumn” (the “Where is Your Boy” part makes sense when you listen to the song), but if you know anything about Fall Out Boy’s song naming ethic, especially on older albums, then this isn’t a surprise to you. Regardless, this is some classic FOB right here, so you’re welcome.

3. “Sweater Weather” by The Neighborhood: I’m pretty sure almost everyone has heard this one before. It sort of speaks for itself. Fall is, after all, the start of sweater season. The music itself reminds me of a gray fall day, and I remember hearing it a lot last autumn.

4. “Bubbly” by Colbie Caillat: An oldie but goodie. Who didn’t love this song back in the day? Okay, actually, I wasn’t the biggest fan of “Bubbly” when it first came out. But now I listen to it with nostalgic fervor. It’s sort of comforting, I think, and worth a listen if you haven’t heard it in a while. It’s a great song to listen to on a cold day when all you want to do is stay in.

5. “Colors” by Halsey: I listened to this song a lot last fall when it first came out. It’s honestly gorgeous. The name even works for autumn because it’s such a colorful season (even though that’s not what the song is about).

6. “Flaws” by Bastille: I’ve been listening to this one a lot recently, and I have a feeling it’s about to become my fall song for 2016. It’s a lovely song about recognizing the flaws within yourself and within others and accepting them as part of who you are. With the weather beginning to change, some of us need positive messages to keep us going in the coming months.

7. “Do I Wanna Know?” by The Arctic Monkeys: Thank you to the Lyft driver who reminded me of this song’s existence. Nothing can beat the opening rhythm of this one. Even when I don’t feel like listening to the entire song, I’ll put it on just for the beginning. It’s suitable for the darkening days ahead, as its tune is sort of dark too. Oh, and, as per the suggestion of my Lyft driver this past weekend, check out the Hosier cover of this one. Apparently it’s excellent.

7. “Someone New” by Hozier: Speaking of Hozier, here’s one of my favorite songs by him. This one is sort of about falling in love with all the different kinds of people that you meet. It can probably be construed in various ways, but I think of it as a song about romanticizing people and life and love, and since I find fall to be a romantic season, I can’t help but find “Someone New” to be a very fitting addition to this playlist.