It’s finally that time again. If you’re like me, you’ve been waiting all year for the season of pumpkin spice, crunchy leaves, Halloween decor, and most of all, fall music. The millisecond I feel a cool breeze, I’m putting on my autumn jams and grabbing anything pumpkin-flavored. While I wish I could list all 2000 songs from my “Fall Leaves” playlist here, I believe I’ve narrowed it down to the ultimate top ten best autumn songs.
1. “Never Meant” – American Football
This might be the ultimate fall song. The iconic, sparkling guitar riff feels like watching sunlight glint off a spiraling yellow leaf and knowing autumn is just around the corner. Similar to the mix of sunlight and chill breezes that characterize fall, “Never Meant” combines hypnotically warm instrumentation with the melancholic chill of gloomy lyrics, creating a blend of emotions so authentic and nostalgic that it feels like a gut-punch to the soul—but in a good way.
2. “Here’s Where the Story Ends” – The Sundays
If there’s one band that I will love until the end of time, it’s The Sundays. Their bittersweet, peaceful vibe has utterly charmed me into being their fan for life. The jangly, upbeat guitar mixed with Harriet Wheeler’s melodic, contemplative vocals make for a pure, uplifting sound that reminds me of the radiance of fall.
3. “Run to You” – Bryan Adams
The nostalgic ’80s synth-rock feel of this song will never grow old. Bryan Adams’s raspy, impassioned vocals are like a cool autumn breeze: refreshing and full of emotion. This is my go-to song when I need an upbeat tune to start off my crisp, fall morning right.
4. “Pennies” – The Smashing Pumpkins
As the days get shorter and the nights get longer, everyone needs a good song for evening contemplation. The Pumpkins’ characteristic fuzzy guitar melded with a softer drumbeat, Corgan’s distinctive strained, raw vocals and longing lyrics make this song a fantastic choice for a pensive autumn evening walk.
5. “Iceblink Luck” – Cocteau Twins
Will anyone ever figure out what the lyrics to this song are? Probably not, but who needs comprehensible lyrics when you have gossamery instrumentation and Elizabeth Fraser’s ethereal vocals floating above it all? “Iceblink Luck” is the perfect song to listen to when you want to escape the reality of midterm studying and fade into the vibrance of fall leaves.
6. “Cemetry Gates” – The Smiths
A typical Smiths song—light, cheery instrumentation with the inevitable bite of Morissey’s sardonic lyricism—“Cemetry Gates” is perfect for the cynic eagerly awaiting the end of “dreaded sunny days.”
7. “Last Goodbye” – Jeff Buckley
Oh, Jeff Buckley, one of the greatest musicians of the ’90s, gone too soon. The mellow tune of “Last Goodbye” lets the pure yearning in his voice shine through. His powerful, expressive vocals are the perfect soundtrack for any season, but this melancholic song about goodbyes exudes fall as we wave farewell to carefree summer days.
8. “Pictures of You” – The Cure
No band does gloomy like The Cure. This wistfully beautiful lament is my pick for a cloudy, glum autumn day where the rain threatens to wash you away with it. Will it make you feel less melancholy? Certainly not, but it’s a great song!
9. “Light Year” – Gregory Alan Isakov
The soft orchestration and poetic lyricism of Gregory Alan Isakov’s music is unmatched. Listening to this song feels like sitting in the gentle glow of the porch-light and inhaling the smoky scent of a nearby bonfire. “Light Year” encapsulates the feel of a quintessential autumn night.
10. “Tangled Up in Blue” – Bob Dylan
No fall playlist would be complete without the king of folk music, Bob Dylan. If you’re looking for a carefree, acoustic classic to help you unwind and take in the beauty of the fall season, this song is for you.
