With a new school year in full swing, many Mercer students have found themselves stressed with classes but have managed to stay content, enjoying their hand-selected music. The following songs, new and classic, have been recommended and praised by Mercer students and should hopefully be added to your upcoming studying playlists.
"Need It" by Ship Wrek, "Hooked" by Notion, and "Stay the Night" by Just Kiddin and Camden Cox
Suggested by Grayson Gilbert '23, a student majoring in accounting
“I’ve been super into house music recently. I don’t have any favorite artists in particular, but I like to listen to a bunch of different artists. I like house music because of the bass and I’ve found I can get a lot of work done. It’s repetitive sometimes and while it occasionally has words, I can usually focus just fine. It’s built around a good beat with some lyrics added. It’s just a vibe; it's also a little relaxing but can also pump you up. I’d tell people to listen to house music because it can be good for any mood, especially since Spotify has good mixes for people just getting into it.”
"Think About Things" by Daði Freyr and "Shine On Top" by Surfaces
Suggested by Mykhia Brown '23, a student majoring in biology
“Think About Things" has a bit of a groovy vibe to it and the musicality of the song is amazing. The singers’ voices mesh well together with each harmony. There’s also a part near the end where there’s a big swell in the music and it can be felt by anyone who listens to it.”
“I also like "Shine On Top" a lot because it reminds me of the morning. It’s a great song to listen to when you’re on your way to class in the morning or eating breakfast. It’s a very motivational piece and it’s telling everyone to keep their heads up, even in the darkest times.”
"If I Know Me" by Morgan Wallen and "Buy Dirt" by Jordan Davis ft. Luke Bryan
Suggested by Nyny Hoang '25, a student majoring in biomedical engineering
“My sisters and I went to Morgan Wallen’s concert together and we loved listening to him. He’s obviously become very popular and between me and my sisters, we love listening to all of his songs in the car. If we’re baking, then he’s the first to come on too. I love his songs and I think other students will like him too. "Buy Dirt" also makes you look forward to the future and all you can build. There’s just something about screaming at the top of your lungs along with your favorite artist. Music is just another language we speak together. Sisterly memes!”
"Stay This Way" by fromis_9
Suggested by Naja Brown '25, a student majoring in accounting and marketing
“When I listen to this song, I think of all the happy moments that have ended and didn’t stay forever. Have you ever been in a situation where you were having so much fun with your friends, family, or some other loved ones that you wanted to stay in that moment forever? That’s mostly the meaning of "Stay this Way." It resembles all the fun and good times you had with people that you love. You always want the good times to never end.”
"Roommates" by The Dead Idols
Suggested by Sam Patton '26, a student majoring in neuroscience
“I suggested the whole album, Until August, because I recorded and mixed it. It holds a special place in my heart because of how The Dead Idols and I basically went into it blind and figured out how to record and work in the studio together. It’s hard to choose a favorite song because I’ve spent so much time with each of them. However, if I had to pick one, it would be Roommates.”
"I Gotta Find Peace of Mind" by Lauryn Hill
Suggested by Rhea Smith '24, a student majoring in psychology and Spanish
“It’s the perfect song for a late-night drive when you just need to get off campus and clear your head. It’s a freestyle ballad she performed separately from "The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill." The lyrics are simple, yet hit deep and personally for me. The instrumental isn’t the focus of it at all, it’s definitely the vocals. To me, everything else is muted in comparison.”
"Tornado Warnings" by Sabrina Carpenter
Suggested by Michael Williams '23, a student majoring in communications and media studies
"I didn’t know how much I would identify with or even enjoy a Sabrina Carpenter project, but she and her team did a good job capturing some emotions that feel authentic to her as well as relatable to the masses. This song slaps. Good for a bike or a book. “
Kristin Ware '23 chooses which song to listen to next on a sunny Macon day.
"Storm" by Otyken
Suggested by Kristin Ware '23, a student majoring in music
“I love how this song produces the feeling of something ancient and otherworldly. It’s a connection to history and nature at the same time. It’s raw and primal; it awakens something inside you. It makes you feel like you’re reconnecting to some distant memory that you can’t quite fully grasp, but that you can still see through a haze of fog. It’s push and pull, ebb and flow, new and old, organized and chaotic. The lyrics of another language, another time, place and people, are a sound that is forgotten in our new age world of fast-paced life and music. It’s a connection to the past in a new and modern way. It’s just a beautiful mishmash of something old in a new generation.”
