The days are getting longer, but it’s still cold out there, the trees remain bare, and the white stuff is still falling from the sky. This time of year can make those sunny days feel like they’ll never come again.
But while the dark and cold can lead to long hours spent inside avoiding muddy snow and frostbitten fingertips, those evenings can be made mighty cozy with the right soundtrack!
Of course, a good winter soundtrack must go beyond the obvious carols and jingling bells. The right mix should be one you can listen to all season long–weeks and even months after all the gifts and that ball drops. So, with that in mind, you won’t find Mariah Carey or any other Christmas classics here.
Instead, these tunes explore the mood many of us feel as the cold rolls in; that increased time spent with our own thoughts that can bring on self-reflections that can be as comforting as they are overwhelming.
V & Park Hyo Shin – “Winter Ahead”
V and Park Hyo Shin’s “Winter Ahead” is a jazzy, classic-sounding tune that harkens back to the era of Bing Crosby. It evokes the feeling of being warm and snuggly next to the fire as a gentle snow falls outside your window.
While it sounds like a mid century Christmas tune, with no direct references to the holiday season, this one can can keep you warm well into the new year.
The Neighbourhood – “Sweater Weather”
2012 brought us a new, great way to ring in the winter with The Neighbourhood’s highest charting hit, coming in at number 14 on the Billboard Hot 100.
Between the percussion and the electric guitar driving the track behind the rhythmic vocals, “Sweater Weather” has everything you need to stay warm through your own sweater weather.
Foo Fighters – “February Stars”
This older track from the Foo Fighters builds slowly, giving the feeling of a late season snowfall. It begins soft, slow, and somber, before coming to a deeper, rumbling peak as Dave Grohl belts out that final chorus.
Bob Dylan – “Winterlude”
A simple little cold-weather love song, “Winterlude” by Bob Dylan is a great addition to a snow day soundtrack with the one you love. “The snow is so cold, but our love can be bold…” What a serenade to warm up your heart!
Fleet Foxes – “White Winter Hymnal”
Church choir-like harmonies and the rattle of a tambourine to keep the beat make “White Winter Hymnal” an eerie and beautiful tune. This wonderful debut single from Fleet Foxes reminds listeners of lonely, snow-covered roads winding through the countryside.
It’s a must for any wintery road trips.
Billie Holiday – “Solitude”
It’s often said that winter is the loneliest time of the year. And while that idea is reflected in the mournful lyrics of Billie Holiday’s “Solidtude,” the timeless classic neverthelesss makes us feel less all alone–especially during the colder, darker months.
As 19th-century English poet Robert Browning once said, “Who hears music, feels his solitude peopled at once.”
The Head and the Heart – “Winter Song”
The Head and The Heart’s “Winter Song” features delicate harmonies and peaceful fingerstyle guitar perfect for the season. The vocalist duo take turns melodically wishing for better, brighter days, and the turning of the seasons.
Bangles – “Hazy Shade of Winter”
Need something a little more rockin’ to get you through the winter? Nothing beats the Bangles’ cover of the Simon & Garfunkel classic “A Hazy Shade of Winter.” With its soaring vocals and unruly guitar riff, this version even outshone the original, and peaked at number 2 on the Billboard Hot 100.
Idina Menzel – “Let It Go”
When it comes to winter, who can forget Disney’s 2013 smash hit Frozen? Nothing works quite as well to hype you up to brave the brisk outdoors than his earworm. Because, while you might be queen of “a kingdom of ice-olation,” “the cold never bothered me, anyway!”
Zac Brown Band – “Colder Weather”
“Colder Weather” tells a story about how the season can be bad for a romance. A truck driver who can’t get home to his partner because of the weather laments that tomorrow may be better, while his love knows better. And so does he: “You’re a lover, I’m a runner” he croons.
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Want to start your own musical journey this winter? The Music Studio offers a wide variety of private in-person and online instruction in Classical, Popular, Jazz and World Music for children and adults. You can begin your lessons at any time during the year.
The Music Studio is dedicated to ensuring that you receive a top-quality learning experience.
Students may register for private instruction at any time during a session with lessons being charged on a pro-rated basis. There is no registration fee for any of The Music Studio’s programs. Your private lesson teacher is available to answer any questions you may have about your lessons. Your teacher will also arrange a convenient lesson time for you. Day and evening lesson times are available.
To register for lessons with one of our friendly and professional teachers or to receive more information, please contact us and we would be happy to answer your questions.