I’m sure no one misses the chaos of 2020, so as 2021 graces us with its eventful first weeks, I find myself looking for the bright side in all of the challenges our world is currently plagued with. One aspect of life that always helps me through any hardship is listening to music. As I attempt to break the cycle of finding one song, becoming obsessed with it, overplaying it and eventually hating it, I have compiled a playlist of new songs to kick off this year with.

Harry Styles’ song “Treat People With Kindness” was released Jan. 1 as the sixth single off of his 2019 album “Fine Line.” Accompanied by an upbeat music video, clad with a back and white filter to accompany the vintage vibe, the song serves as a great reminder to be kind to one another after such a treacherous year. The message of the song stands true now more than ever, and what better way to ring in the new year than by listening to Styles sing about love and acceptance?

“Chemtrails over the country club,” released Jan. 11, is the first single from Lana Del Rey’s seventh studio album, set to be released Mar. 19. This song has a wonderful cinematic feel, fulfilling all of my dreams of being the main character in a coming-of-age movie. I will have this song on repeat for the first quarter of the year as I wait patiently for the full album.

Released on Jan. 11 as the second single from her album “Evermore,” “No body, no crime” is a perfect collaboration with girl band HAIM. Going back to Swift’s country roots, the song follows her classic storytelling patterns by following the story of Este, a character who suspects her husband is being unfaithful. While this is not the kind of energy I hope to channel in 2021, I love the nostalgic sound of Swift’s country twang and heart-swelling lyrics that take me back to better days. 

After the immense success following his 2019 debut album “Fuzzybrain,” Dayglow released the single “Close to you” Jan. 11. The song brings out retro sounds reminiscent of 80’s pop hits, combined with interesting beats and catchy lyrics. The single has cool tones that label this track the perfect transition from the cold winter months, into the rebirth of a new spring season and a prosperous new year. 

As the front woman of the band Paramore, singer-songwriter Hayley Williams is no stranger to creating hit songs. Williams released the song “Teardrop” Jan. 15, hopefully foreshadowing an album in the near future. The melancholy words are offset by a technical beat, unlike what Williams has produced in the past. This song is perfectly sad and almost serves as a reminder of all of the pain and loss from last year, so as people move forward, think of this as a healing goodbye to the heartbreak of 2020.

Since going viral on social media, influencer Lil Huddy (Chase Hudson) released his first single “21st Century vampire” Jan. 21. The song contains lyrics that will be stuck in my head for days and amazing instrumentals; surprisingly, this tune is a perfect mixture of pop with a little edge. I would label the song a perfect debut to what I hope is Huddy’s long career in the music industry.

The new song “Lo Vas A Olvidar,” a collaboration between Rosalía and sensation Billie Eillish, was released Jan. 21. The song is featured in the HBO series, Euphoria, in the special “Part 2: Jules,” which centers around actress Hunter Schafer. The show is infamous for having incredible music that matches the mesmerising and grungy visuals of the show, and this track is no different. This song is dreamy and hazy, with a mix of English and Spanish lyrics, sounding like a fever dream in the best way possible. 

The trifecta of internet drama includes Olivia Rodrigo’s “Driver’s License,” Sabrina Carpenter’s “Skin” and Joshua Bassett’s “Lie Lie Lie.” After the release of Rodrigo’s song earlier this month, which presumably tells the story of her relationship with Bassett and his new love with Carpenter, the internet went crazy. In a mess of speculation and finger pointing, Bassett released his single which fans thought could be about Rodrigo and her ability to tarnish his reputation with false information. Finally, on Jan. 22, Carpenter released what she called a diss track in her Instagram post from three days ago, responding to Rodrigo’s song. Fans all over social media have rushed to pick sides, while others are left to wonder if the whole situation is merely an elaborate publicity stunt. Nonetheless, the trio has taken over the first month of the new year, giving the world three magnificent songs in the process.