Life is a Movie: 10 Songs That Place You in the Main Character’s Role in a Coming of Age Movie

The class of 2021 enjoys the sunrise together at their senior sunrise ceremony.

Teenage years, oh what fun. The epic highs, the killer lows, and of course everything in between. All these moments tie together to make each one of us our own unique coming of age movie. From Friday night football games and late nights to heartbreak(s) and so much more, all of our “movies” have their own unique styles and shortcomings. With these movie moments happening daily, sometimes a soundtrack for these good times is needed. These are 10 songs that place you in the main character’s role of a coming of age movie.

  1. “Feeling Lonely” boy pablo

With “Feeling Lonely” boy pablo somehow managed to make the mood chill yet upbeat at the same time. With a beautiful chorus laid over rhythmic guitar, it is almost hard to stop the urge to dance. The listener can also quickly pick up on Pablo’s silky smooth voice that is almost too good to be true. Road trips, spontaneous dance sessions, and drives down Thunder Road go great with this song.

  1. “Midnight City” M83

While “Midnight City” is nowhere near a new song, it is still just as great as it was when it was released in 2011. This song is perfectly completed from start to finish and truly shows M83’s talent. While this song is mainly electronic, it does a great job of bringing in real instruments like the trumpet to make the song feel more realistic. With this song, M83 did a great job of showcasing what music really is, and that’s art. “Midnight City’ is best suited for those endless nights of raw teenage emotion no matter what you are doing.

  1. “Moonlight” Lostboycrow

The instruments Lostboycrow uses in “Moonlight” are absolutely terrific and really give the song its value, from the beautiful electric guitar moans, to Crow’s powerful voice that seamlessly cuts through the noise in a unique and much-needed way. This song is truly something special. “Moonlight” is perfect for midnight trips to the beach, long evenings spent with friends and anything else high school can give.

  1. “You Know It” Colony House

Almost every time I hear the drums clamor at the beginning of this song I picture the start of an epic highschool adventure. “You know it” falls under the category of surf rock and it keeps that dreamy ocean energy the whole time. A little excitement from the guitar and drums keeps the song moving along while not making it unbearable. This song is perfect for those long hot summer days spent out on the lake or drives to Sonic to get ice cream with friends.

  1. “The less I know the Better” Tame Impala

The instrumental portion of “The Less I Know the Better” is truly genius with its tasteful bass hooks and beautiful synth work. As for the lyrical portion of the song, Tame Impala also did a great job with this. The song tells the story of a man being left out of a love triangle by his crush when he overhears she is with someone named Trevor, hence the line “she was holding hands with Trevor, not the greatest feeling ever.” This creates the basis for the story, and the artist believes he is better off not knowing anything about his crush so he doesn’t ruin his image of her. This song is perfect for teens simply for the fact that they tend to bounce in and out of relationships and most of the time there is always someone left out like Impala was. 

  1. “Freakin’ Out on the Interstate” Briston Maroney

In “Freakin’ out on the Interstate” Briston Maroney truly created something beautiful. This song does a great job of keeping energy the whole way through, yet it’s not too much. The pure emotion and lyricism match perfectly with the artist’s beautiful guitar riffs and the song quickly carries listeners away, not to mention Maroney has a fantastic voice that is very soothing. This song is perfect for road trips, evening drives around town, or while parked at a pier watching the sunset over Canton lake.

  1. “Roslyn” Bon Iver & St. Vincent

If there has ever been a perfect song to listen to while crying in the rain, “Roslyn” is it. The song’s harmonious and perfectly edited chorus gives it the strength to pull emotional pain from places that it shouldn’t come from. From the start of the song, the listener can quickly grasp that “Roslyn” is a painful anthem. This song is perfect for that after break-up pain, those lonely teenage nights, and anything else that a teenager could be going through emotionally.

  1. “Electric Love” BORNS

“Electric Love” is a purely genius concoction made by BORNS in 2015, and because of this, the group received a platinum certification. It’s combination of Indie style and light airy guitar riffs create a boost of serotonin-like none other. “Electric Love” is the perfect song to listen to while on the way home with friends after a night out, or while watching the sunset over Canton Lake.

  1. “Sedona” Houndmouth

The raw emotion Houndmouth put into “Sedona” is what makes it great. Houndmouth was graced with two great singers on this ear charmer whose voices go together beautifully. The singing would be nothing however without the great addition of the band’s vintage and folksy guitar. When the chorus arrives all of these elements culminate beautifully and within a few listens most people can’t help but belt it out. “Sedona” sounds great on long car rides through new and unique places, cool fall night drives with the windows rolled down, and about anything else life could throw at a teenager. 

  1. “Tongue Tied” Grouplove

 “Tongue Tied” is Grouplove’s claim to fame and it’s a good song for that. Although the song was released in 2011, it has kept listeners since its release due mainly to the energy one feels while listening to the song. “Tongue Tied” is the absolute epitome of highschool life and the song goes perfectly with any teenage activity. Countless young adults including myself have made irreplaceable memories while “Tongue Tied” was blaring in the background and many more will do the same.

Honorable Mentions

“Cigarette Daydream” Cage the Elephant

“Seventeen” Peach Pit

“Can I call you tonight” Dayglow

 

 

What is your favorite "coming of age" movie?

View Results

Loading ... Loading ...

 

Solomon Vargas