Mornings can be a nightmare, and the last thing you want to hear when waking up is the ugly, monotonous ring of your phone alarm. They say music heals the soul, but it also soothes the snooze. Start your morning off right with our picks for the ultimate morning wake up jams.
- RELATED: Best Songs To Wake Up To (Part 2)
The Morning Benders – “Excuses”
Before The Morning Benders rebranded as Pop Etc., they graced indie music with one of the dreamiest ballads of the decade. Let the timpanis, strings, and delicacy of Chris Chu’s vocals fill your morning with a sense of wonder.
Hollerado – “Born Yesterday”
For those mornings when you don’t have time for a slow start, Hollerado’s “Born Yesterday” is the musical equivalent of a splash of cold water to the face. Those relentless power chords are like a jolt of electricity that’ll leave you feeling like you’ve never been broken.
Arcade Fire – “Wake Up”
This David Bowie endorsed tune will lift your spirits with its soaring “woah-ohs” and double time outro. Is this pick a little too on the nose? Maybe. Is it an otherworldly stage-setter for a magical day? Absolutely.
Carly Rae Jepsen – “Run Away With Me”
Let that smooth, meme-inducing saxophone line be the siren song for an upbeat day. Carly Rae and her accompanying sax man have your back, always.
MGMT – “Time To Pretend”
There’s a reason the Spider-Man: Homecoming trailer chose to open with this MGMT classic. It’s a perfectly ambient kick off to any occasion, be it an epic superhero movie or a 6AM wake up.
The Tragically Hip – “In View”
The charging drum line coupled with that guitar-to-glockenspiel call and answer riff will have you up and at ‘em in no time.
The Arkells – “Knocking at the Door”
The ultimate pump-up jam for the early riser. Spring out of bed and go for an early morning run through the empty city streets with this one.
Chance the Rapper – “All We Got”
“At the end of the day, music is all we got,” Chance and Kanye insist on the opener of Coloring Book. It’ll start your day too, if you set this explosive track as your alarm.
Michael Buble – “It’s a Beautiful Day”
Let the Canadian king of easy listening help you kick off another beautiful day. This one is especially handy for those fresh off a breakup and looking for a pick-me-up.
Bloc Party – “Sunday”
It was a heavy night. You’re hungover, but have no commitments on your calendar! “Sunday” is hangover medicine for the groggy individual looking to sleep in way beyond noon.
Ra Ra Riot – “Water”
This dreamy, elevating track will gently nudge you awake with its airy vocals and slow, soothing instrumentals.
The Verve – “Bittersweet Symphony”
For anyone who needs an extra bit of convincing to get out of bed, the track’s legendary strings will remind you that life is beautiful and absolutely worth exploring.
Elton John – “Circle of life”
This hidden gem is great for – oh who are we kidding – IT’S THE CIIIIRCLE OF LIFE!
