The Top Ten Songs You Must Listen To In College

When it comes to life in college, sometimes you need a good song to get you through a rough patch. College is an exciting and intimidating time in any student’s life — it’s where you’ll spend your days studying hard while simultaneously finding out what you truly want to do with your life. This list of the Top Ten Songs You Must Listen To In College will get you through the terrifying times and help you celebrate the successes along the way to earning that degree!

1. Zedd – “I Want You To Know” (Featuring Selena Gomez)

In the lead single for Zedd’s sophomore album, Selena Gomez takes the helm on a track with its accompanying video showcasing a magical time in life. As you embark on your college journey, the time is now! Live it up, don’t forget to save some time to party, fall in love, and have fun.

2. Katy Perry – “Firework”

2010 saw Katy Perry take the pop landscape by storm with the infectious “Firework” – a track that still gets considerable spin today. An empowering message about pursuing whatever you set your mind to makes “Firework” the perfect song to get you through a time when things are changing and your focus must be razor sharp. Pop this track on before a big exam and remember that you’re truly going places, and no one can hold you back!

3. Kesha – “Mr. Watson”

Kesha gets raunchy with a professor on this unreleased track. As she finds herself crushing hard on Mr. Watson, Kesha’s typical party-girl attitude and carefree style make this the perfect bit of pop nonsense to enjoy when you just need a laugh – or perhaps to help keep your hormones in check if your history professor is as irresistible as Kesha’s.

4. Amerie – ‘Gotta Work’

A throwback to Amerie’s Because I Love It…‘Gotta Work’ is an anthem for college students everywhere. “Because when you feeling low
and you can’t get no lower, that’s when you know you’re close! Sometimes you gotta work hard for it,” Amerie sings, equally frustrated that things aren’t going as smoothly as she planned and also remembering that the universe has good things in store for her. Patience is a virtue – so take a deep breath and don’t let that 500 question Calculus exam scare you too much. Work hard for that degree!

5. Charli XCX – “Break The Rules”

Who better than Charli XCX to sing about skipping school and breaking rules? Take this song too literally, and you’ll enjoy a lifelong career slinging burgers, so it’s probably best to spin this track when you’re rolling up to your first college party looking like a badass. (Dancing on the top of a school bus is totally optional.)

6. Gwen Stefani – “Hollaback Girl”

Gwen Stefani’s hit from 2005, “Hollaback Girl”, had everything you could hope to get from a college experience. Acrobatic cheerleaders, a sexy marching band (if such a thing exists), and most importantly, how to spell SAT words like “bananas.” You’d be bananas not to listen to this sometime during your college life.

7. Iggy Azalea – “Impossible Is Nothing”

Love her or hate her, Iggy Azalea has faced adversity from critics, the media, and the rap community. As soon as the track starts, Iggy gets inspirational. “Never quit until the clock stops. Never die out until your heart drops. Success will separate you from the have-nots,
and have all these haters at your neck like an ascot.” As the chorus comes in, she focuses not on her own trials, but on those of her fans, giving them a reminder that no matter what challenges you face in your college experience and life in general, “Impossible Is Nothing.”

8. Kris Allen – “Live Like We’re Dying”

Kris Allen reminds us that we all have the same amount of time in a day with his hit song “Live Like We’re Dying”. Use your time in college wisely, and make every second in a day work for you. That’s what will truly separate you from your peers. Keep your work ethic strong and live like today will be your last.

9. Natalia Kills – “Free” (Featuring will.i.am)

“Wanna be like Midas when my bank account is minus. Gotta stretch that dollar bill!” Natalia Kills lives it up on a budget on her track with Black Eyed Pea’s will.i.am, much like any college student. It may not be the most fiscally responsible choice to buy her discography on iTunes – but it wouldn’t be the worst thing to buy with your student loans!

10. Kanye West – “School Spirit”

In typical Kanye West fashion, West is frank about the job outlook after college. “This n—a graduated at the top of our class… I went to Cheesecake, he was a m———–g waiter there!” Don’t let employment rates get you down…turn West’s rage into your own, and find your school spirit to give you the drive you need to succeed during your time as you transition from in the classroom to the job market.

College is an exciting and scary time in life, but armed with your arsenal of expensive textbooks that can’t be rented, your student loans that might be paid off before your grandchildren put you in a nursing home. With this playlist, you’ll be ready to conquer college and put that degree to good use! Good luck!