In April, the NPR Music podcast celebrated the season for starting over by cobbling together a playlist of tunes to help you hit the reset button. These are songs that can reconfigure your outlook, lift your mood, or even point your whole life in a new direction.
As a followup, we asked listeners to tell us what songs they reach for in moments like these, and the stories and picks poured in. Some rocked, some raged, but most were quieter and introspective with a common, unifying theme: the simple idea of letting go — letting go of worries, of anger, of desire, and embracing, as one listener put it, "the messiness of life."
On this week's All Songs Considered, we share some of the stories and songs we heard, from the Bill Withers classic "Lovely Day" (one of the most frequently cited songs), to Florence + the Machine's cathartic "Shake It Out," the inescapable 1994 hit "You Gotta Be" from the singer Des'ree and more.
Featured artists and songs, as selected by NPR listeners:
Quincy Jones: "Dead End" from Walking in Space
"A classic, cool jazz piece. Helps to get me out of my head and just feel the groove for a few minutes. A great reset." — Alec in Washington
Bill Withers: "Lovely Day" from Menagerie
"I have a dear friend with MS and when I visited him, he played this song every morning. He used it as a daily tribute for the gift of life and it resonated with my soul. The lyrics are spot on for not just living, but living with purpose and gratitude!" — Tina in Alabama
Florence + The Machine: "Shake It Out" from Ceremonials
"When I'm down, it lets me see my regrets, but to stop "dragging that horse around." It reminds me that I can see my virtues as much a part of me as my flaws -- and rather than constantly fighting those flaws or being overwhelmed by guilt, it's OK to accept and experience the messiness that is life. That's my reset reminder." — Terry in Iowa
Jacob Collier: "Something Heavy" from The Light For Days
"Start over? Not exactly. After all, I am 78 and was hospitalized twice in the past twelve months due to severe internal bleeding, requiring transfusions. I was left with the need to recuperate and cope with disordered feelings and the necessity to face my mortality. Shortly after the first event, I discovered the surpassingly wonderful talents and sensibility of Jacob Collier. I've found [this song] profoundly consoling and uplifting." — Jeff in Cambridge
Des'ree: "You Gotta Be" from I Ain't Movin
"It's very uplifting. The message for me is that I'm in charge of what happens next (to an extent!).. I'm nearly 70 and happy with the choices I've made along the way." — Rita in Maine
Peter Gabriel: "Washing Of The Water" from Us
"While the song seems to speak mainly of heartbreak and loss, I've always thought it was also about hope and redemption. I think I really connected with the metaphor of the water having the power to "make it all alright" as Peter Gabriel sings in the song. I probably sang this song to myself a hundred times while walking along a California beach years ago after a breakup. Somehow, it just made me feel better and helped get me to the other side!" — Rudy in Virginia
Cat Power: "Nothin But Time" from Sun
"This song is so powerful. It speaks to our younger selves (maybe inner child?) and it encourages us that we have nothing but time to do what we want to do. It's sprawling, anthemic, and features vocals by Iggy Pop. Just incredible stuff; always resets my mood and gives me hope." — Braeden in Utah
John Denver: "Sweet Surrender" from Back Home Again
"I had just been laid off. Driving home, this song came on the radio and changed my whole mindset." — Ed in North Carolina
The Isley Brothers: "Summer Breeze" from 3+3
"Very Inspirational to anyone on any journey! It took me forever, so many years to finish my college degree. I was the first in my family to attend university. I did not give up! Music is my Heaven, here on Earth. Really! It's my gateway to healing from dark places to celebrating life's grand spaces! And everything in between." — Corzann "Cozy" Sailor
Green Day: "Still Breathing" from Revolution Radio
"This song carried me through my divorce, the death of my dog, and the recent passing of my father… Anytime I need to remember that I'm still alive despite all of the things that have been thrown at me, this is the song." — Lois in Pittsburgh
Vienna Teng: "Level Up" from Aims
"This song starts most of my runs, became my sobriety theme song when I gave up drinking 5 years ago, and is a swelling, soaring, sparkling anthem of moving up and on." — Mary Alice in Baltimore
