How it started:
Lena: I have sooo many songs about “the difficulties of being human”
Jenna: I want to join in on sharing tracks that capture those feelings of being misunderstood, dealing with adulthood, anxiety, and etc! I have a lot of songs like that too.
Following Andrew and Lena’s lead, here is Humaning is Hard Part 3.
Humaning Is Hard – Part 1
Humaning is Hard – Part 2
I Was Alive – Beartooth
Lena Writes:
This song has been on repeat for me since the album came out! I think it’s a great start because it really sums up the stage between living and dying and kinda deals with what being human is all about
GROWING UP IS___ – Ruel
Jenna Writes:
Love it! It reminded me of this song I used to listen to about living in your 20s and reflecting on your life. This has a similar kinda vibe and growing up IS weird.
Loser Kid 2.0 – Simple Plan
Oh yes Growing up IS weird, so I went ahead and chose a song about well the not so great experiences from high school, childhood and reflecting on it- like hey, now I made it! Even if you’re not a rockstar or something, the song gives me a lot of comfort
Shadow of Mine – Alec Benjamin
Yeah I feel like these types of songs hit harder in your early 20s!!! I could totally feel the message in that last one, it really does make you feel better after listening. A lot of Alec’s music is about mental health episodes and it’s just crazy good and real!
Over It – Arrows in Action
I love the song, Let Me Down Slowly from him!! But also the song you added! It’s so real and relatable. Staying with the early twenty something angst I went with this song from Arrows in Action, listened to it so much this year! Totally get the feeling when everyone else seems so have figured it out and you’re just here kinda struggling through and wanting things to finally change.
Sad Forever- Lauv
Wow! yeah I totally get that. That chorus is catchy too. I liked the energy even with the tone of the lyrics. It connected me to Lauv, there were so many good song choices but this one just felt right.. I haven’t heard this one in a while but it’s definitely one of my favorites from him
U turn me on (but you give me depression) – LØLØ
That‘s a great Lauv song! Again – I totally relate to it. The instrumental seems so light compared to the lyrics, it represents the feeling I get from this song perfectly. To switch it up a bit and to get away from the adolescent-angst I went with a LØLØ song about a toxic love story, I think the title explains everything haha!
What Doesn’t Kill You Makes You Paranoid – The Beaches
Love it. I know exactly what you mean! The vocals and the message itself reminded me of the beaches, specifically this one’s always stuck in my head. When I saw them live they mentioned this song was about social anxiety and it just fits great here.
My apartment – James Droll
Omg that is an amazing song! I love the message and the way she’s performing it. I totally feel the lyrics since dealing with social anxiety is part of my daily life. My next song continues the theme of mental health issues, and a situation a lot of people can relate to I think, when you just can’t bring up the energy to keep your living space clean because your mind itself is being much worse.
Cold – Austin Blue
That song hit hard! I really really like his sound and I’m going to check out more by him now. It took me forever but it reminded me of a couple songs but this one just connected with the meaning more and the lyrics here. It’s just so honest and real and I love this open dialogue here.
Wish I Could Cry – Citizen Soldier
Love the song you added so much. I love how it builds up towards the end and its lyrics are just so relatable. My next song fits so well after your song, it has a similar buildup and the emotions of the lyrics in combination with the voice performance – it just feels like you could let go of all your emotions.
CHRONICALLY CAUTIOUS – Braden Bales
I really felt the emotions in that one. Just so raw and real! I quite enjoyed that. It’s been stuck in my head now and the more I listen, the more I was reminded of this song I heard on TikTok earlier this year. It just feels relatable and kinda on theme with being young and overthinking everything.
I’m Fine (No Really) – DURRY
I enjoyed the song you added! Tiktok is such a great platform for finding new artists and I always feel like they deal with the most raw and honest topics. My next song picks up a bit of energy again, yet the lyrics are a pretty honest monologue from a struggling person trying to fit in in “normal” daily life.
Painkillers – Rainbow Kitten Surprise
It’s again another one of those just open and raw lyrics about life and overcoming hardship. Just listen to these lyrics.
Lost Mary – Delta Papa
The calmness from your last song just really made me sit back and just listen to the lyrics – man they hit hard.
Speaking of hitting hard, I feel this song is about what basically every 20-something is feeling at the moment – at least for me there are a lot of relatable lines in it.
No Complaints – Noah Kahan
I was actually surprised to see I didn’t add anything by Noah Kahan earlier as most of his music is really relatable and open about struggles of mental health and that’s as human as it gets.
Last Resort – Reimaged – Falling in Reverse
The calmness and the lyrics hit really hard in your last song. Went with something similar. Since I hear the original at every party I feel like people forget what the lyrics are actually about, that’s why I love this reimagined version a lot. It’s a bit dark and sad but I guess that’s also part of being human?
My House is Not a Home – d4vd
I haven’t heard the slower acoustic version of the song you added. It totally changes the vibe and I really appreciated the lyrics here! I felt the emotions coming through here. The slow acoustics led me to d4vd. This time we’re exploring lyrics that talk about family and feeling lonely, you know we’re still covering all the difficult parts of being a human.
ALTERNATIVE – RORY
I wanted to follow Jenna and talk about (difficult) family situations, which RORY does quite good in this song I think. I’d love to let this song speak for itself.
Sara – We Three
This is probably one of the most emotional and realistic songs I’ve come across and I thought it was important to include. As Lena mentioned, It’s a bit dark and sad but I guess that’s also part of being human? We Three tell incredible stories through their music, each one is an emotional journey if you’re up for it – check them out.
Baby Don’t Cut – Bmike
Trigger Warning: Self-harm.
I love love love the song you added last! A few years ago I listened to a lot of songs that sound like this one, the stories and feelings they convey are just so brutal and honest… but in the end it reminded me of the one I added next, they have a very similar feeling to them and the story that is told is just heartbreaking. If you’re struggling with self-harm or suicidal thoughts feel free to reach out to the listed international suicide-prevention lines we listed at the end. You are not alone.
Sun Keeps on Shining – almost monday
After adding Sara, I can see why you went with your next choice. Here’s the part in the playlist when I picked up the tempo and went in a different direction. Bmike song exposed the message of feeling hopeful and getting through something hard so here’s another song about never giving up! Even when you’ve had a shitty day to look at the bright side because the sun keeps on shining.
22 and Confused – Johnny 2 Phones
Sun Keeps on Shining was in my summer soundtrack two years ago. I think at this point we really needed that energy boost and positive outlook in this playlist. So ending this write-up with a song that sums up a lot of thoughts in a simple sentence: I’m 22 and confused.
Being a human is hard, but you’re not alone.
Humaning Is Hard – Part 1
Humaning is Hard – Part 2
National Suicide Prevention Lifeline:
1-800 273 8255
https://suicidepreventionlifeline.org/
https://blog.opencounseling.com/suicide-hotlines/
Photo by Anthony Intraversato on Unsplash
Track Listing
- I Was Alive – Beartooth
- GROWING UP IS _ – Ruel
- Loser Kid 2.0 – Busted
- Shadow Of Mine – Alec Benjamin
- Over It – Arrows in Action
- Sad Forever – Lauv
- u turn me on (but u give me depression) – LØLØ
- What Doesn’t Kill You Makes You Paranoid – The Beaches
- my apartment – James Droll
- Cold – Austin Blue
- Wish I Could Cry – Citizen Soldier
- CHRONICALLY CAUTIOUS – Braden Bales
- I’m Fine (No Really) – DURRY
- Painkillers – Rainbow Kitten Surprise
- Lost Mary – Delta Papa
- No Complaints – Noah Kahan
- Last Resort (Reimagined) – Falling In Reverse
- My House Is Not A Home – d4vd
- ALTERNATIVE – RØRY
- Sara – We Three
- Baby Don’t Cut (Acoustic) – Bmike
- sun keeps on shining – almost monday
- 22 and Confused – Johnny 2 Phones
- I’m Just a Buzzkill – Mickey Darling
- The Truth I’ll Never Tell – AS IT IS
- MORBID MIND – Jack Kays
- 5:00 AM – Fells
- Backslide – Twenty One Pilots
- n/A – Bring Me The Horizon
- Mr. Forgettable – David Kushner
- Long Night – With Confidence
- A Little Closer (From The “Dear Evan Hansen” Original Motion Picture Soundtrack) – Colton Ryan
- How Do You Feel? – The Maine
- Hard On Yourself – Charlie Puth
Playlist image von Anthony Intraversato auf Unsplash
About the Curators
Jenna Barton
My name is Jenna Barton. I currently live in a small town in Illinois. Although I live in small town I have always been a big city girl at heart. I live near the great city of Chicago, where I try to visit as often as I can. I enjoy seeing new places and being around people. I'm not sure what my future holds, but I do know that music will be apart of it.
Music has always been a part of my life for as long as I can remember. You can find me listening to music in between classes and during nature walks. Ive had a passion for music at a young age when I started my own musical discovery. My journey into music led me into the boyband area for a while, but now its very diverse and I am always looking for something new to listen to.
I wouldn't be able to pick a favourite artist or song right now because its constantly changing. Music has changed my life for the better and I want nothing more than to share that with you.
Lena Goos
Music has been there for me my entire life and I absolutely love sharing new music I find by deep diving spotify multiple hours a day. Since all of my friends kinda do the same my music taste grew into this huge mix of all kinds of genres, bands and artists. I think music is the greatest tool to express your feelings to the world and creating playlists to give your daily life some kind of a soundtrack helps to deal or highlight with whatever is going on.
On my Instagram https://www.instagram.com/musikstreber/ I share basically everything music related in my life, like concert-posts or new songs I found shared in my story!