These 10 back-to-school songs deserve to be on your playlist

Something almost all students have in common is that they’ll need a new playlist to hype themselves up for the year: Gen Zers in the U.S. average 3 hours and 43 minutes a day listening to music, and about 60% of students listen to music while they study.

If you’re still searching for songs to put on repeat as you manifest hallway crushes, cram for science tests or wait in egregiously long lunch lines, here are 10 to consider.

1. 'DARE' — Gorillaz

We’re starting strong with a childhood throwback: There’s a reason that “DARE,” the 12th track from the 2005 Gorillaz album “Demon Days,” remains one of the group’s most popular, with nearly 800 million streams on Spotify.

The song’s upbeat and intensely catchy melody makes it delightfully replayable. And its opening lyrics, “It’s coming up, it’s coming up,” feel like a countdown to the school year ahead. School may be coming up, but anyone with “DARE” on their playlist is ready to handle whatever’s in store.

2. 'MORNING DEW (DONK)' — Beyoncé

On the morning of July 4 this year, Beyoncé surprised fans by dropping this track as part of a two-month countdown to her 45th birthday and the 20th-anniversary reissue of her album “B’Day.”

In the song, she explicitly references school, singing “I think I want to go back to school / And have my locker full of pictures of you.”

This wistful outlook reframes what for some students may be a less-than-exciting shift to their routines: While it’s true that the back-to-school season can bring sleep deprivation and increased anxiety, attending school also is an important opportunity for socialization. Those moments at the locker add up.

3. 'Midnight Sun' — Zara Larsson

When Zara Larsson, a Swedish singer-songwriter famous for her feature on the 2017 hit “Symphony,” released “Midnight Sun” last year, it promptly exploded on TikTok. Its intensely happy, energetic pop sound spawned dances and memes, including some Twilight-themed ones.

The song’s endlessly positive lyrics and imagery are perfect to hype students up for those early mornings and let them hold on to the cheerful summer vibes a little longer. In the song’s chorus, Larsson sings that “Summer isn’t over yet.” Even after bus rides and backpacks are back, students can carry a summer-inspired mindset into the school year by choosing happiness and living in the moment.

4. 'Big Time Sensuality' — Björk

This house-influenced 1993 hit gets at many of the feelings that may come up for students returning to school. According to Björk, the song is about “deep, full-on love relationships with friends” and the rare experience of meeting “someone who’s your other part.”

The lyrics also include feelings of anticipation — “I can sense it / Something important / Is about to happen” — and choosing joy in the face of hardships: “It takes courage to enjoy it.”

5. 'Ditto' — NewJeans

This 2022 release by NewJeans, a K-Pop girl group that made its long-anticipated return this July, remains one of its most popular, with more than 945 million streams on Spotify.

The song is sweet and hopeful with a cheerful pop sound, describing the universal feeling of liking someone, but being unsure whether they like you back. Back to school can be a time for exploring new crushes or even just new friendships — regardless of the situation, “Ditto” can help turn the anxiety of uncertainty into an exciting opportunity complete with a poppy beat.

6. 'Amoeba' — Clairo

“Amoeba” was a standout track on Clairo’s 2021 album “Sling.”

Its soft vibes make it the perfect soundtrack for drafting essays or practicing math problems, and its thematic messaging about “prioritizing the wrong things” is well-timed, too: Now is the time for students to assess their goals, habits and self-care methods for the school year, and to prioritize what’s most important to them.

7. 'the feeling' — Steve Lacy

This song, fresh off the newly released album “Oh Yeah?,” is layered with emotional vocals, a funky backing track and skillful guitar — all hallmarks of Lacy’s rhythmic pop sound.

In his visceral lyrics, Lacy describes the feeling of desperately wanting closure, validation or clarity from someone, but being unable to read them. This is an all-too-common experience at school, in both romantic and platonic relationships. While the song doesn’t offer explicit advice, sometimes the best way to deal with tough emotional situations is simply to feel one's way through them: Research suggests that listening to music can help with mood regulation.

8. 'Picture Window' — Japanese Breakfast

“Picture Window,” a track from Japanese Breakfast’s 2025 album “For Melancholy Brunettes (& sad women),” speaks to the relentless passage of time and to every student’s late-summer fear that they haven’t taken full advantage of their precious break.

More than naming the fear, however, the song validates it: “But all of my ghosts are real / All of my ghosts are real.” Acknowledging the fear rather than criticizing it can encourage students to reflect on their summer break with kindness.

9. 'Where This Flower Blooms' — Tyler, The Creator (feat. Frank Ocean)

This song comes from the 2017 album “Flower Boy” by Tyler, The Creator, who has blossomed from an underground teenage rapper into one of Gen Z’s most influential creatives.

You can hear elements of his distinct sound in the layered synth, sound effects and unique flow present in his verses. Plus, “Where This Flower Blooms” brings a positive outlook to the back-to-school season, discussing growth, change and confidence: In the chorus, Tyler sings the mantra “I rock, I roll, I bloom, I grow (I glow).”

10. 'Patience' — Tame Impala

This 2019 single by Tame Impala talks about finding yourself while moving through the transitional period of adolescence. Lyrics like “Just growing up in stages” and “Livin’ life in phases / Another season changes” create a deeply nostalgic mood — recognizing the anxiety young people may feel around finding their path in life, but encouraging them to take things one step at a time.