Some of us love to look at life more deeply than the average person does. Others say we read into things too much; we say that they don’t read into things enough! For those of you deep thinkers, it’s likely that you adore listening to thought provoking music. If that’s you, these 20 songs will make you really think about life and what it all means.
1. Invisible by Hunter Hayes
First on the list is ‘Invisible’ by ‘Hunter Hayes’ that contains some powerful lyrics for anyone who feels different and does not want to follow the herd. This is for the conscious thinkers of the world who dare to think different and pave their own path to life.
Snippet of the lyrics:
Crowded hallways are the loneliest places For outcasts and rebels Or anyone who just dares to be different And you've been trying for so long To find out where your place is But in their narrow minds There's no room for anyone who dares to do something different Oh, but listen for a minute Trust the one Who's been where you are wishing all it was Was sticks and stones Those words cut deep but they don't mean you're all alone And you're not invisible Hear me out There's so much more to life than what you're feeling now Someday you'll look back on all these days And all this pain is gonna be invisible Oh invisible So your confidence is quiet To them quiet looks like weakness But you don't have to fight it 'Cause you're strong enough to win without a war, yeah Every heart has a rhythm Let yours beat out so loudly That everyone can hear it Yeah promise you don't need to hide it anymore Oh and never be afraid of doing something different Dare to be something more
2. Don’t Let It Get You Down by JOHNNYSWIM
So often, doubters and naysayers get inside our heads when we’re trying to dream big; if you’ve ever had an “unrealistic” dream, and you’ve heard your friends or family telling you that you need to “get off your high horse”, etc., this song’s for you– remember not to let it get you down!
Snippet of the lyrics:
The storm it came from cross the seven seas. Hold your course, here comes the cavalry. Don't let it get you, don't let it get you down.
3. Anklebiters by Paramore
Why do we let others’ opinions dictate how we feel about ourselves, anyway? Anklebiters by Paramore reminds us that sometimes, our own love is the only love we need, especially when it seems like everybody else is against us.
Snippet of the lyrics:
Why do you care what people think? Are you hooked up to their leash? You know anklebiters Ate up your personality Try to remember how it felt To just make up your own steps And let anklebiters Chew up, spit out someone else And fall in love with yourself Because someday you're gonna be The only one you've got
4. Surprise Yourself by Jack Garratt
How can you know that you won’t succeed at something, if you’ve never tried? So many of us dream of writing a book, playing an instrument, applying for a job, starting a business, taking a trip, or otherwise putting ourselves out there in some way… But we may never do so, for fear of “failure” in some sense. Jack Garratt asks, what if you gave yourself the opportunity to surprise yourself?
Snippet of the lyrics:
Speak and open up your mind It's something you should do all the time Keep exploring, seek and find You know you might surprise yourself Talk without a taint or hold The doubts that should embrace your heart The calm and chaos of your soul You know you might surprise yourself
5. True Colors by Zedd & Kesha
In order to live an incredibly fulfilling life, we must be willing to be ourselves, to follow our own passions, and to love ourselves unconditionally. Zedd and Kesha remind us, in this beautiful song, to show off our magnificent true colors.
Snippet of the lyrics:
All my life, one page at a time I'll show you my, my true colors And no-n-no, I won't apologize for the fire in my eyes Let me show you my, my true colors, it ain't your rainbow
6. Glory by Bastille
When you think about it, the common philosophy of rushing through life, from school, to work, to retirement, is essentially just living as if we’re waiting to die. Glory by Bastille reminds us not to live our entire lives preparing for the next thing, but rather, to live in the present moment.
Snippet of the lyrics:
Not everything had gone to plan But we made the best of what we had, you know? Passing the drink from hand to hand We admit we really know nothing at all
7. Live In The Moment by Portugal. The Man
How many minutes out of your day do you spend thinking about what you have to do later, or something you did earlier? Moreover, how much time do you spend truly living in the moment, in your body and your five senses, experiencing what’s right in front of you? If you struggle with presence, this Portugal. The Man song will remind you to live in the moment!
Snippet of the lyrics:
When I was young Always go below the midnight sun Those days are done But I'm still glowing Ooh la la la la la Let's live in the moment Come back Sunday morning A lie, oh well When you're gone Goodbye, so long, farewell
8. No Plan by Hozier
This is a beautiful song by Hozier where he tries to convey the fact that life has no meaning as such except the meaning you give it. And the reason why you need to become more conscious of the simple joys of life.
Snippet of the lyrics:
There's no plan, there's no race to be run The harder the rain, honey, the sweeter the sun There's no plan, there's no kingdom to come I'll be your man if you got love to get done Sit in and watch the sunlight fade Honey, enjoy, it's gettin' late There's no plan, there's no hand on the rein
9. Flames by David Guetta & Sia
‘Flames’ contains some powerful lyrics that encourages you to get in touch with your inner strength and to keep persisting in life.
Snippet of the lyrics:
One foot in front of the other babe One breath leads to another yeah Just keep moving, oh Look within for the strength today Listen out for the voice to say Just keep moving, oh Go, go, go Figure it out, figure it out, but don't stop moving Go, go, go Figure it out, figure it out, you can do this So my love, keep on running You gotta get through today, yeah There my love, keep on running Gotta keep those tears at bay, oh Oh, my love, don't stop burning Gonna send them up in flames In flames Don't stop, tomorrow's another day Don't stop, tomorrow you'll feel no pain Just keep moving, oh Don't stop the past'll trip you up You know, right now's gotta be enough Just keep moving
10. Way Back When by Kodaline
This is a beautiful song by Kodaline about rest and relaxation. It helps you connect with your inner child so you can begin again to enjoy the simple joys of life.
Snippet of the lyrics:
We never had that much to do So we just lay around in someone’s house Someday I’ll have it all again Just like way back when Back then we’d sleep until the afternoon And we’d just get up and go outside Open a window, let the breeze blow in Forget everything Yea, those will be the days that I will be missing When I’m old and when I’m gray and when I stop working I hope that I can say When all my days are done We were just having fun
11. Nothing Else Matters by Metallica
This song by Metallica has powerful lyrics that encourage you to embrace your true authentic self and stop worrying about other people.
Snippet of the lyrics:
So close no matter how far Couldn't be much more from the heart Forever trusting who we are And nothing else matters Never opened myself this way Life is ours, we live it our way All these words I don't just say And nothing else matters Trust I seek and I find in you Every day for us something new Open mind for a different view And nothing else matters Never cared for what they do Never cared for what they know But I know So close no matter how far Couldn't be much more from the heart Forever trusting who we are And nothing else matters
12. It’s My Life by Bon Jovi
Lovely track by Bon Jovi that encourages you to live in the moment and to live your life to the fullest.
Snippet of the lyrics:
This ain't a song for the broken-hearted No silent prayer for the faith-departed I ain't gonna be just a face in the crowd You're gonna hear my voice When I shout it out loud It's my life It's now or never I ain't gonna live forever I just want to live while I'm alive (It's my life) My heart is like an open highway Like Frankie said I did it my way I just wanna live while I'm alive It's my life
13. Read All About It by Emeli Sande
If you are looking for some inspiration to put yourself out there in life, then this is the song for you.
Snippet of the lyrics:
You've got the words to change a nation But you're biting your tongue You've spent a life time stuck in silence Afraid you'll say something wrong If no one ever hears it how we gonna learn your song? So come on, come on Come on, come on You've got a heart as loud as lightning So why let your voice be tamed? Maybe we're a little different There's no need to be ashamed You've got the light to fight the shadows So stop hiding it away Come on, come on I wanna sing, I wanna shout I wanna scream 'til the words dry out So put it in all of the papers, I'm not afraid They can read all about it Read all about it, oh
14. Dust in the Wind by Kansas
‘Dust in the Wind’ is not the most uplifting song, but it has lyrics that will liberate you. The song helps you understand the eventual reality of life and the meaninglessness of it all, realizing which will help you let go and relax. It also brings you the realization that life may be meaningless but that only means that you have the freedom to give it any meaning you want.
Snippet of the lyrics:
I close my eyes Only for a moment, and the moment's gone All my dreams Pass before my eyes, a curiosity Dust in the wind All they are is dust in the wind Same old song Just a drop of water in an endless sea All we do Crumbles to the ground, though we refuse to see Dust in the wind All we are is dust in the wind Oh Now, don't hang on Nothin' lasts forever but the earth and sky It slips away And all your money won't another minute buy Dust in the wind All we are is dust in the wind
15. Foreverglow by Lindsey Stirling
“Your shine won’t last forever, but you’ll forever glow,” sings Lindsey Stirling in this gorgeous piece. This song reminds us that even when we’re gone, we’re sure to leave something beautiful behind.
Snippet of the lyrics:
Starry night Speck of white Would you know you're made of light If you were born into the dark? Did you know? Down below World beyond would see you glow Long, long after you're gone Your shine won't last forever But you'll forever glow
16. Funny The Way It Is by Dave Matthews Band
Do you ever think about the fact that somebody, somewhere in the world, died at the exact moment that you were being born? Dave Matthews explores mind-bending facts of life such as this one in ‘Funny The Way It Is’, which emits a sense of both heart-opening and heartbreaking love for humanity as a whole.
Snippet of the lyrics:
Funny the way it is, if you think about it Somebody's going hungry and someone else is eating out Funny the way it is, not right or wrong Somebody's heart is broken and it becomes your favorite song
17. One More Light by Linkin Park
Your life is not insignificant, Linkin Park tells us in this tear-jerking song. Even though you are only one person among billions, your light is meaningful, and people care about you. You are important and you belong here.
If they say Who cares if one more light goes out? In a sky of a million stars It flickers, flickers Who cares when someone's time runs out? If a moment is all we are We're quicker, quicker Who cares if one more light goes out? Well I do
Snippet of the lyrics:
18. Don’t Panic by Coldplay
If the Earth was destroyed tomorrow, we’d learn that we should’ve appreciated all of her beauty today. Don’t Panic by Coldplay, a reference to the movie Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy (in which our planet is destroyed), reminds us that our Earth is magnificent, and that we should love her with every chance we get.
Snippet of the lyrics:
Bones sinkin' like stones All that we've fought for All these places we've grown All of us are done for And we live in a beautiful world Yeah we do, yeah we do We live in a beautiful world
19. Hallelujah by Leonard Cohen
“Love is not a victory march / It’s a cold and it’s a broken hallelujah”. This song has over two hundred covers, and has resonated with millions of hearts, likely because it so precisely encapsulates the human experience: life is messy, life is painful, and life is beautiful, even within all of the mess.
20. Dare You to Move by Switchfoot
It’s entirely human to live our lives in fear of what could happen, or in regret of what we think we did wrong. This song by Switchfoot dares us to live life on the edge anyway. What could happen if we were to truly go for our greatest dreams? And if we don’t, how will we ever know who we could become?
Whether you hope to shift to a more inspired mindset, or gain some perspective on your life, any of these songs can help you to see a bird’s eye view of things. Make a playlist to listen to while creating or walking in nature, or simply meditate on the meaning of any of these songs to see where your consciousness takes you!
