Introduction:
Things may be starting to normalize but the world had a pretty major meltdown in the switch between 2019 and 2020. Didn’t hit hard in the United States until around March. I started making playlists to capture certain book themes and events a while ago, so I figured I’d collect a few for the pandemic too.
You can find the whole playlist here.
Side note: It’s also labeled for Innova, which is a Christian dystopia short story. A lot of the songs have a good dystopia feel to them.
Wave One:
The world goes from plugging along like normal to full panic mode in a very short time.
Future Club by Alex Yarmak – Exciting and weird
Bad Guy by Simply Three – Fun and but kinda creepy and ominous
Light is Green by Kazuma Jinnouchi – This song has a very slow buildup but then ramps up pretty quickly as you reach the middle. It’s from the Halo series, so there’s a good sense of “gearing up for war” contained within the song.
Epic China (War Thunder Trailer) by Jamie Salisbury aka Jonas West – Beautiful and haunting.
Heart of Vengeance Gothic Storm, Christopher Haigh – Things start moving along right away. Kind of indicative of an epic struggle that began before and is continuing on.
Wave Two:
Best themes for the beginning of the lockdowns. I don’t think anybody ever truly loved the idea, but I think there was some unity and acceptance of the necessity early on.
A Matter of Time by Marcus Warner – This song has a very slow build. It sounds almost like a ticking clock mixed with a little orchestra music for about a minute. Quarantines continue around the country.
The New Earth by Audiomachine – Semi-slow build but light-hearted and engaging. Probably best fits the “let’s just work together and get through this” phase of this thing if there ever was one.
Be the Adam and Eve of This Stone World by Hiroaki Tsutsumi – Pretty, light, fun. Things might be difficult now, but there’s hope for better tomorrows.
When You Believe (with Maren Morris) by Pentatonix, Maren Morris – A great version of an awesome song. It’s the only one with lyrics on this list. That’s unusual for me. I don’t agree with every lyric, but it’s got a nice overall message. We don’t need to believe for miracles to happen, but believing is good for us. I recommend the youtube video over the spotify version because it’s great to see the faces behind the music.
Wave Three:
People don’t like being shut in. They start to go stir crazy. These are soothing and inspiring pieces of music.
Throw Off the Bowlines by James Paget – I’ve included this in other lists. It’s not my all-time favorite, but a steady, lovely theme.
Believe by Two Steps from Hell, Thomas Bergersen – Soft start but moves to inspirational. Aspects of this will be difficult for many people, but try not to forget the good things in the world.
Driven by Marika Takeuchi – Sounds like a better version of something that would be played while you wait for customer service. I like it. Waiting’s not easy, but it’s worth doing. Not sure what the composer meant by the title, but it sounds like the driven as in determination.
Tokyo Rain by Marcus Warner – Sometimes, you’ll find people 2-3 or more times on the same list. This second entry is very different than the first. This has become one of my favorites. The general beat is great for waiting, but it’s also moving and lovely. Feels like a good theme for wanting to break out of lockdowns and let lift blossom again.
Wave Four:
Why is this such a long road?
Miracles by Two Steps from Hell – Very slow build up but it holds promises of good things to come.
Concept 2 by 2Cellos – People can endure almost anything. Hang in there. This won’t last forever.
Remember by Simon Wester – Mourn the people, places, and things lost. The world collectively lost a sense of invincibility. Healing will take time. No matter how long it takes, healing will happen. This theme is soft and reflective.
Beyond the Horizon by Kari Sigurdsson (sorry, there should be accents in the name) – Back to epic. Loud, sort of a “hero prepares for the climatic last stand” song. Also fits a “hey, this fight may seem hopeless, but it’ll be worth it, promise.” The world will bounce back, hopefully for the better with lessons learned about compassion and kindness.
Octavia by Marcus Warner and Brione Jackson – End with beautiful.
Conclusion:
Hope you enjoyed the list. No matter where you are on the spectrum of this music “let’s do this” to “please, please let it be over soon” there’s something for you. Disease is a tough thing to fight because we don’t understand it, and that’s scary. Music can match almost any mood. If today’s good, enjoy the moment. If today is terrible, hang on to hope that tomorrow will be better. Hope itself is very therapeutic.
Other Playlists to Try:
See the Spirit Move
Musicscapes (all instrumental this is long)
Songs for 2020
Audiobook Promotions:
33 of my 34 audible titles are listed on Audiobooks Unleashed.
Whether you’re looking for mystery or suspense or fantasy, I’ve got a title for you. Never Again (mystery, suspense) and Reshner’s Royal Ranger (epic sci-fi) just made it there.
Note: Filter by US if you’re looking for those codes as many titles are out.
Ones I think may still have US codes: Reshner’s Royal Ranger, Never Again, Innova, The Golden City Captives, The Holy War, Reclaim the Darklands, Eagle Eyes, Treachery Makes it Tense, Ashlynn’s Dreams Shorts, The Dark Side of Science, Ashlynn’s Dreams, Nadia’s Tears, Malia’s Miracles, and Varick’s Quest
Devya’s Children Series Links:
Ashlynn’s Dreams Shorts – short stories featuring Jillian.
The Dark Side of Science – official prequel to Devya’s Children; Genetically altered kids fight for the right to live.
Ashlynn’s Dreams – Genetically altered Dream Shaper learns her gift.
Nadia’s Tears – Jillian tries to awaken her sister, Nadia, from a coma.
Malia’s Miracles – Jillian and her siblings try to save a friend’s mother.
Varick’s Quest – Jillian and Danielle get kidnapped. Nadia’s also in trouble.
