The start of the school year marks a great time for change and great tunes. Presenting: back to school blues.

1. “Last Laugh” – Badbadnotgood

Badbadnotgood is coming off a heater with its recent drop of the three-sided LP “Mid Spiral.” Every track would make my “best of the year” list, but “Last Laugh” is on my decade list, making it the perfect instrumental for your first steps back on campus.

2. “Sabotage” – Snow Strippers

Snow Strippers is one of my favorite duos making music right now. It’s exciting take on dance music is extremely unique. I couldn’t exclude “Sabotage” from this list, as the infectious beat fills my thoughts nearly every waking moment of the day.

3. “Like a Movie” – Duster

Duster’s sixth album is one of it’s best. The band’s resurgence in the early years of TikTok have brought popularity the group had never experienced before. On this new LP, Duster explores more sounds and lands on “Like a Movie.” To me, it’s the ultimate Duster track of the 21st century.

4. “Feminine Adornments” – julie

From it’s debut single “flutter,” I have been in love with julie. The young trio is my favorite band to come out of the 2020s, and it isn’t slowing down. Influences on the trio’s recent album remain similar: grunge, shoegaze and sonic youth. This new project is its most refined to date, and “Feminine Adornments” will be in all my playlists at least until winter term.

5. “1/500” – Spirit of the Beehive

SOTBH is another band I am hopelessly obsessed with. Its most recent album departs from its almost perfected style of rock and leans into a pop songwriting structure. While this is not my favorite SOTBH albums, tracks like “1/500” stand out as perhaps its magnum opus, and the soundscapes fit a stroll around Eugene well.

6. “Killing Time” – Magdalena Bay

“Killing Time” is a highlight off an album full of anyone else’s career highs. Magdalena Bay has really hit its stride with “Imaginal Disk,” but I keep coming back to this track in particular. It’s a warm welcome to a likely permanent staple in my rotation.

7. “Clean Heart” – Sade

Sade season is among us. It’s hard to choose a favorite Sade song when every one of the very few songs she has released is a masterpiece. But “Clean Heart” is right at the top of the list for me. Plus, it’s a little hard not to get pumped for the school year with that sick saxophone.

8. “Half the World Away” – Oasis

Welcome back Oasis, we missed you. Originally a B-side, this track became one of my favorite Oasis songs the first time I hit play. It also completely embodies a return to school for me, and might for you too.

Existing at the same time as so many fantastic bands is rewarding to those willing to put in the effort towards discovering them. What a time to be alive. Check out the full playlist here.