We’ve been in quarantine in the US for more than a month now (officially). Getting used to the new normal has been hard for everyone to varying degrees. From missing close friends and our normal lives to losing loved ones to the virus, we’re all feeling a sense of loss.

My heart goes out to those that have felt loss from the virus. My sister’s best friend recently lost her newlywed husband and now her mom and grandmother are ill. Members of my church community have either lost some of their family or had family that were sick. My heart is heavy to hear this all but there’s power in grieving together.

I made this playlist from the depths of my heart through the lens of my music knowledge. I hope you can use it to get in your feels or (attempt to) sing along with your loved ones via Zoom.

Highlights:

Hold On Girl – The Monkees
The Monkees are COMPLETELY underrated. I’ll go into that in a blog post later but this is a pure song of comfort. I’ve used this song to help me get over any huge trouble and lemme tell ya, it works. Hold on girl, help is on its way.

Alone Together – Fall Out Boy
I recommend this one for those of you that are doing car dates where you meet up in some parking lot and eat together but in your separate cars. Because you really are alone together!

Wish You Were Here – Fleetwood Mac
Pulling out this Fleetwood Mac deep cut. I mean that literally and figuratively. Christine McVie’s piano-driven solo is full of the heart-wrenching sadness of missing someone that can protect you. It’s really good for crying to and turning off all the lights in a room of your choice.

Handyman – AWOLNATION
Wait, AWOLNATION has more songs other than “Sail”?? YES AND YOU’VE BEEN SLEEPING ON IT. This song feels timely in so many ways. I saw this song live back when LA was mourning the Thousand Oaks Borderline shooting and was on fire at the same time. Its comforting words of love united the crowd at The Forum. Even though you can’t “go outside” as the song says, its sweet words communicate how things will get better.

Eat At Home – Paul McCartney
I’ll go into why I think RAM is one of my favorite albums some other time. But let’s face it folks, we’re all eating at home these days. I recommend this to be the soundtrack to your cooking escapades with roommates, family, or significant others. May your homemade breads be edible.

The World and I – Bad Suns
Would this be a playlist by Kelly Rodriguez if it didn’t have a Bad Suns song or two? Nope, it wouldn’t. This song is for those inevitable important conversations via Zoom, so you can sing “I can’t hear you!” “Well you need to!”

Us – James Bay
This song acknowledges the hurt we’re all feeling but it goes on to say that there is hope in the love that exists between us. I remember going through an existentialist moment to this song the summer I graduated from college. I remember crying about not knowing what my future would be and feeling hopeless that things weren’t the way I imagined. It’s a universal feeling of loss and uncertainty that we’ve become familiar with today. I want everyone to listen to this song and just know that somehow, someway, we’ll get through this together.