Fall songs

What are the best fall songs?

The best fall songs for a crisp, clear day include Harvest Moon by Neil Young, Autumn Leaves by Nat King Cole and Maggie May by Rod Stewart, which opens in late September. Most of these are acoustic and unhurried, made for a walk with cold hands.

1. 01Autumn LeavesNat King Cole · 1955The fall standard. Short, velvet and a little melancholy.
2. 02Wake Me Up When September EndsGreen Day · 2004A slow ballad about loss, tied to the end of summer.
3. 03Maggie MayRod Stewart · 1971It opens in late September and has the year’s best mandolin.
4. 04Northern SkyNick Drake · 1971Hushed, warm acoustic music for a cold morning.
5. 05Pink MoonNick Drake · 1972Two minutes of guitar and piano, quiet as frost.
6. 06HeartbeatsJosé González · 2003A quiet acoustic cover of a song by The Knife.
7. 07BlackbirdThe Beatles · 1968Just Paul and a guitar. Clean and calm.
8. 08Flightless Bird, American MouthIron & Wine · 2007Soft, slow and a little sad, like late October.
9. 09Harvest MoonNeil Young · 1992The fall dancing song. Brushed drums and a full moon.
10. 10Stick SeasonNoah Kahan · 2022Named after the bare-branch stretch between fall and winter in New England.
11. 11All Too WellTaylor Swift · 2012A breakup in autumn colours, scarf included.

What are cozy fall songs?

Cozy fall songs include cardigan by Taylor Swift, Sweater Weather by The Neighbourhood and Moondance by Van Morrison, songs that sound like a blanket and a warm drink. September by Earth, Wind & Fire is here for the kitchen dancing.

12. 12cardiganTaylor Swift · 2020Soft piano and memory, the sound of a sweater pulled tight.
13. 13Sweater WeatherThe Neighbourhood · 2012The title says it. Moody and warm.
14. 14MoondanceVan Morrison · 1970Jazzy and romantic, set on a fall night with the leaves coming down.
15. 15Autumn in New YorkBillie Holiday · 1952A jazz standard about the city in its best season.
16. 16Coffeebeabadoobee · 2017Tiny, soft and sleepy, for a slow morning.
17. 17MushaboomFeist · 2004Daydreaming about a little house in the country.
18. 18The Way I AmIngrid Michaelson · 2006Short, sweet and as cosy as a blanket.
19. 19Autumn SweaterYo La Tengo · 1997A slow, hazy indie song with a perfect title.
20. 20SeptemberEarth, Wind & Fire · 1978The 21st night of September. Instantly happy.
21. 21Fire and RainJames Taylor · 1970A gentle, reflective song for a grey afternoon.

What are good songs for a fall drive?

Good songs for a fall drive include New Slang by The Shins, Stubborn Love by The Lumineers and Rocky Mountain High by John Denver, folk-leaning songs that build as the miles go. For a longer trip, our road trip songs are arranged as a five-disc drive.

22. 22New SlangThe Shins · 2001A soft acoustic song for a two-lane road and a thermos.
23. 23Mountain SoundOf Monsters and Men · 2012Stomping folk with mountains in the title.
24. 24Stubborn LoveThe Lumineers · 2012A string-and-stomp song that builds as the miles go.
25. 25The CaveMumford & Sons · 2009Banjo and a huge chorus. Windows down, heater on.
26. 26Never Going Back AgainFleetwood Mac · 1977Fingerpicked and quick, like trees flicking past.
27. 27Old ManNeil Young · 1972Ranch life and getting older. Banjo and steel guitar.
28. 28Tangled Up in BlueBob Dylan · 1975A long story song for a long drive.
29. 29RippleGrateful Dead · 1970Gentle and wise. Good for golden light.
30. 30Peaceful Easy FeelingEagles · 1972Laid-back and easy, for a slow back road.
31. 31Rocky Mountain HighJohn Denver · 1972Mountains, autumn colour and wide-open skies.

What are fun Halloween songs?

Fun Halloween songs include Thriller by Michael Jackson, Monster Mash by Bobby “Boris” Pickett and Ghostbusters by Ray Parker Jr., spooky in name and party-friendly in practice. They’re light enough for a kids’ party or a pumpkin-carving night.

32. 32ThrillerMichael Jackson · 1982The Halloween party staple, Vincent Price laugh and all.
33. 33Monster MashBobby "Boris" Pickett · 1962A novelty graveyard dance. Good for the kids’ end of the party.
34. 34GhostbustersRay Parker Jr. · 1984Who you gonna call. Everyone knows the answer.
35. 35Somebody's Watching MeRockwell · 1984Paranoid 80s synth-pop with Michael Jackson on the chorus.
36. 36Witchy WomanEagles · 1972Slinky and a little spooky.
37. 37I Put a Spell on YouScreamin' Jay Hawkins · 1956Theatrical and wild, the original spooky soul.
38. 38Bad Moon RisingCreedence Clearwater Revival · 1969Cheerful music, ominous words. Under three minutes.
39. 39SuperstitionStevie Wonder · 1972Funky and spooky-adjacent, with a clavinet you can’t sit still to.
40. 40SpookyClassics IV · 1968Smooth late-60s pop with a perfect title for October.
41. 41Werewolves of LondonWarren Zevon · 1978A piano romp with howling backing vocals.

What are good Thanksgiving songs?

Good Thanksgiving songs include Thank You by Dido, Be Thankful for What You Got by William DeVaughn and Grandma’s Feather Bed by John Denver, songs about gratitude and family visits. Alice’s Restaurant Massacree by Arlo Guthrie is a Thanksgiving radio tradition, but at about 18 minutes it would take a quarter of a CD by itself.

42. 42Thank YouDido · 1998A gentle thank-you for someone who makes a bad day better.
43. 43Thank UAlanis Morissette · 1998A list of things to be grateful for, some of them surprising.
44. 44Thank You (Falettinme Be Mice Elf Agin)Sly & The Family Stone · 1969Funky gratitude with one of the great bass lines.
45. 45Be Thankful for What You GotWilliam DeVaughn · 1974Smooth 70s soul about being content with what you have.
46. 46Count Your Blessings (Instead of Sheep)Bing Crosby · 1954From White Christmas. Gentle advice for a sleepless night.
47. 47Grandma's Feather BedJohn Denver · 1974A rollicking family visit to grandma’s. Pure Thanksgiving.
48. 48The Thanksgiving SongAdam Sandler · 1993Silly and short. Good for the kids’ table.
49. 49Ooh La LaFaces · 1973Wishing you knew then what you know now. Warm and wistful.
50. 50Alice's Restaurant MassacreeArlo Guthrie · 1967The 18-minute Thanksgiving story song. Too long for a CD mix, a tradition on the radio.

An 80-minute fall mix

Here’s how we’d sequence 20 songs from this list onto one CD: start bright with September, settle into the acoustic middle, take a short spooky detour, and finish slow and grateful. The lengths are the studio recordings’ running times, so you can check our math.

That’s 77:51 of music, or 78:29 with the usual 2-second gap between tracks: under 79 minutes, so it burns to one standard CD-R. It’s close to full, so if your copies of Maggie May or Harvest Moon are longer live or remastered versions, drop a song before you burn.

How do you make a fall mix CD?

To make a fall mix CD, pick 18 to 22 songs, check the total is under 80 minutes, and burn them as an audio CD from tracks you own so it plays in the car on a leaf-peeping drive. A few tips:

• Check the length. Our guide to how many songs fit on a CD explains the limit, and the playlist length calculator totals your list.
• Sequence it. Bright opener, a slow middle, a gentle close. Our guide to making a mixtape covers ordering and naming.
• Make a cover. A photo of leaves or a porch on the free CD case template.
• Use files you can burn. Spotify and Apple Music downloads are copy-protected; buy the tracks or use your own CDs.
• Clean or explicit: nearly everything here is clean. All Too Well is clean in its five-minute version, while the ten-minute version is explicit, so say which you want.

No burner? We’ll burn your fall playlist to a custom CD, with your own autumn photo as the cover.

Thinking ahead to December? A fall mix is a good warm-up for a Christmas mixtape gift; order early in December if you want it made for you.