Early Spring and Late Spring are two completely different seasons. Early Spring is the transition from cold weather to pollen, while Late Spring marks the exit of pollen and the end of the school year. While I don’t like Early Spring, Late Spring is easily one of my favorite seasons, as it’s so full of hope for Summer. I have a playlist that I listen to every year during Late Spring to prepare for Summer, and I want to share some of the songs from it that really stand out to me.
The first song that I have to bring up when discussing this timeframe is “Legendary” by The Summer Set. It’s a pop song about being past your peak but wanting to leave a legacy. There have been multiple times that I’ve played this song in front of other people, and they’ve enjoyed it so much that they’ve asked what it is. I think it really fits with the Late Spring vibe because it feels warm and hopeful without the sunny day sentiment that many purely Summer songs possess. It’s perfect for a sunset during final exams to bring an end to the school year.
“Be The Same” by Point North is another song that has similar characteristics. It’s more of a pop punk song with a similar idea lyrically in that it talks about wanting to change from the current situation, looking to the future with hope. I think this is really relevant to the Late Spring experience because Late Spring, to me, is all about looking to the Summer with hope while pushing through the end of the school year to either finish strong or improve from performance earlier in the semester. While neither song is directly about that, the sentiments are definitely applicable.
While this song is much more popular than the previous ones, I can’t ignore “Enchanted” by Taylor Swift. Maybe it’s because that song was on repeat during the Late Spring season of my junior year of high school, but I really can’t talk about Late Spring songs without bringing it up. It also has a very warm feeling, and the build throughout plays into the idea of Late Spring because the ending’s instrumental part fits well with Summer, while the more stripped-down beginning embodies the feeling of Spring. I also associate the lyrics about a sparkling night with prom and college formals, which are both central to Late Spring.
By contrast, “All My Life” by WILD fits well with the earlier portion of Late Spring. It’s still Late Spring because it fits so well with spending time outside, which normally doesn’t happen until after the pollen is gone, but it does have a lighter and slightly colder feeling than the other songs that I’ve mentioned so far. This song is more indie pop or folk, and it’s one of my absolute favorites. The lyrics aren’t really related to the idea of Spring or Summer at all, but they are uplifting and have repeatedly made me feel better when I’m stressed out. I think stress is another factor that plays into the idea of Late Spring, as I so closely associate the time with the end of the school year, when stress and pressure is high through exams and increased workload at the end of the semester. As I previously mentioned, this is a perfect song to listen to while spending time in nature or going on a road trip, which are activities that typically begin for the year during Late Spring. If I liked to hike or rock climb, this is a song that I would absolutely listen to while doing so.
Finally, I want to highlight “Back To You” by Selena Gomez to return to warm-sounding songs. This is another pop song that was very popular around 2018, and I think it similarly would be a great song to hike to. This song is a staple of Late Spring to me because it is great to listen to while spending time outside on a warm day but doesn’t quite have the optimistic, light feeling that I associate with Summer. Lyrically, this song doesn’t really fit with the rest, and I’ll admit that the lyrics aren’t at all related to why it’s included on this list. However, I think its sound just fits so well with the others and truly encapsulates the Late Spring atmosphere.
These are only some of the songs that I most closely associate with Late Spring. I return to them each year around the same time, and they truly have become staples of the time period for me. Late Spring is probably my second-favorite season (Early Spring is not), and it symbolizes excitement for the future while locking in to finish the present (exams, classes, projects, really anything) out strong. It is such a great season that I think is overlooked sometimes, so I hope to shed light on it a little more through these songs!
Hi! My name is Stephanie and I am a Marketing major and Music Industry Studies minor here at USC. I am currently in my third semester with WUSC and cohost The Tide on Tuesday nights!