I run this blog post every year about now – the peak of festival season here – because I’m experiencing so much great music and really feeling its power.
We live in a world of constant and rapid change, so chances are good that you are / have been recently / or soon will be re-inventing.
You can harness the inspirational power of music to support and fuel transition. How? First, stop listening to anything that reminds you of the situation you are leaving – whatever you’re done with. Next, listen to something different. Does not have to be new music, just new to you. It is amazing how powerfully certain songs bring up memories and the associated feelings. Not listening to those particular triggers frees you up to think about your future. Create a vision for your new life and link it to some different tunes.
Below is my always growing list of songs about change. Make yourself a change playlist and then listen to it a lot.
And, don’t stop thinking about tomorrow…
- A Change Would Do You Good – Sheryl Crow
- Roll the Bones – RUSH
- Don’t Stop – Fleetwood Mac (especially the version on The Dance featuring the USC marching band)
- I Won’t Back Down – Tom Petty
- The Power of Goodbye – Madonna
- Owner of a Lonely Heart – Yes
- Uprising – Muse
- Sing the Changes – The Fireman
- Roll with the Changes – REO Speedwagon
- I Will Not Be Broken – Bonnie Raitt
- Fly One Time – Ben Harper and Relentless7
- Above the Bones – Mishka
- Changed – Rascal Flatts
- Brand New Day – Sting
- Cool Change – Little River Band
- Give Me Love (Give Me Peace on Earth) – George Harrison
- Dog Days are Over – Florence + Machine
- Changes – David Bowie
- Hold On – Wilson Phillips
- Big Girls Don’t Cry – Fergie
- Burning Down the House – Talking Heads
- Feeling Good – Nina Simone
- Already Gone – Sugarland
- You Get Knocked Down – Chumbawumba
- Should I Stay or Should I Go? – The Clash
- You Ain’t Seen Nothing Yet – Lisa Marie Presley
- Changes IV – Cat Stevens
- Everybody’s Changing – Keane
- Ramble On – Led Zeppelin
- Girl on Fire – Alicia Keys
- Turn! Turn! Turn! – The Byrds
- Head Full of Doubt, Road Full of Promise – Avett Brothers
- A Change is Gonna Come – Sam Cooke
- What Doesn’t Kill You – Kelly Clarkson
- Not Ready to Make Nice – Dixie Chicks
- Move From the Hood – Luther Allison
- The Climb – Miley Cyrus
- Fly Away – Lenny Kravitz
- Tomorrow – from the musical “Annie”
- We Gotta Get Out of This Place – The Animals
- How Do You Like Me Now? – Toby Keith
- Dream On – Trombone Shorty
- Let It Go – Idina Menzel
- Pink Floyd – Learning To Fly
- Shake it Off – Taylor Swift
- So Long – Fats Domino
Check out Pandora or Spotify as low cost, no cost sources for new and different music.
For a wonderful, thought-provoking music-reinvention analogy, check out Christopher Bowe’s blog post for HBR.
Would love to know your favorite songs of change. Please share in the comments.
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