Songs to Stream on the Solstice
The sun has already gone down by the time you leave work, it feels like the middle of the night when you wake up in the morning, and your disposition is cloudy rather than sunny. The extended darkness can only mean one thing: the winter solstice, or shortest day of the year, has arrived in the Northern Hemisphere.
On the other hand, if things are starting to heat up, you’re busy planning outdoor adventures, and you’ve bought a new pair of sunglasses, then you’re likely in the Southern Hemisphere—and for you, the December 21 solstice means basking in a day of extended sunshine.
To mark the occasion of the shortest and longest days of the year, we’ve rounded up the most popular shortest and longest songs on Spotify so everyone can celebrate — no matter how much (or how little) daylight you see on the solstice.
The Most Streamed Short Songs (<60 seconds)
1. “raindrops (an angel cried)” – Ariana Grande: 37 seconds
Ariana Grande’s newest album, Sweetener, opens with “raindrops.” It’s sad and sweet—and hits you right where it hurts.
2. “Em Calls Paul – Skit” – Eminem: 49 seconds
Eminem’s 49-second ultimate diss track was aimed at none other than his manager, Paul Rosenberg.
3. “Ay-Oh Live Aid” – Queen: 41 seconds
Queen performed their Live Aid set back in July 1985, but the quick and fun recording of “Ay-Oh” at Live Aid lives on thanks to the recent Bohemian Rhapsody movie.
4. “love yourself (interlude)” – XXXTENTACION: 48 seconds
Late rapper XXXTENTACION’s single “SAD!” became his highest-charting song in the U.S. While “love yourself (interlude)” is not as well known, it is much shorter.
5. “9.13” – Khalid: 55 seconds
The Mayor of El Paso once declared September 13 “Khalid Day” (aka, 9/13). Today might not be Khalid Day, but you can still use this tiny track to celebrate Solstice Day instead.
The Most Streamed Long Songs (>10 minutes)
1. “Skyrim Atmospheres” – Jeremy Soule: 42 minutes
The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim Original Game Soundtrack required a thirty-person choir and the creation of a fictional dragon language to produce—which you can spend your longest day trying to decipher.
2. “Beyond The Sea” – Robbie Williams: 28 minutes
You might be familiar with Robbie Williams’s version of “Beyond The Sea” from the ending credits of Finding Nemo, but did you know that his take on the classic love song is 28 minutes? Dive in.
3. “Symphony No. 9 in D Major: IV. Adagio” – Royal Stockholm Philharmonic Orchestra: 27 minutes
The Royal Stockholm Philharmonic Orchestra puts on more than one hundred concerts a year, but this 27-minute movement is currently their most streamed piece.
4. “Impossible Soul” – Sufjan Stevens: 25 minutes
American singer-songwriter Sufjan Stevens once asked, “Can’t an album be eternity, or can’t it be five minutes?” Here, he leans closer to eternity.
https://open.spotify.com/track/5CLs0uFRmU0U9VcnsI6jwv
5. “Hasta Que Te Conocí (Popurrí) [En Vivo]” – Juan Gabriel: 26 minutes
“Hasta Que Te Conocí” has been recorded many times over the years by several artists, but Gabriel’s live version is by far the longest—a perfect match for the extra sunshine.
Whether the sun is out for twenty hours or two, there’s no reason not to fill your day up with music. Have a nice day no matter where you are with our Have a Nice Day! playlist.
