BEANS AND BEATS

How to Find the Perfect Playlist for Your Coffee Break Vibe

When you need that pick-me-up, there are two sources you can reliably turn to: music and coffee. No matter if you’re a morning joe drinker or look forward to an afternoon fika (or both, we don’t judge), there’s nothing like having a warm mug in your hands and music in your ears. Fittingly, there are as many popular Spotify “coffee” playlists as there are drink options at your favorite coffee shop.

Spotify created a few of our own, including Wake Up and Smell the Coffee, Soul Coffee, and Arabic Coffee, but there are more than two million fan-made “coffee,” “latte,” “caffeine,” “espresso,” “café,” and “kaffe” playlists to choose from.

Looking for your perfect coffee soundtrack? We’re serving up a slimmed-down menu of beans and beats pairings, so you don’t have to scroll through all the options before your first cup. See which one fits your mood.

Pair with an americano: Your Favorite Coffeehouse

This first playlist includes the mellow, rainy-day classics you’d likely want to hear in any coffee shop—including songs from Joy Williams, Hozier, Lumineers, Passenger, and Julie Byrne, to name a few. Whether you like a light, medium, or dark roast, there’s a little bit of warm goodness for everyone here.

Pair with a latte: Country Coffeehouse

On the sweeter side, this playlist has the perfectly proportioned mix of folk and country staples, new and older. Add some flavor to your morning with Chris Stapleton, Miranda Lambert, Kacey Musgraves, or Iron & Wine, and maybe ask the barista for a guitar design in the foam on top.

Pair with an espresso: Coffee + Chill

Australians and New Zealanders make up the top listeners of this soft-yet-striking pick-me-up of a playlist. It has plenty of Aussie stars to go with the country’s robust coffee culture, including Cloves, Didirri, Jack the Fox, and Tash Sultana.

Pair with a café con leche: Café Con Leche

Sure, this one might be a little obvious, but why mess with a good thing? If you’ve never had the Spanish take on a latte (espresso, scalded milk, and maybe some sugar), this playlist filled with Spanish-language songs and streamed most often in Colombia, Bolivia, and Peru might do the trick. (But actually try a café con leche, too.)

Pair with a red eye: Coffee Club

This playlist is full of chill house music for when you need an extra kick, particularly at 2:00 p.m.—the time it’s played the most across all time zones. Like the repeated jolts from several espressos combined with coffee, these loud songs also rank the highest of these playlists on our danceability matrix.

Pair with a decaf: Coffee & Piano

Soft (the quietest of them all), subtle, no words needed: Our acoustic Coffee & Piano playlist is one to sink into your chair and relax with, and maybe even close your eyes. Take a sip and enjoy the music of composers from around the world. It’s the flavorful yet mellow way to end any day.

Pair with a cuppa: Morning Tea

… and if you’re not a coffee person, that’s ok too.