The Scout staff has created a list of its favorite songs to listen to as we welcome the month of February, along with explanations and descriptions.
Latif Love:
“living room flow” by Jhene Aiko
I am so glad Jhene added bonus songs to her already classic album Sailing Soul (s) that was initially released in 2011. I’ve been listening to this album on repeat for the last few weeks and could honestly close my eyes and pick a song as my favorite, but “Living Room Flow” stands out for its sensual beat and soothing lyrics. Jhene literally floats on the beat so much that you don’t realize she’s singing about having sex the whole time.
“FDO” By Pooh Shiesty
FDO dropped while we were on break from school, and I might have listened to it 100 times in the first week. Pooh Shiesty showed the world that trap music can still sell well commercially, easily charting in the top 20 on the Billboard Hot 100 and debuting at No. 1 on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs Chart. His placement wasn’t just hype; Shiesty completely walks the beat for five minutes without a hook. He spends the entire song reminding fans of what they missed over the past few years and delivers a classic first-day-out.
Scarlett Rose Binder:
“So Easy (To Fall in Love)” by Olivia Dean
Last month, I spent two weeks studying abroad in London, and every day, I would step off the tube to see Olivia Dean’s “The Art of Loving” album cover on the wall. The art of loving was such an appealing concept to me; I imagine the music to be soothing and serene. I was not disappointed when I gave in to temptation and pressed play on the album. Full of beautiful music, “So Easy (To Fall in Love)” is currently my favorite track, and it’s perfect for February.
“The Book of Love” by Peter Gabriel
Staying on theme as we enter the month of love, this song is one I could listen to again and again – and recently, I have. Each time, I have to fight back tears, not out of sadness, but simply because of the piece’s bittersweet beauty. Peter Gabriel’s music will always have a special place in my heart, and “The Book of Love” is completely heartwarming, telling the tale of everyday romance.
Celine Lamirand:
“Pretty Fly (For A White Guy)” by The Offspring
Instead of getting into the Valentine’s spirit and listening to love songs, I have been indulging in divorced dad rock, which may be quite the opposite of the holiday spirit. The Offspring is an obvious classic dad rock band. Of course, there are definitely other not-so-mainstream songs to choose from by The Offspring, but you can’t go wrong with their classics. There is something about the guitar mixed with the vocals that always keeps me coming back, not just to this song, but to their whole discography as well.
“Pass The Nirvana” by Pierce The Veil
Pierce The Veil serves a purpose similar to my divorced dad rock playlist. Something about their music takes me back to a time in my life when everything was so simple: just jamming in the car with my dad to any song with a sick guitar riff. It could also just be a sad reminder of my middle school “emo” phase. Either way, “Pass The Nirvana” is by far one of my favorite Pierce The Veil songs. As a guitar player, I have to pay my respects to this song.
Paul Swartz:
“nevermind” by Valley
Probably the closest Valley has ever gotten to making a club song, “nevermind” is largely supported by muted, low-register instrumentation. The verses feature driving bass lines with muted, glittery synths, before the chorus trades all the fanfare for snare-kick percussion and pounding 808s. The bridge builds into a delayed drop on the third chorus where the full range of instruments explodes. An endlessly rewarding listen, “nevermind” makes you want to hit restart as soon as the track ends.
“Rewind” by Dijon
Track eight on a largely light and exciting album, “Rewind” marks a darker turn on Dijon’s 2025 masterpiece, “Baby.” Over a distorted, grainy acoustic guitar passage, Dijon’s echoey vocals detail his insecurities about the birth of his child and his struggle to balance his newfound love with continuing to care for his wife. His passionate singing makes for one of the most powerful moments on the album, with cracking vocals that drag the intensity of the surrounding instruments into an unforgettable place. “Rewind” is a heartbreaking, haunting, beautiful song and one of the most well-written R&B tracks of the decade.
Jordan Jones:
“Sweet Home” by Don Toliver
“Sweet Home” captures Don Toliver at his most melodic state, turning feelings of comfort and longing into something dreamlike, creating a track that feels expansive. “Sweet Home” has been added to my late-night listening playlist, as Toliver showcases his ever-evolving knack for addictive production.
“Take Care” by Drake (feat. Rihanna)
Built on moody piano chords and pumping drums, “Take Care” is one of Drake’s most emotionally tying tracks. Not only is the album amazing, but the song is a slow-burning, vulnerable R&B track that remains timeless in this generation. The chemistry between Drake and Rihanna elevates the song to a different level, perfectly capturing the album’s introspective tone.
Ethan Diamond:
“Jump” by Van Halen
Jump was the first song I ever considered my favorite. While that moniker doesn’t hold to this day, I would probably still put it inside of my top 30, even though I did go a while without listening to it. I used to listen to Jump all the time when I played sports right before games, and I recently added it back to my rotation after hearing it on shuffle at the gym.
“Take Me Home Tonight” by Eddie Money
The theme for me this month is 80s music. “Take Me Home Tonight” is a song I had never listened to until last year, when funnily enough, I first heard it as one of a Cubs player’s walk-up songs. From the first time I listened to it, I knew it would be a regular in my rotation, and almost nine months later, that has held.
Mark Wagner:
“Cold Blooded” by Zayde Wolf
Back on September 21, 2019, I first heard “Cold Blooded” over the Wrigley Field speakers during the Cubs’ pregame intro. I was immediately hooked. Zayde Wolf’s high vocals mesh well with the somewhat mysterious accompaniment. The chorus’s climax is arguably the strongest I’ve ever heard in the 2010s era of pop rock. If you haven’t taken a nighttime drive with this song playing in the car, I highly recommend it.
“River” by Bishop Briggs
Whenever this song welcomed me to Madden NFL 17 on the PlayStation 4, I felt a strong aura that almost no other song has ever given me. Even though the song is about a toxic relationship, the short pauses that end each hook combined with the powerful bursts from Bishop Briggs’s voice make it feel like this can be played anywhere. And now that this song is 10 years old, it’ll feel like a huge nostalgia boost when it graces my playlist.
Davis Kinch:
“Kiss Land” by the Weeknd
To be honest, I couldn’t think of what to put down, and this song was playing in my headphones. Regardless, it’s an underappreciated song by the Weeknd that I think is worth a listen.
“Far” by SZA
Another song that happened to have been playing in my headphones as I was thinking about what to put down. The song is soothing to me and I think this is also a really good listen.
Jessica Taylor:
“That Funny Feeling” by Phoebe Bridgers
I know, it is a really sad pick, but “That Funny Feeling” beautifully captures really difficult parts of human emotion. It’s almost a 7 minute song, but my favorite is the first 5 minutes. It shows you what it means to be trapped by irrational feelings. Phoebe Bridgers, seemingly randomly, lists different parts of life; just day-to-day stimuli and experiences, “carpool karaoke” for one. The music itself is slow, almost serene, even as the lyrics slowly grow darker into things like “the quiet comprehending of the ending of it all.”Bridgers makes this “funny feeling” settle onto you, something that will keep finding you, that you get so tired of, you have to just accept.
“Risk” by Gracie Abrams
A lot more upbeat of a pick, “Risk” is about just that, taking a risk. Gracie Abrams talks about jumping headfirst into something you know might be dangerous, might be a horrible choice, but that also just might be worth it. It’s quick and light, reminding you that it’s ok if not every choice is perfect. Some things might be wrong, but many are still worth trying. She says “heard the risk is drowning but I’m gonna take it” with such a heart it almost doesn’t feel like a choice anymore, sometimes you just have to go for whatever you are hesitant about and see what happens.
