The 4 Best Spotify Playlists For Every Mood Now

Honestly, who knows what day it is any more? The thing is, whether its Monday, Sunday or Blahday, this playlist is just the tonic if you’re in the doldrums and in dire need of a bit of aural get-up and go.

Just like The Boomtown Rats’ least favourite day, this playlist starts off slowly. But don’t be deceived: once you get 3 or 4 tracks in, Monday Motivation’s thematic trajectory is set.

Think of this playlist as that friend whose megawatt charm, good-natured cajoling and irrepressible energy are impossible to resist. There’s the ear-worm hooks of Phats & Small’s Turn Around and Fatboy Slim’s Praise You, the authentic positivity of Jackie Wilson’s Higher And Higher and Lizzo’s Good As Hell, and the pop perfection of Katy Perry’s Roar.

Convinced that only a glorious wallop of sound will stir you into action? This playlist has you covered, too. AC/DC’s Thunderstruck is a force of nature, Eminem’s Lose Yourself will have you rap-battling the cat/kids/partner, and Blur’s Song 2 will send you pogoing into the rest of your day.

2. Life Sucks

The best Spotify playlist for: acknowledging blue times and letting them go.

‘Wait a minute! Life Sucks doesn’t sound like a playlist anyone needs right now. Or ever.’ We concede it’s a tough sell from the title alone, but there’s method in our madness.

Entirely aside from the simple fact that this playlist is brimming with exquisite tracks and unforgettable voices, if you’re feeling under a cloud for whatever reason and want to move on, there’s a lot to be said for embracing difficult feels with a soundtrack of melancholy. You belt out a few torch songs, stare out of the window for a bit and emerge refreshed and reassured by the knowledge that you’re not alone.

Where you start depends on how vigorously you want your heartstrings tugged. The Verve’s The Drugs Don’t Work nails wistful regret, while Billie Eilish’s whispered vocals in Everything I Wanted are all the more powerful for their soft delivery.

But, whether you find yourself dancing slowly to Jeff Buckley’s Last Goodbye or singing along to Alicia Keys’ Try Sleeping With A Broken Heart, be sure to keep at least one tissue back for Sinead O’Connor’s impossibly affecting version of Prince’s torch song, Nothing Compares 2 U.

3. Summer BBQ

The best Spotify playlist for: emerging into the sun with a wide smile and a six-pack of brioche buns.

Just like a well-grilled banger, there’s nothing complicated about this playlist’s easy appeal. Summer BBQ is aural sunshine from start to finish – an intoxicating blend of soul, reggae, laidback grooves, and effervescent pop.

Bill Withers’ Lovely Day is a perfect example of the relaxed vibe here, but then, so too is Soul II Soul’s Back To Life, Sister Nancy’s Bam Bam, and Bran Van Van 3000’s Drinking In L.A.

In fact, this playlist is so effortlessly sunny that by the time DJ Jazzy Jeff and The Fresh Prince bring on Summertime, you’ll be beaming, even if the British summer skies are cloudy.

4. Mellow Beats

The best Spotify playlist for: a serene end to the day, or an evening of deep relaxation.