Here are 10 songs you can add to your London campus commute playlist

Commuting from cheaper student areas to Zone One campuses is almost as quintessential to the London student experience as Pret subscriptions and £8 pints.

The early mornings, the crowds, the delays – those 40-minute trips into central London are monotonous at best, and insufferable at worst.

But there’s no need to resign yourself to a soundtrack of background noise while polluting your lungs down at the Tube. Whether you prefer a fast-beat track to wake you up or a soothing tune for your bus nap – The London Tab has compiled a list of 10 songs guaranteed to make your morning commute a bit less miserable.

Wasted on You by Andy Shauf

A beautiful song for those who love singer-songwriter music. The delicate melody and poignant lyrics will leave you overthinking every single comment your prof made about your essay and the absolutely nothing going on in your love life. But trust me – it’s worth it.

In Blur by Deafheaven

If you skipped your cup of joe in the morning and need an auditory substitute, this high-energy track will keep you on your toes throughout. The dreamy mix of shoegaze and post-rock will give you the jolt of adrenaline you definitely need for your 9am seminar.

Contact by Kelela

If you’re looking for something with a bit more groove, this is the song just for you. The funky tune has a great bass line and an infectious beat that will have you bobbing your head while trying to ignore the weird glances from fellow commuters.

Polaris by Parannoul

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For fans of shoegaze and dreamy pop (think My Bloody Valentine or Beach House), you should definitely check this one out. This ambient song has an ethereal melody and soothing vocals that will transport you to a peaceful escape before the reality of uni hits.

Lost Cause by Billie Eilish

We all love Billie. The signature sound of our Bad Guy is joined by lyrics that packs an emotional punch in this song. And, I don’t know about you, but the repeated lines of “but you got no job” just hits a bit too close to home for me as a London student right now.

Leave the Door Open by Silk Sonic

Do you hate the dusty smell and metallic screeches of the Tube? Then why not check out this song that makes you feel like you’re cruising down the highway in a vintage convertible?

Sometimes you got to do what you got to do: let your imagination take you on a road trip you’ll probably never get with this smooth R&B track.

Bunny is a Rider by Caroline Polachek

For those who fancy entertaining themselves with an internal dance party and a game of “try not to sing along” on the bus, this song is a must-have on your playlist.

A&W by Lana Del Rey

She needs no introduction, but here’s one anyway. The incarnation of emo herself, Lana Del Rey, is back with a new album, and I can begrudgingly recommend this as one of the best songs in there.

A wild guess is that if you’re a fan, you can definitely be spotted on the Tube staring down at your black platform boots with a carefully-crafted RBF.

Top Dog by Magdalena Bay

Back to the “let’s try to be happy before uni starts” part of your playlist, this vibrant electro-pop with catchy, upbeat chorus, and pulsating synth beats is definitely a great addition. You may be an underdog compared to the finance bros at LSE, but at least this song can make you forget that for just over two minutes.

This is Why by Paramore

There may be a lot of times when you want to throw your laptop out the window and ask your fresher self why they ever committed to uni. But fear not, this extremely catchy pop-punk tune has an upbeat tempo guaranteed to put a smile on your face (and push the self-doubt to at least a bit later).

Seriously, you can’t go wrong with Paramore.

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