As the weather dips deeper into blistering cold temperatures, choosing the right songs to get from building to building is the best way to block out the fierce winter wind. Making time to be productive and engage in activities outside of your dorm like going to the gym, hanging out with friends or even working a job all on top of managing school work is already difficult in itself. The cold weather especially does not help with encouraging outdoor engagement. Instead of avoiding the brutal weather altogether, the key to staying productive is mastering how to handle the cold. Listening to music to distract you is one of the best ways you can do this.

Whether you’re looking to add new songs to your playlist or need something to get you through this frigid winter, these songs are the perfect place to start.

“Ball And Chain” by Big Brother and the Holding Company and Janis Joplin

The defeated and emotional guitar paired with Janis Joplin’s gripping vocals makes for an incredibly intimate listening experience. It’s especially great for the cold because it seems to perfectly envelop you in its own bubble of depth and distress. “Ball And Chain” will have you so invested in its unpredictability and experimental qualities that the icy weather will surely come second in mind.

“Cold” by The Cure

Just as the name suggests, “Cold” fully embraces the discomfort of being cold and uses it as a metaphor to express heartbreak. Not only does its dark and gothic tones pair well with the aesthetic of a chilly nighttime walk, but the song somehow manages to give its listeners power in confronting the feeling of icy weather. Some might argue that the vampiric track feels more Halloween or fall rather than winter, but the weight of instrumentals alone is much more suitable for the overwhelming heaviness of the winter.

“Once then we’ll be free” by Wisp

There’s almost nothing more fitting for the winter than shoegaze — a genre of rock that blurs the lines between obscured vocals and an almost suffocating airiness. Wisp debuted their first song, “Your face,” last April which has garnered over 30 million streams on Spotify, and since then they have dropped several hit singles. Although the lyrics in “Once then we’ll be free” has sea and water related imagery, Wisp’s emotional and clouded vocals, which barely reach louder than a whisper, invite you to imagine more of a wintry beach scene. The isolating lyrics and melancholic tones effortlessly match the dreariness of winter as the powerful dynamics allow you to be consumed by the music.

“Between the Bars” by Elliott Smith

Similar to “Once then we’ll be free,” this song by Elliott Smith fully leans into the winter slump. With its guitar that mimics the quiet and rhythmic drip of water and haunting lyrics, it’s no surprise that “Between the Bars” continues to be Elliott Smith’s most popular song. The song maintains a range that stays on the quieter end which allows the vocals to pop. Instead of feeling thrown in a mix of showy instrumentals and experimental vocals, its raw and gut-wrenching realness emulates the piercing iciness of winter.