It’s official: we’re deep enough into the fall semester that college stops feeling like summer camp and people might start to get on your nerves. Maybe you’re feeling extra tension with your roommate, and you’re starting to notice bad habits that didn’t stand out to you before. You might be experiencing going-out-fatigue, finding that your friends aren’t as tired of it as you are. 

Mercury just got out of retrograde, but life is still happening. If you’ve exhausted your resources of angry bops — i.e. listened to Taylor Swift’s entire discography: I’ve been there too —  here are some fresh finds to empower you on your walk to class.

“Final Piece” — Suzy Jones 

I first discovered Suzy Jones through Vine, believe it or not. She’s gone viral multiple times — the one that comes to mind for me is a video where she was singing a cover of “Boo’d Up” by Ella Mai with her cat throwing up in the background. Jones has evolved immensely since her days on Vine, having released her debut album, “Sensational Woman, Suzy Jones!” in 2020. 

My favorite song of hers by far is “Final Piece,” starting with a bass line that fuels me with hatred in the best way possible. The lyrics describe Jones’ relationship with someone who uses her for clout and acts as a fair-weather friend towards her. Especially as that last chorus hits and Jones bodies some incredibly challenging riffs, it certainly should earn a spot on your angry playlist. 

“Black Sheep – Brie Larson Vocal Version” — Metric, Brie Larson 

I know this song is from the soundtrack of  “Scott Pilgrim vs. the World”, but I will not apologize for putting this version of the song in this article. While Metric’s version hits, there’s something about Brie Larson’s version that is uniquely energizing. It’s even better in the context of the movie: Brie Larson’s character, Envy Adams, is singing this song at a show with a petrified Scott Pilgrim in the crowd, which only makes me feel more empowered when I listen to it. 

“breadwinner” — Kacey Musgraves 

This is the year. We’re getting divorce albums. Kacey Musgraves newest album, “star-crossed,” is packed with a broad spectrum of sentiments Musgraves was experiencing through the end of her marriage. “breadwinner” talks about Musgraves’ experience with a man who intentionally expresses interest in strong, powerful women and subsequently attempts to weaken and belittle them. 

It almost feels like I’m receiving advice from a mentor because she speaks from the “I” perspective in this song. I’ve heard a lot of songs analyzing certain aspects of misogyny, but Musgraves gives us a new angle here. And, on a much less deep level, it’s just a great song. 

“Hailey” — WRENN

I must say, I found this song on TikTok, and it is one of my favorite discoveries from that platform to this day. What got my attention about this song, in particular, is that WRENN uses audio from when she caught her ex-boyfriend cheating on her with her best friend during the bridge of the song. On top of WRENN’s bold but admirable choices, the production quality of the song is incredible. 

This has less of a “screw you” vibe than the other songs on this playlist — never fear, I have more with that vibe coming up — and more of a melancholic “screw you,” but it’s an incredible song nonetheless. 

“You’re Such A” — Hailee Steinfeld

I was reminded of Hailee Steinfeld’s existence by my co-editor, Emma Allen, and all the memories from when I was 15 suddenly came rushing back. I was a big fan of Steinfeld’s style of pop during my freshman year of high school — in fact, one of my top songs of 2016 was “Love Myself.” 

In diving deeper into her discography, I found “You’re Such A,” which is reminiscent of Lily Allen’s style of angry music — think “F–- You” and “Smile.” Lyrically speaking, the song is artfully sassy. It’s helped me recover from many a breakup, and it’s perfect for a screaming-in-the-car moment.