If you’re handling social distancing like I am, then you spend all of your time locked in your room and only leave it to grab food and water. You leave your house to go to the grocery store and you cherish even the smallest errand because it allows you a treasured moment outside and a break from the routine of staring at the same four walls everyday. But, if you’re sheltering in place the way I think you are, then you’re also listening to an insane amount of music.

Music has the ability to uplift us, transport us and resonate within us. It can remind us of happier times, when we weren’t all wearing masks and gloves and sanitizing every possible surface. So instead of focusing on the present bleakness, here are some songs from happier times to remind us that it does get better, and that we have that to look forward to.

Build Me Up Buttercup

The Foundations

This Motown bop never fails to put a smile on any listener’s face. The constant beating of the tambourine coupled with the lyrics about the singer’s relationship woes make for a playful and bright listening experience. The lead singer’s voice croons and rocks you along the beats as the backup singers echo the infamous lyrics “build me up buttercup baby.” “Build Me Up Buttercup” is a crowd pleaser, but it’s also great for solo listening when you just want to put a smile on your face.

Classic

MKTO

“Classic” is the perfect throwback song. It’s incredibly catchy and the vocals of this pop duo are smooth and exactly what you would expect from a pair of 2013 heartthrobs. There’s nothing deep about this song. It’s the kind of song that you can bop your head along to, but there’s room to rock out. One minute and 56 seconds in, we get a rap—it’s not the best and it’s not the worst—but when you hear it you will give it your all as you yell the words.

It’s Not Right But It’s Okay

Whitney Houston

The 90s were a time when music abounded with boy bands, girl bands, britpop and none other than Whitney Houston’s powerful belts and soul-touching whistle notes. There could be an Audiophiles dedicated solely to Whitney Houston songs, but this song in particular resonates with the current moment. Not only is the message perfect for summing up the general feelings surrounding the pandemic, but musically, it opens with a glockenspiel. There is nothing better than Whitney Houston telling us over the sounds of a glockenspiel that “it’s not right but it’s okay, I’m gonna make it anyway.”

Super Trouper

ABBA

Nothing screams 70s like ABBA. ABBA is campy while maintaining the flower-child-fueled rock sound that we attribute to that decade. “Super Trouper” starts off slow and a cappella. The opening verse is choral, but after the first fifteen seconds we hear the poppy sounds of the keyboard and the beats of the drums. This Swedish pop group’s music makes up the entire soundtrack of the iconic film starring Amanda Seyfried and Meryl Streep, “Mamma Mia.” You can hear “Super Trouper” in the movie, performed and sung by a trio girl group headed by none other than Meryl Streep herself.

Listen to these songs and more on the Audiophiles playlist below.