Music
Stream These Moody Songs If You Can’t Get "Drivers License" Out Of Your Head
Because Olivia Rodrigo’s album can't come soon enough.
No other song has been talked about as much as Olivia Rodrigo's "Drivers License" since its Jan. 8 release. The High School Musical: The Musical: The Series star's debut single smashed Spotify's record for most streams in a single week and even debuted atop the Billboard Hot 100, making Rodrigo the youngest artist ever to do so. If you can't wait any longer for more music from the 17-year-old singer, don't worry — there's plenty of similar music to check out in the meantime.
Aside from the fact that it's an impeccably-written and produced power ballad that showcases the singer's vocal chops and emotional depth, much of the fanfare surrounding "Drivers License" is due to the alleged love triangle behind it. While it's all mostly unconfirmed, fans think the song is inspired by a fling with her HSMTMTS co-star Joshua Bassett and the hurt felt by Rodrigo when he reportedly broke things off in favor of a romance with fellow Disney actress and popstar Sabrina Carpenter. Since "Drivers License" came out, Bassett and Carpenter have both released singles that seemingly address the much-discussed scenario.
While Rodrigo's tune continues to dominate the charts thanks in part to Taylor Swift's approval and increasing interest in the Gen Z star's personal life, satisfy your craving for more moody music by adding these 10 songs to your playlist.
Lorde, "Liability"
This track from Lorde's 2017 album Melodrama is like an older, slightly wiser sibling to "Drivers License." A tear-inducing piano ballad, "Liability" perfectly illustrates feeling like a burden to your loved ones through Lorde's sharp, descriptive lyricism.
Caroline Polachek, "Door"
Produced by Dan Nigro, who also handled production on "Drivers License," Caroline Polachek's "Door" is a sweeping, ethereal track about a long-lasting relationship coming to an end. "Back in the city, I'm just another girl in a sweater... Everything's different when we're not together," croons Polachek in her naturally electronic timbre, painting a picture of the loneliness and longing that follows a breakup.
Troye Sivan, Kacey Musgraves, & Mark Ronson, "Easy"
Directed toward a lover who walked away from a rocky relationship following infidelity, Troye Sivan's "Easy" was already a well-crafted, vocoder-drenched pop track when it was initially released on his In A Dream EP last summer. But the Mark Ronson-produced duet version featuring country music's latest gay icon Kacey Musgraves elevated the song to reach the heights of its crying-in-the-club potential. Plus, its moody music video setting will leave you wanting to scream its chorus in the car with the windows down.
Joshua Bassett, "Lie Lie Lie"
If your "Drivers License" fandom goes hand-in-hand with your HSMTMTS obsession, then you need to hear Joshua Bassett's "Lie Lie Lie." Despite his own comments claiming otherwise, fans believe it's his official response to Rodrigo's ballad. Comb through the track's lyrics to stitch together your own theory, and then listen to it again for the singer's Shawn Mendes-esque charm and catchy lyrics. Soon, you won't be able to pick a side.
Sabrina Carpenter, "Skin"
In order to complete the alleged love triangle narrative, you have to check out Sabrina Carpenter's "Skin." While the Disney stars have denied any connection between their tracks, the "Maybe you didn't mean it / Maybe "blonde" was the only rhyme" lyric has many thinking there's some truth to it all. Drama aside, the song is super catchy on its own, and Carpenter's glossy vocals are sweet like candy on it. Hopefully, she and Rodrigo can come together for a duet in the future.
Clairo, "Bags"
The grim lack of motivation that comes with post-breakup depression has possibly never been captured better than in Clairo's "Bags," the Rostam-produced lead single off her debut album, Immunity. Released in 2019 when Clairo was 20 years old, it carries the same youthful emotional vulnerability as Rodrigo's hit, only with a guitar lick that'll stick in your head for years.
Gwen Stefani, "Cool"
Gwen Stefani's "Cool" is essentially the adult sequel to "Drivers License" and is long-speculated to be about the artist's ex-flame and fellow No Doubt member, Tony Kanal. It lays out the mindset everyone wishes they had following the end of a long-term relationship: contentment. Stefani sings of hanging out with each other's new significant others, meeting each other's kids, and being able to reminisce on past love without animosity or a longing to rekindle what once was.
Diana Gordon, "Once A Friend"
"Tell me, is it always gonna be sad?" asks Diana Gordon on "Once A Friend," a highlight from her 2020 EP Wasted Youth. It's not about a scorned lover, but rather a friendship that's faded, which is arguably more difficult to deal with. Telling her ex-friend she wishes them well, Gordon's lyricism aims straight for your heart. What else would you expect from the songwriter behind several tracks on Beyoncé's Lemonade?
Maggie Rogers, "Light On"
It's hard to imagine Maggie Rogers' "Light On" not serving as inspiration for Rodrigo while she creates in the studio. The sparkling drum-driven track shows Rogers admitting that sometimes the intense pain of a breakup isn't enough to keep you from going right back into the relationship that caused it. "If you keep reaching out, then I'll keep coming back," she warmly declares on the song's hook, illustrating a situation relatable to so many.
Aly & AJ, "Slow Dancing"
Aly & AJ, who also emerged from Disney stardom, recently received a ton of attention for the newly-explicit version 2007 hit "Potential Breakup Song." But the sisters' new music is more likely to tug at your heartstrings than have you screaming at your sh*tty ex. "Slow Dancing," the airy first single from the duo's forthcoming third album, takes you out of breakup territory and into the pure bliss of new love through lyrics that imagine a perfectly simple evening complete with a romantic at-home dance with a lover.
