1. Viva la Vida, Coldplay
There's just something lyrically brilliant about this song. "Sweep the streets I used to own." It's chilling and sad and retrospective. What with the crusader imagery, I would think this song would make a good fantasy read, or maybe even a contemporary about a failed action movie star.
2. Work This Body, WALK THE MOON
The music video for this peppy song just got released, and both it and the original song scream Middle Grade. It's not that far of a stretch, considering the lyrics and the video, but obviously the story would be about a kid showing his bullies who is the real talent, whether in sports or stage or music or whatever. It's a classic theme.
3. Lemonade, Chris Rice
So this is basically the sweetest song ever (yes, I intended that). It's the classic nervous boy meets out-of-his-league girl, and I love how the song balances the simplistic romantic without becoming sappy. As someone who isn't into dirtier romance, I'd prefer to see more YA with romantic elements like this.
4. Trees/Truce, Twenty-One Pilots
I put these two together because I usually listen to them right after the other. They have a similar sad, echoing vibe about faith, loneliness, and that haunting combination of hope and resignation about situation. It would fit a good tragic novel of any genre, but especially recent historical.
5. Mo Ghile Mear, Orla Fallon
This Gaelic song originally surrounds the sad story of a young woman whose true love of swept off into the war of Bonnie Prince Charlie. It's a beautiful tune and would definitely fit any costume-drama type novel set in Ireland. As a Irish history fanatic, I'd pick it up in a heartbeat.
6. Best Friend, Foster the People
This song is everything funky and different and strange and retro. I'm thinking a YA or NA set in the 70s or 80s, definitely centered around friendship as opposed to romance and involving art and politics or something like that.
7. Fine Fine Life, for KING AND COUNTRY
Every time I go on a road trip, I listen to this song. So obviously I picture it in book form as a road trip YA.
8. Car Radio, Twenty-One Pilots
I have a friend who can rap this entire song. When he introduced me to it, I was hit with how philosophical it is. I love how Twenty-One Pilots pulls the deep out of the everyday, and I think a book like this song would do the same.
9. For the Dreamers, for KING AND COUNTRY
This song has empowering lyrics and a driving energy that would fit well for a YA entrepreneur story, whether historical or contemporary.
10. Not Afraid Anymore, Leeland
Oh wait... I'm writing this book...
Would you want to read a book inspired by one of these songs? What songs would you love to see turned into books?
