Music for Your Travel Playlist

Music for Your Travel Playlist

If you want a cheat-sheet to a country’s culture, just listen to the music that’s popular there. We’ve compiled a list of music suggestions from Greenheart Travelers based on countries they’ve lived in. Listen to our ultimate international playlist if you want to reminisce on your time abroad, or just daydream about your next destination!

Japan

“My favorite song while living in Japan was “Suki da” by Little Glee Monster! I sang it with my friends at karaoke after school and we would hum it on our bike rides home together. Learning music that was popular at the time I was living there was a great way for me to connect with my friends and also learn new words in the meantime!”

-Olivia McCollum

“My favorite Japanese song was one from one of my favorite anime. It was one of the ending themes and it was called 7!! – Orange. It is a softer sounding song, maybe even a little sad. I sang it in karaoke while I was in Japan and it was really fun.”

-Christina Ling

Austria/Germany

“I don’t know if it’s Austrian but I really liked Namika. She has these two songs, “Je ne parle pas Francaise” and “Na-Mi-Ka”  They are both sung in German and are both very unique songs. That’s probably why I remember them, because they stick out.”

-Bree McCarty

France

“My favorite French song is always changing and I try to stay on top of new French music that comes out even though I’m back home. But ‘Tout Va Bien’ by Orelsan was a song that came out in France right around when I got there and stayed popular and playing on the radios throughout my study abroad, so whenever I hear it, it just brings back a lot of good memories. It’s a catchy song which is what first drew me to download it on my phone, but it was one that kind of grew with me in that the first time I heard it I couldn’t understand any of it, but by the end of my semester I could basically sing it by heart. It has kind of a deep meaning to it and was produced by Stromae who tends to have symbolic meanings in his songs about society that you don’t notice at first which I think is kind of cool.”

-Ian Taraszewski

“Anything from Stromae.”

– Taylor Woolridge

Costa Rica

“While living in Costa Rica I explored so much of the music. J Balvin and Maluma were releasing tons of hits that year, but the song that resonated with me the most was Vivir Mi Vida by Marc Anthony. The lyrics are so uplifting, and the overall spirit of the song reminds me of the Tico mentality. The people are so loving, generous, and positive. I think that Vivir Mi Vida really jives well with the “Pura Vida” lifestyle that Ticos embody. That song fills my heart with an immense feeling of nostalgia. Whenever I hear it my heart returns to Costa Rica. ”

-Zoe Coulter

Korea

-Eden Wood

Italy

“My students LOVE Sfera Ebbasta in Italy.”

-Auriana Petach

Spain

-Emmy Scott

Finland

“One of my favorites was “Olisitpa Sylissäni,” which I would hear almost daily. Now, I get to revisit the many nostalgic memories, listening to the Finnish songs played at the local gym or to the ones that my host siblings had on their favorite playlist. The music plays memories, which play beautiful music in return.”

-Eddy Lin

Denmark

“My favorite Danish song is a song called Linedanser. On school days, we would have this little school assembly called “morgensang”. This translates directly to “morning song” and we would sing different songs together every morning. I learned Linedanser in morgensang, and it’s this really sweet little tune that me and one of my best friends really enjoyed.”

-Maria Guerriere 

Have some song suggestions of your own? Leave them in the comments below!

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