New Zealand, New Playlists

New Zealand, New Playlists

Millennials and their music... it's like we can't go anywhere without a prepared playlist to narrate the vibe of our lives, almost like we're living a movie montage!

Well, if you ever find yourself in New Zealand and in desperate need of that perfect playlist to match your mood, here are the best songs to play in the must-see major cities Down Undah: Auckland, Dunedin, Queenstown, and Wellington.

Auckland

Auckland is the closest thing to real big city life here in New Zealand. This playlist was tricky to compile, since the city takes on different vibes walking among the skyscrapers, past street murals, along small outdoor mall shops, and finishing the day with a trip to the beach. Street musicians are everywhere in Auckland, playing old classics with open guitar cases lying at their feet. The sun bathes the city in heat nearly all year round, so as you're walking under the clear blue skies in search of an ice cream cone, pop in some headphones and check out some of these tunes.

Shotgun, George Ezra
Burnin' Up, Jonas Brothers
Down Under, Graham BLVD
Lake Shore Drive, Aliotta Haynes Jeremiah
One Foot, WALK THE MOON
I Like Me Better, Lauv
No One Compares to You, Jack & Jack
High Hopes, Panic! at the Disco
Hooked on a Feeling, Blue Suede & Björn Skifs
Cheap Sunglasses, RAC & Matthew Koma
You Make My Dreams, Daryl Hall & John Oates
Electric Love, BORNS
Ophelia, The Lumineers
Aotearoa, Stan Walker
River, Six60


Dunedin

This small college town is beautiful and peaceful... during the summer anyway. When the Uni students roll in for fall, the bustle of the streets picks up and the quiet peace is overrun. But during the summer, you can hear the rumble of the blue water, the songs of birds, the wind through the trees. The skies are sometimes grey and stormy, other times a beautiful cerulean blue.

For Dunedin, I built a playlist that was a bit more chill. These tunes played softly in my ears as I explored the city, the quirky shops, the many second-hand bookstores, the long museums, etc. These songs were perfect for looking out of bus windows as we rolled over green hills and over boat railings as we sailed over turquoise water.

Fake Denim, Quinn XCII
Sanctuary, Welshly Arms
Happier, Ed Sheeran
Speaking a Dead Language, Joy Williams
Flare Guns, Quinn and Chelsea Cutler
Ocean Eyes - Astronomyy Remix, Billie Eilish
Earned It, Bootstraps
Faking’ It, Ofelia K, Kaskade
Only, Imagine Dragons
Pieces - Sam Feldt remix, Rob Thomas 
Straightjacket, Quinn XCII
Armor, Landon Austin
The Anchor, Bastille
(Un)lost, The Maine
Bad Liar, Imagine Dragons
Killing Me, Ofelia K
King, Lauren Aquilina 
Come Rest Your Head, The Sweeplings
Fish on a Hook, Wild Rivers
Happier, Bastille

Queenstown

This playlist is a funky mix of songs meant for lakeside fun and hardcore adrenaline rides! The weather here is perfect in the summer, not too hot nor too cold, so if you want to spend the day wandering around the shops and the cute artist markets around the lake, you're sure to need a few good hits to keep your step light and springy! But if you dare to do something wonderful and reckless like skydiving, bungy jumping, ziplining, helicopter riding, etc., there are some great tunes here to keep your heart pumping and your adrenaline high. 

 You're the Voice, John Farnham
Your Love Could Start a War, The Unlikely Candidate
Run, Delta Rae
Through Fire and Flames, DragonForce
Cliffs of Dover, Eric Johnson
Under the Influence, Elle King
Rock Bottom, Hailee Steinfeld
Uma Thurman, Fall Out Boy
Feel It Now, Runner
Don't Stop Me Now, Queen
Die Young, Kesha
Thunder, Imagine Dragons
Hallelujah, Panic! at the Disco
Song 2, Blur
Walk This Way, Aerosmith
Centuries, Fall Out Boy
Friction, Imagine Dragons




Wellington

Wellington is the capital city of New Zealand and it shows. The architecture matches the feel of the city itself, a mix of old and new, classy and casual. Men and women in nice business suits and briefcases pass by on their way to work and tourists in shorts and fanny packs take pictures of the cute cafes and picturesque parks. Where Auckland was teeming with people, Wellington is simply full with enough people to liven up the streets, but not overcrowd it. The general theme for this playlist is to have an upbeat sound similar to Auckland, but much less hectic and high energy. 
Kākāriki, Aro (A local Kiwi band)
Magic, B.o.B.
Rise - Dark Heart Remix, Jonas Blue, Jack & Jack
22, Taylor Swift
Young Dumb and Broke, Khalid
Strut, The Cheetah Girls
Yellow Flicker Beat, Lorde
On Hold, The xx
West Coast, Imagine Dragons
Tough, Quinn XCII
Over my head, Judah & the Lion
Cemetery, COIN
Don't Give It Up, Six60
Life Must Go On, Quinn CXII
Bring it on Home, American Authors
Peace, OAR
Bones, Galantis & One Republic
Enjoy Every Second, Michael Franti & Spearhead
Just Say Yes, Snow Patrol
Week Without You, Miley Cyrus

Of course, you should also probably check out some of the local Kiwi bands like Aro, Six60, of Stan Walker.

So next time you're scrolling through Spotify and need some solid tunes, save this page to save your life! These hits are perfectly prescribed for the ideal summer vacation in paradise. 




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