Recommended Western music for autumn: popular autumn songs and hidden gems [2026]

Loving SomeoneThe 1975

The 1975 – Loving Someone – (Vevo Presents: Live at The O2, London)

It’s a work distinguished by vocals that speak to you almost like spoken word.

This is a track by The 1975, the hugely popular pop-rock band from the UK.

It’s included on their acclaimed 2016 album, “I Like It When You Sleep, for You Are So Beautiful yet So Unaware of It.” The piece stands out for its serious tone that probes youth culture and the emptiness of fame while questioning the nature of love.

The music video was released in January 2017, and the band has continued to convey social messages, performing the song live with rainbow-hued staging.

Reading the lyrics makes it clear the setting is autumn, and the introspective, bittersweet electronic sound perfectly captures the image of a contemplative autumn night.

OctoberAlessia Cara

Alessia Cara – October (Official Video)

This song delicately portrays the end of summer and the arrival of autumn.

Alessia Cara’s emotive vocals and the dreamlike soundscape are particularly striking.

It was released in September 2019 as a track on the EP “This Summer.” Inspired by her experience opening for Shawn Mendes on tour, the song carries a wish to preserve irreplaceable moments forever.

It beautifully expresses both the nostalgia for summer memories and the process of embracing change, making it an ideal listen at the turn of the seasons.

This piece is perfect for anyone who wants to connect with the complex feelings of mourning a passing summer while anticipating the new season ahead.

this is what autumn feels likeJVKE

JVKE – this is what autumn feels like

A lyrical track by JVKE that overlays the shift from summer to autumn with changes in a romance.

It portrays the beginning of love—likened to a walk in the park or the feeling of riding a bike—and its unexpected pain and endings through the image of leaves blown down by the autumn wind.

Released in September 2023, the song isn’t included on an album, yet it’s part of the “This is what ___ feel like” series.

Its gentle beat and soft guitar tones evoke the atmosphere of an autumn evening.

It’s a song to play when you want to feel the transience of love and the changing of the seasons.

October SkiesMumford & Sons

Mumford & Sons – Mumford & Sons and National Geographic Present: October Skies

This is a song included on the album Delta, released in November 2018 by the popular British folk rock band Mumford & Sons.

Characterized by lyrical lyrics and delicate arrangements, it explores themes of changing seasons and the passage of time.

Marcus Mumford’s warm vocals blend beautifully with the band’s refined performance; while retaining folk elements, the addition of electronic and ambient sounds creates a modern, emotional atmosphere.

The song portrays fleeting encounters with a loved one, anxieties about the future, and hope.

It’s perfect for listening during an autumn dusk.

Harvest FairSummer Salt

Harvest Fair

Summer Salt is an indie-pop duo based in Texas, known for their soft, retro sound influenced by 1960s pop and bossa nova.

Among their works, this is the one I recommend for autumn listening.

Set against the backdrop of a harvest festival, it tells a romantic story about longing to reunite with a past lover.

The melody, tinged with a gentle sense of sadness yet warmed by hope, seems to tenderly accompany the sentimental mood unique to fall.

Released in November 2018, the track is included on the EP “Favorite Holiday, Vol.

1.” If you listen to it on a slightly chilly evening at dusk, lost in thought, you’ll be able to immerse yourself even more deeply in its world.