We asked sober folks what music they still associate with their time drinking and/or bottoming out. Here’s what they came up with:
| “‘The Passenger,” Iggy Pop. I loved listening to that song while getting ready to go out. Usually already had a couple drinks in me. It would get me pumped and excited to be going out. Not so much at the bitter end of my drinking – not so exciting and not much going out either.” – B. | |
| “‘Romeo and the Lonely Girl’ by Thin Lizzy was my go-to drunk and ( let’s be real) crying on the subway song.” – Heidi | |
| “‘Let Down”’ was always my drunk jam from [the Radiohead album] OK Computer. It’s basically about hating being in bars but not being able to rise above it.” G. | |
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“I still have a hard time listening to Kurt Vile because during my bottom, he felt my pain.” – C. |
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“So, I lived in the Lower East Side in 2001-2002, and I would get wasted every night and go home and lock myself in and lie on my futon mattress on the floor in my tiny room and listen to Spiritualized songs about being trapped in addiction. Despite that, there’s a lot of hope for redemption in their music, besides the redemption in the music itself. I have a lot of emotions caught up in this band, which is why they are one of the few bands that can make me cry when I see them play.” – Steven Patrick |
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| “So, remember in the early or mid-2000s when cell phones let you use real songs rather than ringtones and it was exciting. I believe and I had downloaded “1,2 Step” by Ciara. Well I was out of control with my drinking…after work[ing in a bar] I was so fucked up and couldn’t text or call anyone back for some reason and I remember that song playing on my phone over and over when i was at some methy crack apartment and everyone was worried about me and calling me until I finally just shut off the phone. I cringe when I hear that song which is thankfully not often. “ – Clint |
The Fix Music Editor Maggie Serota asked some sober people if there was any particular artist or type of music that they discovered while in sobriety. Here is what they had to say:
| “I didn’t really discover an artist per say, but I got super into pop again. Taylor Swift, Nicki Minaj, etc. music that wasn’t ‘cool’ (hip – like the scene I kind of equated to being fucked up), and learned to have fun with music again.” – Anne | |
| “I discovered Danielson Famile through the Low Times podcast. I’d take long summer walks in the forest with my dog listening to Danielson squeak about love and family and faith, and with him singing in my ears while lumbering through the state forests among the deer and snakes and wild turkey (no, not Wild Turkey)…” – Dave | |
| “Anything involving David Banner because his music makes me happy unconditionally, and it never stirs up old feelings. Just numbs me right up.” – Ashley | |
| “I started listening to the Grateful Dead in my first six months sober.I went to school with many lovers of the Dead, and though we got high together a lot, I tended to go back to my dorm and listen to the Cocteau Twins when they busted out the 1978 bootlegs. I was shocked to discover that, without a drop of any substance in my body, I had gotten obsessed with this band I had disdained.” – Mike |
Artists Worth An Ear : Trent Renzor, Jon Wurster, Sia Furler
PLUS:
Six Druggy Songs That Have Been Used in Commercials
10 Greatest Songs About Recovery