Top 20: Wake Up Songs

Top 20: Wake Up Songs

We compiled a list of 20 wake up songs that can help you get your day started whether you are waking up and heading to work or school, just relaxing, or anything else. Our list features a lot of rap, beats, and jazzy jams that we think will aid your waking up process.

5. John Legend & The Roots – Wake Up

As we enter the top 5 selected songs, we start off with The Legendary Roots Crew teaming up with John Legend, Melanie Fiona, and Common (again). With that force of artistry behind a song, you know it will be something incredible, and indeed they deliver in spades. The instrumentation is a perfect soulful background for simple yet profound lyrics that push for a better tomorrow and working to reach your full potential. Don’t sit back, rock this in the morning and ride the positivity all day.

4. Raekwon – Heaven & Hell

Raekwon the Chef and Ghostface Killah get down on a smooth and pensive RZA beat. This is an astute reflection of hood life that can function well as a wake up song. The beat and flows are lazy yet on point and would fit right in with a morning routine.

3. Madvillain – Great Day

As we approach the top selections, we are getting in to some real hip hop heavy hitters. Next up is Madvillain, the indie hip hop gods Madlib and DOOM, with “Great Day”. There are so many damn quotables on this track that if you listen to this when you wake up, you will inevitably have the start to a great day.

2. De La Soul – Breakadawn

Classic golden era comes in at our number 2 selection by way of De La Soul. “Breakadawn” features a magnificent Michael Jackson sample as a melody pieced together with more samples by Pointer Sisters, Smokey Robinson, and the Bar-Kays. This was simply made for the break of dawn, so use it as such and start your day off right.

1. Atmosphere – Sunshine

At the top of our list is a huge alternative rap classic from Atmosphere. Slug starts out his day hungover but then gets energized by the beauty of the sunshine and weather. One of my favourite lines from this track is “If I could I would keep this feeling in a plastic jar, bust it out whenever someone’s acting hard”. This tune is a great way to wake up, as mornings are not always the most pleasant of times. Through the song, Slug finds positivity and then proceeds to bask in the glory of being alive.

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Kamir Hiam (USA) has been obsessed with hip hop culture since discovering rap as a child in the mid 90s. As curator of The Find's Stay Thirsty podcast, he is an obsessive crate digger, always looking for more dope music. Other hobbies include travel, reading, fitness, and science.