Calming Music For Stress – 15 Dreamy Songs To Relax With

As you know, music is an extremely powerful form of art and can be used for many different purposes. You can use music to pump you up for an intense workout that you’ve been dreading.

You can use it to reminisce about good times passed. It can be a helpful aid at a family gathering or party with your friends. You can even use it for inducing a tranquil state of meditation, pulling you into a fully-present state of being. 

This calming music for stress can be used as a healthy, natural sedative. When we need to wind down before bed, after a stressful event, or if you’re just in the mood to relax. Keep reading to see some of our favorite dreamy songs that we use when we need to unwind after an extra-stressful day. 

Calming Music For Stress – 15 Dreamy Songs To Relax With

These are just a few of our favorites. There might be some that you recognize, and some that you probably won’t. If you’re like me, you get a lot of enjoyment out of discovering new songs and artists to listen to.

Here’s a list of the songs we chose to include:

1. “Let’s Be Still” by The Head And The Heart
2. “Bottom of the Deep Blue Sea” by MISSIO
3. “Waves” (Acoustic) by Dean Lewis
4. “Mercy” by Lewis Capaldi
5. “I Feel Like I’m Drowning” by Two Feet
6.  “FML” by K.Flay
7. “Locked In A Cage” by Brick + Mortar
8. “Rise Up” by Saint PHNX
9. “Welcome Home” by Radical Face
10.  “Lullaby” by Electric President
11. “This Too Shall Pass” by We Are All Astronauts
12. “Ocean Floors” by Headphone Activist
13. “Hold Fast” by San Holo (ft. Tessa Douwstra)
14. “In My Mind” by Prismo
15. “Stuck In Orbit” by What So Not (ft. BUOY)

One YouTube or Google search can send you on a 4-hour tangent that spreads out until you end up with almost too many albums and artists on your “I’ll save this for later” list. I hope you enjoy listening to this music, and that it comes to your rescue the next time you’re ready to pull your hair out!

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1. “Let’s Be Still” by The Head And The Heart

“Let’s Be Still” is the title track off of The Head And The Heart’s second full-length album released in 2013. It’s an ultra laid-back indie folk song that’ll even appeal to you if that’s not your main genre of choice.

Here’s a lyric excerpt from the chorus:

“The world’s just spinning, a little too fast

If things don’t slow down soon, we might not last

So just for a moment, let’s be still”

Listen to the full audio here:

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2. “Bottom of the Deep Blue Sea” by MISSIO

“Bottom of the Deep Blue Sea” is a song off of MISSIO’s 2017 release titled Loner. Once you press play, you’ll feel the dreamy soundscape take hold of your mind. The fusion of mild electronic elements with MISSIO’s powerfully-lofty vocals and lyrics make for a calming 4 minutes of sonic bliss. 

Here’s a lyric excerpt from the second verse:

“The sweet surrender of silence forces me to live alone
Locked and loaded, where the hell is peace of mind?
I wait on you inside the bottom of the deep blue sea
I wait on you inside the bottom of the deep blue”

Listen to the full audio here:

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3. “Waves” (Acoustic) by Dean Lewis

“Waves” is the opening track from Dean Lewis’ Same Kind of Different EP (released in mid-2017). Life comes in waves, and so does stress and anxiety. The acoustic version sounds better than the original because acoustic tracks strip away everything except the bare bones emotion and instrumentation. 

Here’s a lyric excerpt from the chorus:

“‘Cause it comes and goes in waves
It always does
It always does
We watch as our young hearts fade
Into the flood
Into the flood”

Listen to the full audio here:

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4. “Mercy” by Lewis Capaldi

“Mercy” is the third track off of the Bloom EP, released by Lewis Capaldi in October of 2017. When you’re in the middle of a panic attack (or it feels like one might be coming on) some mercy would be a relief. We can all enjoy and relate to the singer-songwriter’s call for mercy.

Here’s a lyric excerpt from the bride: 

“Somehow I can’t let go
But I know I’ve been holding on too long
Somehow I can’t let go
But I know I’ve been holding on too long”

Listen to the full audio here:

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5. “I Feel Like I’m Drowning” by Two Feet

“I Feel Like I’m Drowning” is a single released in 2017. When you’re weighed down by the everyday stresses, it’s nice to know that you’re not the only one who feels like you’re drowning. Let the dreamy melody and instrumental lift your burdens for a few minutes.

Here’s a lyric excerpt from the chorus:

“I feel like I’m drowning
I’m drowning
You’re holding me down and
Holding me down
You’re killing me slow
So slow, oh-no
I feel like I’m drowning
I’m drowning”

Listen to the full audio here:

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6. “FML” by K.Flay

“FML” is a single that was released by K.Flay in 2016 and it still holds up. When you’re on the verge of a mental breakdown play this song and use it as a release. Shout along with the chorus and relieve all that built-up stress. 

Here’s a lyric excerpt from the first verse:

“I need to stop
I been doing too much
I been running too fast
I been testing my luck”

Listen to the full audio here:

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7. “Locked In A Cage” by Brick + Mortar

“Locked in a Cage” is a single released in 2014 by Brick + Mortar. It’s the perfect anthem for the end of a tough day at work. It’s easy to feel like you’re locked in a cage when you’re stuck doing the same thing for 8 hours every day. The cycle can start to feel like you’re a hamster spinning on a wheel. Let Brick + Mortar relieve some of that feeling. 

Here’s a lyric excerpt from the chorus: 

“Locked in a cage, for a really long time, time, time (Woah)
Locked in a cage, for a long time, time, time (Woah, Woah)
Locked in a cage, for a really long time (Woah)
Locked in a cage, for a long time, time, time”

Listen to the full audio here:

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8. “Rise Up” by Saint PHNX

“Rise Up” is a track from Saint PHNX that’ll give you some motivation to push through the stressful situation that you’re currently in. It was released as a single in 2017 and will have you nodding along to the catchy chorus until you’ve completely forgotten about any stress you had. 

Here’s a lyric excerpt from the pre-chorus: 

“Any spark can light the flame
It’s up to me to find a way
Dreaming of better days
Stop dreaming of better days”

Listen to the full audio here:

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9. “Welcome Home” by Radical Face

“Welcome Home” was released in 2007 with the rest of the album titled Ghost. This one doesn’t need much of an explanation. The authenticity shines through all of Radical Face’s music and once you press play – you’ll understand. Let “Welcome Home” take away some of that extra anxiety that’s not helping you – or anyone else. 

Here’s a lyric excerpt from the first verse:

“Sleep don’t visit, so I choke on sun
And the days blur into one
And the backs of my eyes hum with things I’ve never done”

Listen to the full audio here:

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10. “Lullaby” by Electric President

“Lullaby” is from Electric President’s Sleep Well, released in 2008. This one takes a different approach and covers the topic of relationship stress. We can all relate to the sentiment in our own ways. By the end of “Lullaby”, you’ll definitely see why they titled the album Sleep Well. 

Here’s a lyric excerpt from the latter end of the track:

“Now my head’s come off
And all I know is spilling out into the ground
I’m watching it grow
All these vines will choke me
But I have to grin
It’s a fitting end for where this began”

Listen to the full audio here:

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11. “This Too Shall Pass” by We Are All Astronauts

“This Too Shall Pass” is an ambient instrumental from The Machines EP from We Are All Astronauts. Lyrics aren’t always necessary to get the point across – the music speaks for itself. You can throw this on and let your mind wander into calmer waters. For 4 full minutes, forget your worries and enjoy the music.

(I would recommend listening to the full EP for maximum effect.)

Listen to the full audio here:

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12. “Ocean Floors” by Headphone Activist

“Ocean Floors” is close to 4 minutes of ultimate calmness. Headphone Activist gave us a jewel of an instrumental. If you need to step away from the world for a few and catch your breath, “Ocean Floors” is the perfect escape. (Especially if you want to branch out your current music library with something fresh and calming.)

Listen to the full audio here:

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13. “Hold Fast” by San Holo (ft. Tessa Douwstra)

When we’re caught in the middle of an overwhelming situation, the simple phrase of “Hold Fast” can be the small nudge we need to realize the waves of stress come and go. San Holo really knocked this one out of the park. 

Here’s a lyric excerpt from the chorus, sung by Tessa Douwstra: 

“Hold fast, things past are passing
Go find yourself a brighter day
Hold fast, things past are passing
Go find yourself a brighter day”

Listen to the full audio here:

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14. “In My Mind” by Prismo

“In My Head” is a great song but also a good reminder that sometimes our worries stem from a place in our head that likes to make us believe it’s worse than it really is. Prismo released this single in May of 2017 and it needs more exposure than it’s already gotten. Check it out and remind yourself that sometimes it’s all in your mind.

Here’s a lyric excerpt from the chorus:

“In my mind, in my head
In my mind, in my head
In my mind, in my head
This is what we’re waiting for”

Listen to the full audio here:

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15. “Stuck In Orbit” by What So Not (ft. BUOY)

“Stuck In Orbit” touches on the concept of “if you love it, let it go”. What So Not and BUOY teamed up to construct a piece of music that can help you realize that sometimes dropping something you love won’t be easy. Once you finally do, it can take away the unnecessary stress that that person or thing was causing. 

Here’s a lyric excerpt from the bridge:

“Stuck in orbit
I just wanna feel something
Hard to tell if this emotion
Is something I should let you open”

Listen to the full audio here:

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How Relaxed Do You Feel Now? – I Bet Your Stress Is Gone!

Is that overpowering worry still haunting you? Did some of these songs help calm you down and relieve some stress? I hope this music for calming stress served its purpose. Now you have some albums and artists to go explore. You’ll find another jewel somewhere along the way. 

Our stress and anxiety can make the world feel like it’s closing in on us but tons of other people feel the same exact way. The important thing to remember is that it comes and goes in waves. When you wake up in the morning, you’ll realize that it wasn’t worth all the extra time you spent stressing out about it. 

Thanks for stopping by to relieve some stress, I hope you enjoyed yourself! Let me know what you think in the comments below! If you have any suggestions for some of your favorite de-stressing songs, feel free to let us know!

If you enjoyed these songs, you’ll also like listening to some of the best Calming Music For Anxiety here. Happy listening!

Sonic Elevation: Ride The Waves.