Welcome, ladies and gentlemen, to the release month for my third novel, The Crush! I’m so pumped to have y’all here to celebrate with me!

Since The Crush is a book about making music despite the trials and tribulations of life, we’re kicking off release month by talking about the book’s official Spotify playlist and what each of these songs has to do with the novel.

If you haven’t already, be sure to add The Crush to your Goodreads TBR!

Please note that the songs do not necessarily have to be played in this order. This is just the order I added them on the Spotify playlist, so it is recommended to listen to them in the order you prefer based on my descriptions!

Track 1: “Happily Ever After” by He is We

This song forever reminds me of the opening scene in a romcom where we first meet the main character and discover what makes her outlook on love tick. The song itself begs the question “how does our love story end, and do we end up happy?” And that 100% captures what I was going for when writing The Crush.

Track 2: “Fall” by He is We

Songs by indie band, He is We, definitely capture the many moods of Emery. “Fall” is no exception, as it is a rant from a girl who feels she was led on by a guy and desperately wants to get over him. I recommend listening to this one about 40% into reading The Crush.

Track 3: “Imagine That” by Diamond Rio

This one really should be listened to first, as it is mentioned in the Prologue and is Emery’s favorite song. Emery grew up listening to Diamond Rio, and “Imagine That” is an upbeat country song that talks about loves that last forever in a time where separation and giving up on relationships are favored. This song basically sums up the themes of the novel.

Track 4: “Teardrops On My Guitar” by Taylor Swift

Since Emery is a closet songwriter and guitar player, I couldn’t bear to leave this song out of the soundtrack. Because of the notoriety of this song, I won’t go into explaining exactly why I included “Teardrops on My Guitar”, but I recommend listening to it anywhere from 40% – 50% into reading The Crush.

Track 5: “Pardon Me” by He is We

“Pardon Me” is yet another He is We song that perfectly captures Emery’s views on love. The song is about a girl who has feelings for someone, but can’t articulate or act on her feelings. She then blames her heart for “tearing her apart” with her crush. In terms of listening to this song while reading, it will work for any time Emery reads a journal entry.

Track 6: “Just a Friend” by Jamie Grace (feat. Manwell)

This song speaks of the importance of learning to be “just a friend” to someone before entering a dating relationship, which is also a theme in the novel. I’ll trust y’all to know when to listen to this song while reading, so I won’t give anything away. 😉

Track 7: “How Your Love Makes Me Feel” by Diamond Rio

Y’all!!! *Tries to contain squealing* If you ever need a cutesy, fangirling song while reading The Crush, I highly recommend playing this one! Diamond Rio perfectly captures what it’s like to be in love with this song, and it’s Emery’s favorite band, so… ❤

Track 8: “Walkin’ Away” by Diamond Rio

This song, while not necessarily relating to any particular scene in the book, corresponds with one of the overall messages of The Crush: true love goes on despite minor setbacks and fights.

Track 9: “Letter to Me” by Brad Paisley

“Letter to Me” is referenced near the beginning of the novel as the song by Brad Paisley playing on the radio, so that was my original reason for including it in the soundtrack; however, I challenge you to listen to this track again after reading and see if you see any connections to The Crush. I did not intend for it to have such relevance to a certain character, but it ended up being a more fitting song than I realized.

Track 10: “Jolene” by Dolly Parton

Emery is a fan of Parton’s music, and the name Jolene is mentioned at the beginning of the novel when Emery’s brother, Rider, mangles someone’s name. Future events that take place in the book may allude to a similar situation that takes place in the song, but that was not the entire reason I added it as a track.

Track 11: “Crush” by David Archuleta

Look at the title of the book, and you’ll probably realize why I included this song. 😛 Plus, the song was released in 2008, which is when the novel’s story first begins.

Track 12: “Invisible” by Taylor Swift

The lyrics of this song just fit SO WELL with Emery and Sawyer’s dynamic toward the middle of the novel and GAH. ❤ Just listen to it after the first jam session scene, and you’ll know what I’m talking about.

Track 13: “Rubberneckin'” by Elvis Presley

Again, having no real correlation to any particular scene, this Elvis song just reminds me of young Grandma Adeline and Grandpa Amos in the book (even though they were teens in the 40s and this song wasn’t even out yet, but sue me), and how Grandma Adeline wanted to avoid those “rubbernecking chickens” of guys in her school.

Track 14: “Remember When” by Alan Jackson

The saddest song on the track list (well, to me, anyway), “Remember When” is mentioned by name during a particular scene about halfway through the book. This song has a personal significance to me, as well as Emery.

Track 15: “I’m Gonna Be Somebody” by Travis Tritt

I threw this one in the mix because this is basically Sawyer’s theme song. Though this song has been out a while, I recently really listened to the lyrics for the first time and thought it was a perfect fit for The Crush! Play this one whenever Sawyer talks about pursuing his music dreams.

Track 16: “Be Kind” by Marshmello (feat. Halsey)

Recommended to me by my editor, Rayleigh, after she read the book, “Be Kind” is a fantastic description of the relationship Emery and Sawyer have in the book. I advise to play this song after reading the novel for maximum fangirling feels! 😉

Track 17: “Are You Lonesome Tonight?” by Elvis Presley

This song is directly referenced when a character plays it over halfway into the book. Though it doesn’t necessarily represent any themes in the book, I wanted to include it.

Track 18: “Blessed Assurance” by Alan Jackson

This hymn has a special significance to a certain character in the book, and is mentioned twice. I recommend listening to it both times it is referenced and really listen to the lyrics. Please note: you may cry.

Track 19: “I’ll Be” by Edwin McCain

Like “Be Kind”, “I’ll Be” is another great representation of Emery and Sawyer’s relationship after the halfway point in the book, and it just gives me all the feels. ❤

Track 20: “Ellsworth” by Rascal Flatts

Last but not least, “Ellsworth” reminds me SO much of Emery’s grandparents’ early days, despite this song being about a woman with Alzheimer’s. While neither Amos or Adeline had Alzheimer’s, the song references the couple’s early days, and the whole aesthetic it describes fits perfectly.

Talk to Me, Arrowheads!

Did you enjoy this playlist? If you’re all up in your feelings now, I’ve got news for you! Pre-orders are now LIVE! Claim your ebook for $3.99 here!

If you’d rather save The Crush for later, be sure to add it on Goodreads!

Thanks for all your support, Arrowheads! Y’all are amazing! ❤

Aim high, stay strong, and always hit your mark.

-Allyson 😀