Phoebe Bridgers has solidified her place as a leading voice in contemporary music. More than just a singer-songwriter, she’s a cultural phenomenon, juggling roles as a record label head (Saddest Factory Records), a SiriusXM radio host for “Saddest Factory Radio,” and a relentless touring artist, fresh off her acclaimed 2021 Reunion Tour and subsequent 2022 dates. Her drive translates directly into her music, marked by raw honesty, poetic storytelling, and a vulnerability that resonates deeply. Bridgers’ songs aren’t just tracks; they are immersive experiences, each lyric a brushstroke painting vivid scenes in the listener’s mind. Her keen observational skills, honed since penning her first song at age 11 and refining her craft at open mic nights, are evident in every carefully chosen word.
Whether you’re a longtime devotee who’s worn out copies of Punisher and Stranger In the Alps, or just beginning to explore her discography, Phoebe Bridgers’ impact on indie music is undeniable. Today, we celebrate her artistry with a countdown of her top 10 greatest songs, each a testament to her unique talent.
10. Moon Song
“Moon Song,” track seven from Punisher, encapsulates the bittersweet ache of unrequited affection. Bridgers delves into the paradoxical desire to be noticed, even if it means enduring mistreatment. The lyrics paint a picture of someone willing to go to great lengths for another, even when those feelings aren’t mirrored. It’s a poignant exploration of self-sacrifice and the complexities of caring for someone struggling with self-hatred.
In her Apple Music commentary for Punisher, Bridgers elaborates on the song’s core theme: “The throughline is that caring about someone who hates themselves is really hard, because they feel like you’re stupid. And you feel stupid. Like, if you complain, then they’ll go away. So you don’t complain and you just bottle it up and you’re like, “No, step on me again, please.”” This raw honesty and vulnerability are hallmarks of Phoebe Bridgers Songs, making “Moon Song” a standout for its emotional depth.
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9. Smoke Signals
“Smoke Signals,” from Stranger in the Alps, is a deeply personal track rooted in real-life experiences. Bridgers revealed that the “anonymous” figure in the song is her former boyfriend and current collaborator, Marshall Vore. Despite their romantic separation, Vore’s co-writing credit on “Smoke Signals” and other tracks across her albums underscores their enduring creative partnership. He continues to be a part of her live performances, playing drums.
Beyond its personal origins, “Smoke Signals” resonates with fans through its rich tapestry of pop culture references— nods to Bowie, Lemmy, and The Smiths—combined with a wistful melody and sharply observant lyrics. The closing line, “you are anonymous, I am a concrete wall,” is particularly striking, encapsulating themes of emotional barriers and identity. The subtle violin strings that follow each chorus only amplify the song’s poignant and lingering effect, contributing to its status as a fan favorite among Phoebe Bridgers songs.
8. Graceland Too
“Graceland Too,” another gem from Punisher, showcases Bridgers’ versatility by leaning into a folkier sound. The title itself, referencing a shrine to Elvis Presley near Graceland, hints at the song’s Americana influences. This track is notable for featuring harmonies from her boygenius bandmates, Julien Baker and Lucy Dacus, adding layers of vocal texture to this country-tinged ballad.
In a Stereogum interview, Bridgers shared the song’s organic creation, revealing she wrote it while traveling to Nashville and specifically envisioned Baker and Dacus contributing. “Graceland Too” continues a recurring theme in Phoebe Bridgers songs: caring for someone struggling with self-care. Its infectious banjo melody and lyrics referencing themes of rehabilitation create a hypnotic and heartfelt listening experience. The collaboration and sonic departure make “Graceland Too” a unique and compelling entry in her catalog.
7. Garden Song
While Phoebe Bridgers has described “Garden Song” as stemming from recurring nightmares during touring, a closer examination of its lyrics reveals a deeper narrative. The song is a masterclass in storytelling, weaving together seemingly disparate images and ideas. It begins with the mundane—a backyard garden, a missing neighbor—before spiraling into introspective reflections on growing up, relationships, and the search for purpose. The reappearance of the “skinhead neighbor” as a haunting presence in the garden adds a layer of surrealism and complexity.
“Garden Song” subtly explores universal questions often faced by young adults: the relationship between past violence and future peace, the evolution of desires from adolescence to adulthood, and the paradox of achieving goals yet still feeling unfulfilled. Bridgers doesn’t offer easy answers, but instead embraces the ambiguity and ongoing nature of these questions. Adding a touch of intrigue, the deep voice in the chorus belongs to Jeroen Vrijhoef, her tour manager, a detail that adds a personal and unexpected element to this introspective Phoebe Bridgers song.
6. Funeral
“Funeral” confronts the often-taboo topic of mortality with unflinching honesty, a hallmark of Phoebe Bridgers songs. As we age, thoughts of death become more frequent, more real. “Funeral” captures this unsettling awareness of our own impermanence, intertwined with themes of depression, dissociation, and the nature of dreams.
The song was written in the aftermath of a close friend’s heroin overdose, a deeply personal event that profoundly impacted Bridgers. She has spoken about the prevalence of death-related thoughts among artists, stating, “I do think about dying a lot. I feel like a lot of my friends, especially artists, are consumed with this idea of the inevitability of death.” While not the only song on Stranger In the Alps to touch upon mortality, “Funeral” resonates with particular intensity. Its blend of folk instrumentation with such heavy subject matter creates a powerful and moving listening experience, solidifying its place among essential Phoebe Bridgers songs.
5. Kyoto
Breaking away from her signature melancholic sound, “Kyoto” injects a dose of upbeat energy into the Punisher tracklist. This song stands out as one of her most commercially successful, offering a sonic journey that feels like a vibrant trip to Japan. The horns, arranged by Bright Eyes’ Nathaniel Walcott, contribute to a fanfare-like instrumentation that sharply contrasts with the song’s lyrical themes.
“Kyoto” explores feelings of impostor syndrome, the performance of authenticity, and Bridgers’ complicated relationship with her father. Despite the lively music, the lyrics delve into deeper, more troubled emotional territory. As Bridgers explained in her Apple Music commentary, “This song is about being on tour and hating tour, and then being home and hating home. I just always want to be where I’m not, which I think is pretty not special of a thought, but it is true.” Originally intended to be filmed in Japan, the iconic music video for “Kyoto” was creatively adapted to a green screen shoot due to pandemic restrictions, resulting in a nostalgic, VHS-style visual that complements the song’s themes of displacement and longing, making it a visually and sonically memorable Phoebe Bridgers song.
4. Chinese Satellite
“Chinese Satellite” is a sonic exploration of agnosticism, wrapped in layers of electric guitar, violin, and subtle electronic textures. The song delves into Bridgers’ internal conflict between a yearning for faith and her rational skepticism. She articulates a desire to believe, drawn to the sense of comfort and meaning it promises, yet grapples with her inability to reconcile faith with her worldview.
The title’s metaphor is central to the song’s meaning. Instead of the traditional “wish upon a star,” Bridgers wishes on a “Chinese satellite,” symbolizing her reliance on tangible, man-made constructs rather than intangible faith. This is further emphasized by the line, “Took a tour to see the stars / But they weren’t out tonight,” often interpreted as a reference to Hollywood’s Starline Tours, highlighting a search for meaning in celebrity culture and science rather than spiritual belief. As Bridgers explained on Apple Music, “If I’m being honest, this song is about turning 11 and not getting a letter from Hogwarts, just realizing that nobody’s going to save me from my life, nobody’s going to wake me up and be like, ‘Hey, just kidding. Actually, it’s really a lot more special than this, and you’re special.’ No, I’m going to be the way that I am forever.” This blend of personal reflection and philosophical questioning makes “Chinese Satellite” a deeply resonant Phoebe Bridgers song.
3. Scott Street
The magic of “Scott Street” lies in its indescribable alchemy. It’s a song where every element—lyrics, melody, atmosphere—converges to create something profoundly moving. Co-written with Marshall Vore, “Scott Street” touches upon both their relationship and a previous, manipulative relationship Vore experienced.
While centered on the pain of past relationships, “Scott Street” delves into the peculiar experience of unexpectedly reconnecting with someone who once held significant importance in your life. It captures the complex emotions—reminiscence, pain, loneliness, anger, and a strange sense of peace—that accompany such encounters. Bridgers’ repeated refrain, “don’t be a stranger,” is emotionally charged, often bringing listeners to tears. The song’s title refers to Scott Avenue near Bedrock L.A., a rehearsal space where Bridgers and Vore spent time during their relationship, grounding the song in a specific location and shared history, further enhancing its emotional impact as one of the most poignant Phoebe Bridgers songs.
2. I Know the End
“I Know the End,” the closing track of Punisher, is an epic folk ballad that resonates with the anxieties of the modern age. Released amidst global uncertainties, the song taps into a collective sense of unease, exploring themes of apocalypse and embracing the unknown. It begins with a slow, haunting melody, gradually building into a powerful, cathartic crescendo.
The song’s structure mirrors a journey, starting in quiet contemplation and erupting into a triumphant, almost chaotic release. The inclusion of trumpets, potentially referencing the biblical apocalypse, and the raw, primal screams add layers of intensity. “I Know the End” serves as a grand, theatrical finale to Punisher, encapsulating the album’s themes of vulnerability and existential reflection in a uniquely Phoebe Bridgers style. In her Apple Music commentary, Bridgers described the song as fulfilling several creative desires: “This is a bunch of things I had on my to-do list: I wanted to scream; I wanted to have a metal song; I wanted to write about driving up the coast to Northern California, which I’ve done a lot in my life. It’s like a super specific feeling. This is such a stoned thought, but it feels kind of like purgatory to me, doing that drive, just because I have done it at every stage of my life, so I get thrown into this time that doesn’t exist when I’m doing it, like I can’t differentiate any of the times in my memory.”
1. Motion Sickness
“Motion Sickness” stands as Phoebe Bridgers’ most critically acclaimed and commercially successful song, and arguably her most intensely personal. The track directly addresses emotional distress caused by an older man, described metaphorically as “emotional motion sickness.” It recounts a relationship where she felt both elevated and ultimately heartbroken, left with lingering pain and confusion.
The song opens with a starkly contradictory and powerful line: “I hate you for what you did / And I miss you like a little kid.” Bridgers has revealed that “Motion Sickness” is about Ryan Adams, who produced her debut EP Killer in 2015. Following a 2019 New York Times article detailing allegations of emotional, sexual, and physical abuse against Adams by Bridgers and other women, the song took on an even deeper resonance. “Motion Sickness” channels Bridgers’ pain and vulnerability into a powerful artistic statement. Despite its heavy subject matter, the song maintains a brisk pace, suggesting a journey toward healing and resilience. It exemplifies why Phoebe Bridgers resonates so deeply with listeners: her willingness to expose her vulnerabilities creates a powerful connection, offering solace and understanding to those experiencing similar struggles, making “Motion Sickness” the definitive Phoebe Bridgers song.
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Article Image: Phoebe Bridgers performing live at Newport Folk Fest 2023, capturing the captivating stage presence of the indie singer-songwriter. (sharonstancourt [CC BY 2.0] via Flickr.)
