Top 14 Rainy Day Songs for the Spring

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Spring promises sunnier days ahead, but usually with a few showers sprinkled in, making it a perfect time to cozy up for a rainy day inside. With the help of a modern record store, like Victrola, you can make the most of a rainy day with a curated playlist to fit the mood.

These rainy day songs off albums from our record store play on the feeling of the season. Set the mood with candles, a cup of tea, and a few of your favorite records to enjoy the sounds of artists spanning several decades.

#1 “Stormy Weather” by Billie Holiday

Stormy weather and Billie Holiday go hand in hand in more ways than one. Her scratchy jazz vocals match the feeling of melancholy when skies are grey and raindrops are apparent. The song “Stormy Weather” appears on her Platinum Collection White Vinyl album, which features 42 of her all-time best classics. Though the lyrics of the track reminisce on a missed romance, the longing in her voice fits right in with a less-than-sunny day.

Billie Holiday is known for her distinctive jazz vocals and mix of moody and tinkly tunes. Also on the album is “Pennies from Heaven,” which lends itself to her more upbeat side and offers a sense of optimism to an otherwise cloudy day. This well-known song has been recorded by various artists, but Holiday brings her own special touch to the track.

#2 “Rainbow” by Kacey Musgraves

After a rainy spell, a rainbow accented sky is usually the reward after being stuck indoors. Kacey Musgraves’ “Rainbow” track is the last one on her best-selling album Golden Hour. With playful lyrics and a soulful country sound, she sings about love as well as her own personal growth, which is assured to reinvigorate your spirit when it’s gloomy and raining.

Citing Sade and Neil Young as musical influences, her sound delivers the relaxing vibe these artists also provoke, perfect for making the most of a gloomy sky and unwanted showers.

#3 “November Rain” by Guns ‘N Roses

Guns N’ Roses’ impressive debut album Appetite for Destructio n was released in 1987. Their driving vocals reflect on their mega-hits, including “Welcome to the Jungle,” “Sweet Child o’ Mine,” and “Paradise City.” On the flip side, Gun ‘N Roses were equally known for their rock power ballads, such as their top-ten Billboard hit, “November Rain.”

Released from their third studio album, Use Your Illusion I, in 1991, it made history as the longest recorded song to ever enter the top ten with a track time of 8:57. For Guns ‘N Roses fans, their epic hit can also be found on their compilation Greatest Hits album.

Check out your favorite tunes or discover new ones. Explore the record store!

#4 “Fire and Rain” by James Taylor

As one of the best rainy day songs, the soothing folk sound of James Taylor is enough to make rainy weather feel comfortable and cozy. Listening to “Fire and Rain” off the James Taylor Live album lets you feel like you’re part of the audience during one of his 1992 concert stops.

The double album takes you through all of his best hits through the decades. And, although “Fire and Rain” was written during a darker time in the songwriter’s life, his gentle sound and lyrics are still reflective and serve as a musical meditation for a rainy day. Sit back on a Sunday when it's raining and explore what this album has to offer.

#5 “Have You Ever Seen the Rain?” by Creedence Clearwater Revival

Country rock group Creedence Clearwater Revival is best known for their driving guitar riffs and upbeat tunes, but their single “Have You Ever Seen the Rain?” slows down the tempo and matches a cloudy mood with ease.

It's the fourth track on their Pendulum album, reaching the top ten of the Billboard Hot 100 charts. Though largely known for their opinions of the Vietnam War during the height of their fame, CCR’s lead member John Fogerty talks about this particular song being about the rising tension within the group, which lends itself to the palpable sadness you can feel as you listen.

#6 “Through the Rain” by Mariah Carey

It’s not uncommon for rain to be used as a metaphor for hard times by musical artists. Award-winning R&B and pop songstress Mariah Carey plays on the mood and interpretation of it through both her lyrics and music video for her single “Through the Rain'' off her Charmbracelet album.

When speaking about the emotional tune, she shared it was a creative expression due to her personal and professional struggles in 2002. Charmbracelet went on to sell over three million albums in its released year.

#7 “Here Comes the Sun” by The Beatles

If a day of nonstop rain and thunder has you feeling blue, The Beatles’ “Here Comes the Sun” can instantly brighten up your day with its gentle melody. Originally recorded for the famed Abbey Road, this song also appears on their compilation album of number one hits, aptly titled 1.

This song was written specifically for George Harrison and is a sunny spring song, as it talks about “ice slowly melting” after a “long cold lonely winter.” You can almost feel the warmth of sunbeams peeking through the clouds as you listen to this track.

#8 “The Bones” by Maren Morris

Maren Morris’s Girl album is the follow-up to her successful debut album Hero, which reached number one on the Top Country Albums chart. Girl takes on an optimistic and resilient tone, particularly with her hit single, “The Bones,” the second hit single to be released from the album.

As many artists have done before, she sings about weathering a (personal) storm by making sure “the bones” of the foundation are good. The catchy tune serves as one of her most popular radio-friendly hits. And, it also met critical acclaim, being nominated for a Grammy for Best Country Song.

#9 “Hello” by Adele

It’s always fun when music directly fits into a theme. However, not all rainy day songs have to include weather in the title. Sometimes it’s a feeling that a song inspires to capture the moment.

“Hello” off Adele’s 25 album is the epitome of music that gives you goosebumps. Her sepia-toned music video for the single was shot in the Montreal countryside. Although it talks about lost love, the lyrics and setting evoke the feeling of being a bit lonesome that may emerge when stuck indoors during the rain.

#10 “Hotel California” by The Eagles

Typically listed under the genre of “light rock,” The Eagles are a classic addition to any lazy day playlist. “Hotel California” is arguably their most iconic song off their best-selling Hell Freezes Over album. It’s immediately recognizable from its opening chords and has a sing-along chorus that makes it a fan favorite even in today’s culture.

Despite the grittier meaning behind the lyrics, the sound of soft guitar and tenor of Don Henley’s voice make this track an obvious choice to add to a list of rainy day songs.

#11 “The Funeral” by Band of Horses

Known best for creating what many refer to as emo-centric music, Band of Horses knows how to evoke melancholy. For their 2006 album release of Everything All the Time, they slowly expanded into a more mainstream crowd, with the help of their popular single, “The Funeral.”

The song was recorded in 2005 and was listed by Pitchfork Media as one of the greatest songs of the 2000s. Despite the ominous title of the track, it’s been said the lead singer may have simply been likening the feeling of attending social events to attending a funeral. Whatever the interpretation may be, there’s no denying the song’s haunting lyrics and its assumed position on a seasonal playlist.

#12 “I Will Remember You” by Sarah McLachlan

Sarah McLachlan is an artist that knows how to make her listeners get in touch with their feelings. One of her most popular songs to date is “I Will Remember You,” which appeared in the top 15 on the Billboard Hot 100 and Canadian Hot 100 charts. Her emotive voice and personal lyrics make for the best combination for contemplating life while watching the rain fall.

“I Will Remember You” is a track from her Mirrorball live album, released in 1999, as a compilation of her performances from her previous two albums, Fumbling Towards Ecstacy and Surfacing.

#13 “It’s All Coming Back to Me Now” by Celine Dion

“It’s All Coming Back to Me Now” is one of Celine Dion’s most theatrical songs, in some parts, emulating the sound of rolling thunder, a readymade soundtrack for a day of spring showers. Her vocal range combined with the drama and lyrics of the song make this an epic choice for a rainy day.

This great song is the first track off her fourth English-language studio album, Falling Into You. With a mix of beautiful ballads produced from music industry powerhouses, such as Diane Warren and David Foster, the entire record is an ideal choice to weather any storm.

#14 “A Safe Place to Land” by Sara Bareilles feat. John Legend

For easy listening inside as spring showers continue outside, “A Safe Place to Land'' is a beautiful song Sara Bareillis shares with John Legend on her album Amidst the Chaos. Her inspiration for the song was centered around the immigration crisis at the border in 2018, and this ballad is meant to be a soothing reprieve for all those listening. It’s a meaningful ending to her sixth studio album and a nice way to bookend any rainy day playlist.

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