X - SZA 

This was probably the first or second SZA album you ever listened to, unless you’re truly a day one stan before 2014. Z is a prime example of early atmospheric, alternative R&B. A sound that feels both chilling and warm at once. It explores feelings of emptiness and self-worth, but from a place of quiet healing, especially on tracks like Child’s Play, Julia, and Sweet November. There’s a softness to it, a mysticism, like a diary entry written on a cool, overcast fall morning. If music had a color, this album would be a deep burgundy-purple, just like its cover. A little bruised, a little romantic. Sometimes cozy weather doesn’t just bring comfort. It brings complexity. It's the yin and yang of emotional transition, and Z captures that perfectly. Magical, moody, and reflective.

Channel Orange - Frank Ocean 

One of the most iconic albums to come out during Gen Z’s lifetime. The unmistakable color orange and the warm, textured sonic tones of Channel Orange are deeply tied to feelings of lightness, nostalgia, and comfort. If Blonde is winter, then Channel Orange is undeniably fall. The album itself feels synonymous with the start of fall semester. From bus rides to walking home with your headphones in, we listened to Thinking Bout You, Pink Matter, Super Rich Kids, and Pyramidson repeat. There's a deep, rich warmth that feels like summer slowly fading, giving way to cooler air and shorter days. Sometimes, cozycore isn't just about blankets and candles; it’s the feeling akin to a coming-of-age movie, and Channel Orange is the soundtrack.

A Seat at the Table - Solange

Continuing with the theme of self-discovery and coming of age, A Seat at the Table fits seamlessly into the world of cozycore. Solange makes music for the feeling of being 24. Standing at the precipice of something new while shedding the life you've known thus far. This album feels cool in temperature, emotionally expansive, and deeply reflective. I’ll never forget its release date, September 30, 2016. Cozycore is often a time for pausing, looking inward, and contemplating the year that’s passed, and this album perfectly encapsulates that. Songs like Cranes in the Sky, Don’t Touch My Hair, and F.U.B.U. explore intimate and powerful stories tied to the Black experience, wrapped in mellow, soothing sonics that Solange weaves together with care. It’s the sound of holding space for duality, pain and peace, clarity and uncertainty, and somehow finding warmth in it all. Another example of sonics marrying the polarities of life and bringing so much comfort in the process.

Souvlaki - Slowdive 

This album feels like driving through the Appalachians on the East Coast when half the leaves are still clinging to the trees. The crisp air smells cold, earthy, and tinged with pine. It’s the feeling of yearning for someone from the summer while quietly falling for someone new. Even the long, mundane drive to work feels romanticized. Life becomes a movie, and Souvlaki is the soundtrack to your “angsty yet freest you’ll ever be” days. Shoegaze completely rules cozycore and this album is the blueprint.

Flowerboy - Tyler, the Creator
I could cry just thinking about this album. “Take me back to November…” Flower Boy might not have been intentionally made as a fall album, but its warm oranges and cool blue-toned sonics blend perfectly with autumn weather. What makes it especially unique is that Tyler’s from LA, so he’s not making music based on pine trees or mountains. It’s a different kind of autumn; one that's in the city, nostalgic, and sun-soaked, but still undeniably cozy. It's easily one of Tyler’s most introspective records, ideal for throwing on a hoodie, crunching leaves under your feet, and getting lost in your headphones. It’s the kind of album that fits a picnic with friends. Wearing flannels and Vans, laughing, sipping iced vanilla lattes under an orange full moon. Even the cover art, with its iconic orange-red sky and blooming sunflowers, feels like the start of cozy weather.

Px3 - Partynextdoor 

Px3 is incredibly moody, dark, and slow, with songs stretching past seven minutes that are filled with atypical, introspective, and eerie production. This album is perfect for solo late-night drives through the city in fall, especially when you’re caught up in yearning or ruminating over an ex. (We can’t be held liable if you text them.) The tension between desire and emotional distance mirrors the shifting relationship between summer and winter. A push and pull of warmth fading into the cold. The entire project is drenched in deep bass and thick reverb, creating a soundscape that feels both intimate and distant, like a dark sky only lit up by the city's skyline. It’s the perfect soundtrack for anyone in their "single villain era"— embracing solitude, self-reflection, and a little bit of beautiful darkness. The slow tempos and layered textures invite you to get lost in thought, to confront the shadows of past relationships while watching the city blur past your window. Some of my favorite dark autumn night tracks on PX3 are High Hopes, Problems & Selfless, Temptations, and Spiteful.