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Weedar, a loyalty and distribution platform for cannabis, recently conducted research to find the Top 15 best songs for getting high.
The company found that 69% of Gen Z prefers marijuana over alcohol. Google searches for “best music for getting high” have risen by more than 645% this summer, while searches for “songs for getting high” jumped by over 144%, according to Weedar.
To formulate the playlist, Weedar analyzed 5,506 tracks from 20 weed-themed Spotify playlists, ranking each song by number of plays and how many playlists it featured in.
Your brain on weed and music
“There are few better feelings than experiencing music that perfectly matches your stoned state of mind,” said Jonathan Bohun, founder and CEO of Weedar. “According to studies, when weed binds to the cannabinoid receptors in the brain, it triggers our reward system and amplifies the effects of music. In some cases, it can even induce synesthesia.”
Bohun continued: “There’s an incredible range of music genres and styles to smoke to, including classic rock, hip-hop, and electronic beats, that will make every high feel just as euphoric as the first. It’s always worth discovering new sounds.”
Hip-Hop dominates smoke time
Hip-hop came out on top of their original list of 30 songs, dominating all other genres. While hip-hop is popular music, there are sonic and intellectual reasons why it’s the top choice for smoke sessions.
Hip-hop artists like Roddy Ricch and Childish Gambino are heavy at the top of the top 15 songs list both in plays and playlist features.
Roddy Ricci’s “The Box” is number 1, with 1.6 billion plays across 4 weed-themed playlists.John Jones | For NJ Advance Media
“In terms of technicalities, there are a few things. The first is the rhythmic nature of hip-hop beats. The steady, repetitive drum patterns and bass lines are hypnotic and immersive,” said Talal Khan, music production blogger and audio engineer.
“Additionally, hip-hop features intricate wordplay, clever metaphors, and storytelling techniques. These are engaging and thought-provoking elements that, when paired with cannabis, enhance people’s appreciation for the poetic and creative aspects,” said Khan.
“There is a shared cultural and historical background between hip-hop and marijuana use, both are associated with rebellion against mainstream norms. Hip-hop is all about self-expression, individuality, personal freedom, and escaping societal constraints, very similar to smoking weed,” he said.
Khan said that artists such as Wiz Khalifa and Berner — of the internationally popular cannabis brand, Cookies — have launched their own cannabis brands, and labels such as Atlantic Records have established partnerships with cannabis companies.
Top songs from weed-related Spotify playlists
According to this list, when it’s time to light up and blow down, people prefer to listen to contemporary hip-hop. Artists like Roddy Ricch and Childish Gambino are heavy at the top of the list both in plays and playlist features. Popular singer-rapper Drake has four entries on the list.
Here’s the Top 15 songs to get high to, ranked by plays.
- The Box by Roddy Ricch — number of plays: 1,648,877,838; number of Spotify weed playlists: 4
- Redbone by Childish Gambino — number of plays: 1,390,050,092; number of Spotify weed playlists: 8
- Highest in the Room by Travis Scott — number of plays: 1,371,929,151; number of Spotify weed playlists: 7
- Passionfruit by Drake — number of plays: 1,336,181,973; number of Spotify weed playlists: 4
- Work by Rihanna and Drake — number of plays: 1,251,312,298; number of Spotify weed playlists: 3
- Young, Wild and Free by Snoop Dogg, Wiz Khalifa and Bruno Mars — number of plays: 1,222,381,611; number of Spotify weed playlists: 7
- Money Trees by Kendrick Lamar and Jay Rock — number of plays: 1,053,811,027; number of Spotify weed playlists: 5
- White Iverson by Post Malone — number of plays: 1,024,762,840; number of Spotify weed playlists: 7
- Nonstop by Drake — number of plays: 987,565,699; number of Spotify weed playlists: 5
- See You Again by Tyler, The Creator and Kali Uchis — number of plays: 986,808,909; number of Spotify weed playlists: 5
- What You Know Bout Love by Pop Smoke — number of plays: 967,201,217; number of Spotify weed playlists: 6
- No Guidance by Chris Brown and Drake — number of plays: 919,218,441; number of Spotify weed playlists: 5
- Murder on My Mind by YNW Melly — number of plays: 907,061,254; number of Spotify weed playlists: 4
- It Was a Good Day by Ice Cube — number of plays: 863,220,814; number of Spotify weed playlists: 5
- 20 Min by Lil Uzi Vert — number of plays:795,814,177; number of Spotify weed playlists: 4
Let the summer hits roll!
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Gabby Warren is NJ.com’s Cannabis Life reporter. She’ll be covering all things weed retail, commerce and culture.
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