This indie rock classic is found on Beabadoobee’s most recent album, “This is How Tomorrow Moves.” This song uses heavy, dreamy electric and acoustic guitars. The heavier guitar reflects emotions of frustration and anger. This song confronts the issues of being overworked, especially on tour, along with feeling isolated and lonely in a demanding lifestyle. She describes a “rough ride” and wanting to just get away. This song correlates to California as it describes the time being in the state as being “too much,” feeling almost like a chore on tour rather than a fun vacation or visit. Although being catchy and very personal to her, this song doesn’t quite capture California’s charm as accurately as the others in this ranking. Although not being a straightforward insult to the state, it represents a longing to leave the state and go home rather than relish in its beauty while visiting.

This indie, dream-pop ballad stands as one of Chappell Roan’s most emotional songs on her hit album, “The Rise and Fall of a Midwest Princess.” The instrumentals mainly consist of a sorrowful piano, acoustic guitar, and her raw vocals. Chappell Roan is exceptionally unique with her use of vocal flips and overall strong and powerful voice. In this track, she sings about regretting moving to California to chase her dreams of being a musician. She describes being lonely and homesick, missing her life in the midwest. She complained of the endless sunshine found on the west coast and yearned for the moving seasons back home. At the time of this release, her career had not yet taken off and she regretted her move deeply. Like beabadoobee’s “California,” this song also represents a longing to leave rather than to stay. However, this song does a better job at describing the California environment that most do tend to love.

Lorde released this indie folk, psychedelic pop track on her 2021 album “Solar Power.” You can clearly hear an acoustic guitar behind the nostalgic, relaxed instrumental and vocals. Despite the laid-back sound of the song, she discusses the struggles of being a famous figure in Hollywood and wanting to leave it all behind. She complains of the party life, ridiculous beauty standards, and stereotypical rainless weather. These concepts, assumed to be luxuries by most, she admits are just not worth being scrutinized by the public eye. As Lorde talks about the reality of being part of the higher society of Hollywood, it is not fully representative of the entire state. In fact, very few citizens of California are able to truly relate to the struggles that come with Lorde’s level of fame.

This is yet another iconic soft rock ballad by Lana Del Rey found on her 2019 album “Norman F*cking Rockwell!” Listeners are immediately met with a synth wave and melancholic piano melodies. This song has a reflective, emotional, and romantic tone as she invites an old loved one to return to California. If they come back, she plans to care for them deeply and reconcile over past cherished memories. As a fun fact, this song is supposed to serve as a response to Joni Mitchell’s “California,” wanting their partner to come back from being abroad. She mentions going back to Santa Ana, calling the audience to feel her connection to the state that belongs to the old pair. She truly captures the beauty in California and advertises it to the audience in the way that she intends to invite her lover. Much like Lorde’s “California,” Lana Del Rey captures a very specific lifestyle of being in Southern California, partying and dancing until dawn. This is not the only thing that could be found beautiful in this state.

Joni Mitchell released an incredible folk song on her album “Blue” in 1971. Uniquely, she plays the Appalachian mountain dulcimer as the main instrument, a long string instrument that’s laid in one’s lap and plucked almost like a harp. Her voice is just as impressive as her talent on the dulcimer, being quite a difficult song to sing. This song discusses being homesick while vacationing in Europe as she longs to come back to California. She describes this state as being her “home.” She compares her experiences around Europe to the life she misses back home, the life where she felt whole and most true to herself. Joni Mitchell expresses her true love for California in this track, missing it with her whole heart despite experiencing other things out in the world. She ranks California above Paris, Greece, and even Spain. This undying love and loyalty to her home best highlight California’s true charm and grace.