Music and Marijuana: The 11 Best Songs to Listen to While Smoking Cannabis

So…what kind of music do you listen to when you use cannabis?

The answer varies from person to person, depending on their musical tastes. So it was a bit challenging for us to put together this post on the 11 best songs to listen to while smoking cannabis! But we do feel like cannabis has an essential vibe to it that’s amplified when you play certain songs or musical genres.

Or maybe not! Music speaks to our emotions, and you could make the argument that music and cannabis only amplify what you’re already feeling. Someone could pop an edible gummy and be in perfect bliss listening to Bob Marley’s “Easy Skanking” while someone else could eat that same gummy and feel the same level of ecstasy if they put on Mozart’s “Sonata for 2 Pianos in D Major.”

The point is that you should play whatever makes you feel good, whether it’s hip-hop, reggae, EDM, R&B, rock, country, classical, jazz, etc. That being said, we do have some opinions on what we think are the best songs to go with cannabis; nearly half of the ones we came up with are about cannabis itself!

So…with all that out of the way, here are the 11 best songs to listen to while smoking cannabis!

1. “The Star-Spangled Banner” by Jimi Hendrix

Most American championship sports matches begin with someone singing “The Star-Spangled Banner,” so it’s only fitting that we begin this list with Jimi Hendrix’s famous rendition of our national anthem.

Interestingly enough, this past August was the 50th anniversary of Woodstock, and Hendrix closed out the entire festival with a medley that included “The Star-Spangled Banner,” “Purple Haze” (another quintessential song to pair with cannabis) and “Voodoo Child (Slight Return).” Hendrix’s version of the anthem was controversial and unforgettable – a triumph blending of an American classic infused with rock and jazz.

2. “Mary Jane” by Rick James

In an interview with Rolling Stone, Rick James fervently declared that he didn’t buy cannabis in ounces; he bought it in pounds.

First of all…yikes! Second of all, we can’t say that we’re surprised to hear that.

The legality of his purchasing habits aside, Mary Jane was clearly one of his greatest loves, and what better way to demonstrate that than by writing an un-ironic love song to the plant? And to be honest, the heart, passion, and melody in this song rival any love ballad written for a human being. You get the feeling that Mary Jane is more than just “a plant.” She’s a person, worthy of love and respect just like anybody else!

3. “Kaya” by Bob Marley

We’ve all been there. Crappy morning. Cloudy sky. The rain is falling hard. You’re in a dark mood. Will the sun ever shine again?

Of course, it will. Ya just need a little “kaya” – which is Jamaican slang for “cannabis.” Here we have Bob Marley extolling the power of the wake-and-bake and how it can turn your day around in a flash.

Over and over he sings, “Gotta have kaya now!” So listen to this song and get familiar with the lyrics so that the next time you wake up to a garbage morning, you’ll know exactly what to do: get some kaya…now!

4. “Daydreamin” by Lupe Fiasco (feat. Jill Scott)

Lupe Fiasco has a fever dream about marching through Washington D.C. while sitting on top of a giant robot. Jill Scott on accompanying vocals adds the sense of a hypnotic spell being cast over the listener. The result: a searing meditation on economics, politics, and the mainstream hip-hop industry. Smoke a bowl and let this song help you eject from the Matrix…

5. “Pillow Talk feat. Brain” by Lil Dicky

How does one properly introduce this hilarious, mind-bending sketch comedy rap video by Lil Dicky? You can’t really. Just have to watch it. So head on over to YouTube and be prepared to laugh. And think. And laugh some more. And smoke. Can’t forget that last one…

6. “Power” by Kanye West

Power corrupts, but this music video from Kanye West is a pure masterpiece – though it’s less a video and more like a moving portrait depicting the titanic struggle for power that plays out in the world and within our psyches. Kanye’s own struggles have played out in spectacularly dramatic fashion countless times in the media, and he’s been very open about his battle with bipolar disorder and fame.

Watch this video, and you’ll get a brief window into the war that rages on within his soul…and possibly yours.

7. “The Chain” by Fleetwood Mac

Switching gears a little bit, let’s dive into some classic rock. “The Chain” by Fleetwood Mac has high melodies, harmonies, and a driving bass that lends itself well to psychedelic states of mind.

Just imagine flashing colors, rotating geometric patterns, and comets flashing across your inner eye, and you’ll have a sense of what this song can offer you after burning a pre-roll or two…

8. “Come Sail Away” by Styx

Sailing off into the horizon, determined to make your own destiny. Overwhelmed by nostalgia, by memories of childhood dreams. Getting beamed up by aliens. There’s a lot happening in this rock ballad that halfway through transforms into a guitar-driven anthem…with a long synthesizer break thrown in for good measure.

“Come Sail Away” is an ode to the free spirit that lives inside of all of us. The pure emotion, vulnerability, unselfconsciousness, and campiness should fit perfectly with any strain of cannabis you’re smoking.

9. “Thunderstruck” by AC/DC

Maybe not the best song if you’re smoking an Indica or even certain hybrid strains. But if you’re trying to get pumped up with a strong Sativa to start your day, there are few classic rock songs that can get your octane level into the stratosphere like AC/DC’s “Thunderstruck.”

That beginning guitar riff along with the pounding bass drum and the chant of “THUNDER!” alone is enough to get you going. No wonder they use this song in so many movies!

10. “Dopesmoker” by Sleep

Bored? Got an hour to kill? If so, then you have time to listen to “Dopesmoker” by Sleep. This critically-acclaimed one-song album–a little over an hour in length – is about a caravan of cannabis priests traveling across the desert, smoking from bongs, engaging in ganja-related mystical rites.

It is a trip. It’s epic. And if stoner metal + doom metal is your cup of tea, then so is “Dopesmoker.” So set aside an hour of your time, get some noise-canceling headphones, and get ready to go on a spiritual pilgrimage unlike any other…

11. “Because I Got High” by Afroman

Of course, a list like this wouldn’t be complete without this classic by Afroman. And after recommending “Dopesmoker,” a song that elevates cannabis to a religious level, it only seems right to balance it out with this song, which is a cautionary tale about using cannabis too much. Yes, there is such a thing…

But in an interesting turn of events, Afroman re-did this song in conjunction with Weedmaps and NORML. It’s the Positive Remix, and it highlights all the medical benefits of cannabis.

And that sums up our list of the 11 best songs to listen to while smoking cannabis! Like we said in the intro, it’s definitely a subjective list because we all got different tastes, whether it’s music or cannabis strains.

Luckily, Essence Cannabis Dispensary has the largest variety of products that you’ll find anywhere in the Las Vegas Valley. So if there’s a particular strain or product that you’re looking for, there’s an excellent chance we have it. Visit us at any of our three locations — Las Vegas Strip, Tropicana West, and Henderson — and one of our dispensary consultants will help you out.

And of course, you can always place an order online for either pickup or delivery!