Best Chillhop & lo-fi Spotify Playlists in 2023

A screenshot of a number of chillhop Spotify playlists

With hundreds of lofi hip-hop, chillhop and instrumental hip-hop, Spotify playlists each themed around certain moods, activities, and other aspects of everyday life, it can be tough to find the right one for you. So, to slim down the choice a little, I thought I’d make things simpler by highlight some of my top chillhop Spotify playlists for whatever you’re into.

upbeat lofi vibes

Over the past year, I’ve really been putting a lot of work into my own playlist. One playlist that I’m really proud of is my upbeat lofi vibes playlist which features a whole bunch of unique upbeat, happy, and chill vibes, including some with a real old-school instrumental hip-hop twist.

Lush Vibes

Although this might look like Spotify’s Lush Lofi editorial, it’s not… well, it is, but it’s a version of the playlist from wayyyyy back (2017 to be exact) and it’s definitely a different vibe from the “Lush Lofi” playlist we hear today. This has still been a firm favourite for me, so that’s why it continues to make an appearance in this list.

LOFI AND CHILL

I can’t really talk about lofi without including one of the biggest supporters of the genre, Lofi Vibe. If you’re looking for some really eclectic independent lofi, this playlist is for you as it’s curated with the community in mind.

Lofi Jazz 🎷

I’m definitely on more of an old-school kick right now. Classic sampled beats, dusty vibes, and some really smooth instrumentals. Hop Dozer definitely has some talent on their roster, and it shows in this flagship playlist of theirs.

Lofi Work

Lofi Work is probably the best lofi playlist to optimise productivity when either working from home or if you’ve had to drag yourself back into the office. It features a nice balance between quiet, mellow lofi and tracks that are a little more upbeat, perfect for keeping the work day fresh and exciting.

#lofihiphop

If you’re looking for a playlist that is created entirely by a Twitter bot, then #lofihiphop by Insert Records is one for you. The idea behind this is that their Twitter bot scrapes the platform for Tweets featuring the term or hashtag lofihiphop that also includes a Spotify link, and adds it to the playlist. It’s definitely an interesting way to find hidden gems.

lofi Jazz 🎷

Our friends over at Chill Select have always been pretty dope with their curation and their flagship playlist proves that as it’s a mix of not only their own label releases but some top talent from the independent beatmaker scene.

Lofi Sleep Sounds

While most big playlists within the lofi scene are curated either by artists themselves or labels, Lofi Sleep Sounds is a playlist that I’ve always enjoyed when trying to wind down and it’s curated by someone who just enjoys the music rather than creates it. It’s definitely one to check out.

Not strictly lofi, but has a similar vibe:

While I do love lofi, there’s also a lot of music on the fringe of this subgenre of music that’s worth listening to. So here are a couple of playlists that aren’t strictly lofi hip-hop but have a similar vibe, mostly feature instrumental beats, and are just generally a good time.

Plunderphonics

While this one isn’t lo-fi per-sé, the term Plunderphonics pretty much encapsulates a lot of where lo-fi hip-hop comes from – specifically the area of lo-fi that utilises sample chops. This particular playlist is one I keep going back to a few times as it’s full of inspiration and some real talent when it comes to creating brand-new music from unique samples.

Acid Jazz

Again, this isn’t strictly lo-fi or even chillhop for that matter, Spotify’s Acid Jazz editorial actually has some real old-school instrumental (and not) hip-hop bangers that blend beats with jazz. Just like lofi, but it’s not lofi. Either way, it’s a playlist I’ve been bumping for a while now and I dig it and think you will too.

Barber Beats

Inspired by the artist ‘Haircuts for Men’, this playlist is a collection of instrumental downtempo mixed with vaporwave and electronic. It’s definitely a playlist I find myself returning to again and again when I want that lofi vibe but with a little bit more spice.

I’d definitely love to know what your thoughts are on any of the above playlists, or if you have any suggestions of lofi hip-hop or chillhop Spotify playlists that should make the cut as I’ll be regularly updating this list!

Leave a comment below.