Hans J. Hoffmann/ullstein bild via Getty ImagesBy MATT FRIEDLANDER, ABC News

Need some joy and happiness during the COVID-19 pandemic? How about some “Songs of Hope and Happiness?”

A new article titled “Happiness in Hard Times,” in the upcoming June/July issue of AARP The Magazine, includes a playlist designed to lift people’s spirits.  Titled “Songs of Hope & Happiness,” the Spotify playlist features nearly 90 classic songs, including The Beatles‘ “Here Comes the Sun,” The Rolling Stones‘ “Happy,” Journey‘s “Don’t Stop Believin’,” Fleetwood Mac‘s “Don’t Stop,” U2‘s Beautiful Day,” Stevie Wonder‘s “Higher Ground,” The Beach Boys‘ “Don’t Worry Baby,” and Bruce Springsteen‘s “Land of Hope and Dreams.”

Also on the playlist: The Cars‘ “Good Times Roll,” Gloria Gaynor‘s “I Will Survive,” The Kinks‘ “Better Things,” Electric Light Orchestra‘s “Mr. Blue Sky,” Tom Petty‘s “Runnin’ Down a Dream,” REO Speedwagon‘s “Roll with the Changes,” The Band‘s “The Weight,” Bob Marley and the Wailers‘ “Three Little Birds,” Simon & Garfunkel‘s “Bridge Over Troubled Water,” and Elvis Costello‘s “(What’s So Funny ‘Bout) Peace, Love and Understanding.”

A related feature, titled “Happiness Rx: Play Some Music,” focuses on how music can lift your mood when you’re feeling down. In the piece, singer-songwriter Nick Lowe, who wrote “(What’s So Funny ‘Bout) Peace, Love and Understanding,” talks about performing the song and other tunes for fans while in lockdown.

“It’s a brand-new experience for me, to sing to a phone,” he says. “But when people see a musician sitting at home and not freaking out, I suppose that cheers people up.”

“Happiness in Hard Times” also includes conversations with researchers and doctors delving into how happiness is wired into our genes and biology.

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