From 'Pillow Talk' to Joy Division: 9 Music-Inspired Fragrances for Fall

You know that section in your local drugstore that has celebrity fragrances (some of which are still deadstock from the early 2000s—vintage!) housed behind an old glass door? That section is our worst fear. With the exception of high priestess Britney Spears (who can do no wrong) and her eponymous fragrance line, most musician-endorsed scents tend to fall under the generic, artificial fruity candy cocktail umbrella. Which is really a shame if you think about it, right?

Lucky for you, if you don’t want to smell like a “baby prostitute” (shoutout to Mean Girls!) by spritzing yourself in layers of your favorite pop star's sugar-scented elixirs, we've rounded up nine music-inspired scents--including candles for those who enjoy sparking one up while listening to records--narrated by myself, Jade Taylor, that were influenced by some of the coolest musicians and music-eras of all time. Because let’s be real: the only way I'm voluntarily smelling like something with the word “candy” in the name would be if the Jesus and Mary Chain created a Psychocandy fragrance (could you imagine?!)—which, in my olfactory fantasy, reeks of angst, honey, and the color black—whatever that means.

If you’ve ever wondered what the Pixies song "Debaser" (the first song off their iconic 1989 album Doolittle, a personal favorite) would smell like, according to indie fragrance brand D.S. & Durga—who created a scent of the same name, directly inspired by the song—it’s something like heart and base notes of ripe fig, iris, coconut milk, tonka bean, dry blond woods, and moss blended together.

Influenced by “the wild shrill of Black Francis coming through the radio in the August heat,” I can totally smell what they mean. Although, with subtle, yet important, top notes of bergamot, green leaf, and pear stem also found in the scent to round it out, I can’t help but think of them as the fragrance note equivalent to Kim Deal’s pulsing opening bass line and her soft coos of “debaser” echoed throughout the song. If you’re as picky about your vinyl collection as your fragrance collection, then consider getting this scent a no-brainer. $260 for 3.4 fl. oz., dsanddurga.com.

Remember that time in the mid-2000s when Unknown Pleasures by Joy Division was ruined by people who wore T-shirts with the album’s artwork on it (despite not being able to name one other Joy Division song that wasn’t "Love Will Tear Us Apart"), thus cheapening the masterpiece for everyone? Ah, good times. Luckily we all made it through the dark year of 2007, and now we can start praising Unknown Pleasures again without the fear of being ironically called “alt” or something else that’s stupid. (Is anyone following my train of thought here?)

If so, let’s talk about Kerosene’s Unknown Pleasures fragrance. Inspired by “walking down a cold street in England, listening to Joy Division, sipping on a warm cup of London Fog” (so cliché, I love it)—the scent boasts notes of earl grey tea, lemon, bergamot, honey, tonka bean, caramel, vanilla, and something called waffle cone (I'm not kidding). Now, I know we promised you scents that didn’t smell like candy—and trust us, this one doesn’t even come close to what we were describing—but it does lean towards the darker, more sophisticated side of the gourmand-scent spectrum. Sweet and gloomy, just like Ian Curtis. $140 for 3.4 fl. oz.,houseofkerosene.com.

It’s only appropriate that this next music-inspired scent offering is a candle, because it’s inspired by our favorite witch Stevie Nicks—who, in my imagination, is constantly twirling around a fire wrapped in a velvet kimono anyway. According to Tatine’s Gold Dust candle, the spirit of Nicks smells a little something like bohemian gold santal, saffron, hyacinth, tobacco blossom, orris, incense, musk, and dark patchouli—a perfect blend of mystical, opulent chaos (just like Stevie). Insider witch tip: light this candle, queue up Rhiannon on full-volume, and twirl yourself (and your kimono) into a fiery trance. $22, shop.tatinecandles.com.

My favorite scent by Pinrose just so happens to have been inspired by one of my favorite songs, "Zebra" by Beach House, and I really can’t think of a more perfect fragrance name other than the one Pinrose chose to call it: Pillowtalk Poet. It’s so fitting, not only because of the dream-pop band’s poetic ruptures found in their songs (especially "Zebra"), but also because I can’t help but imagine Victoria Legrand dousing herself in this fragrance before going on-stage. Layered in notes of geranium, powder, clove leaf, ambergris, musk, amber, and sandalwood, the elixir is warm and inviting, like a pillow, or Beach House’s Teen Dream on repeat. $65 for 1.7 fl. oz., sephora.com.

If you’re unfamiliar with Parfums Jazmin Sarai—a magical niche indie fragrance brand that has a collection of perfumes inspired by songs, beats, rhythm, harmony, lyrics, and tempo—then listen up (no pun intended for this story). Her perfume collection (which she calls “The Playlist”) are all inspired by a variety of musical influences spanning from Led Zeppelin to Otis Redding—but the standout for me is the How You Love scent, which was inspired by the lyrics, “Girl, you are rich, even with nothing. And you know that tenderness comes, from the pain,” from the song "It’s Only Love That Gets You Through" by (queen) Sade. Blended with a symphony of fragrance notes like herbal cardamom, grapefruit, Indian jasmine, Moroccan rose, sandalwood, musk, and Beeswax—the end result smells like some sort of warm, sensual honey—a perfect tribute to the smooth sound of Sade. $95 for 1.7 fl. oz., jazminsarai.com.