Noah Kahan’s ‘End of August’ is the Perfect Late Summer Soundtrack - and TikTok Seems to Agree
By Maxim Mower
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Noah Kahan's ’End of August’ is enjoying an immensely viral moment across TikTok, with the ethereal, Autumnal earworm gaining momentum as the month approaches its conclusion.
At the time of writing, the song has been used to soundtrack a staggering 4.7 million posts - a number that is increasing at a startling rate. The reason for this is apparent from a simple glance at the title, and as the leaves start to turn brown, the late summer air is infused with a slight, crisp chill and the packed-away jumpers come out of the closet, the momentum behind ‘End of August’ will only intensify.
On TikTok specifically, ’End of August’ is being used to soundtrack an array of videos, ranging from nostalgic, idyllic Fall-themed montages to simple clips of Kahan performing live.
But rather than solely being chosen for such a wealth of videos due to its title, this writer argues ‘End of August’ is, regardless of its name, the perfect late summer soundtrack.
It feels like the embodiment of that classic, confusing shift from summer into Autumn, where the weather feels colder ever slightly more hostile, and there's a sense that this is the ending of something beautiful. Kahan conveys this through the evocative, despairing lines, “Whoa, everythin' you see out here will die / Oh, it's a matter of time 'til it's / Fields of ice and reflector lights / 'Til it's our town, mm”.
But just as in ‘End of August’, while he mourns the loss of those carefree summer months where anything feels possible, Kahan also hints at a sense of relief and comfort at the familiarity of the impending Fall (“Late August angst, and a pointless night / Ooh, and the feeling of being alive / For the first time, in a long time”).
All the lyrics, meaning and easter eggs for ‘End of August’, taken from Noah Kahan's 2026 studio album, ‘The Great Divide’.
Ultimately, ‘End of August’ feels like a reclamation - most overtly, of his hometown of Vermont due to all the tourists leaving with the summer, but also of his self and identity.
As the song reaches its haunting yet rousing crescendo, Kahan repeats the earlier refrain, but with a triumphant twist: “Whoa, everything you see out here will die / Ooh, it's a matter of time 'til it's / Fields of ice and reflector lights / 'Til it's our town / 'Til it's our town / 'Til it's our town / And it's ours now / 'Cause it's ours now”.
In reality, this feeling of getting your town back after the tourists leave is incredibly specific, and likely won't strike a chord with the majority of listeners. But what really resonates is the sentiment he laces into this, where there's an acknowledgement of the obvious sadness of the changing of the seasons, but also an admission that, deep down, there's a serenity and peacefulness that arrives in tandem.
And that is something we can all relate to. Especially after such a scorching hot summer, the cooling of late August and the rainier, grey-hued horizon feels more welcome than ever.
There is a coziness and a comfort in reaching for the blankets, pulling on your favourite hoodie, putting on the warm-light lamp and settling down with a book and a vinyl.
And perhaps that is the real beauty of ‘End of August’. It's that it's not entirely sad or happy. It's bittersweet, and most importantly of all, it embraces the transition as a cherished opportunity for rest, rejuvenation and potentially even rebirth. So as the actual end of August looms, Kahan's ‘End of August’ feels like a pertinent reminder that, despite his self-deprecating quips about making us all feel depressed through his music, the imminent season doesn't have to be all doom and gloom. Who knows, maybe - as Kahan hints - it could be the reset we all needed.
