Noah Kahan, Forever | Bangerz N Bopz

In the 100^th edition of Bangerz N Bopz (2025), we highlight “Forever” performed by Grammy-nominated singer/songwriter Noah Kahan.

Bring on the bold, fierce songs! Bangerz N Bopz serves up background info and insight into songs of various styles, especially songs that raise eyebrows and/or stir the pot.  Featured records can be classic or brand new. In the 100^th edition of Bangerz N Bopz (2025), we break down “Forever” performed by Noah Kahan.

Those lyrics alone speak to the reflective, thoughtful, and poetic nature of “Forever”. “Forever” is another stunning record from the talented, Vermont Grammy-nominated alternative singer/songwriter Noah Kahan.  The song is the 22^nd track on the final expanded version of his third studio album, Stick Season (Forever). “Forever” reached the top 40 on the pop charts, peaking at number 28 on the Billboard Hot 100. Kahan penned and produced “Forever” with Gabe Simon.  He stated in his Genius-verified video that the song was inspired by Bon Iver.

“Forever” commences with an acoustic guitar. It’s all warm sounds and vibes. Emulating Justin Vernon, Kahan impresses with his gorgeous falsetto vocals.  To reiterate, the lyrics are thoughtful.  Furthermore, the melodies are tuneful, and Noah brings it with his passionate vocal performance. There is pure balladry in the first verse, where he recollects, “When we kissed in the car in the school parking lot / Where I’d go with my friends to get drunk / Used to wish I meant anything to anywhere.” The pre-chorus (excerpted earlier) and chorus are both ballad-like, though they possess a bit more oomph compared to the first verse.  Both mark top-notch moments from “Forever.”  In the chorus, he sings:

“I won’t be alone for the rest of my life

I’ll build a boat for when the river gets high

And I’ll meet a girl in the heat of July

… That I broke a bone that never healed in my hand

So, when I hold her close

I might loosen my grip, but I won’t ever let her go.”

Specifically, via his Genius-verified video, Kahan mentions his real-life broken finger. After the 2:15 mark, “Forever” picks up the tempo and becomes even livelier during the second verse.

“Remember when we called the cops

‘Cause I got too high, and you got scared

And the cops just laughed?”

There is no pre-chorus following the second verse, only the chorus in the new tempo. The last 30 seconds of the track return to a slower tempo on the outro. The outro is the pre-chorus that precedes the first chorus.  All in all, “Forever” is another stellar Noah Kahan song. Elite songwriting, elite vocals, and elite sound and production.  Simply put, this man oozes with talent.

---

Noah Kahan » Stick Season (Forever) » Mercury/ Republic » 2024

Noah Kahan, Forever: Bangerz N Bopz No. 100 (2025) [📷: Brent Faulkner / The Musical Hype; Mercury/ Republic; Bigshow Lamar Campton, Daniel Duarte, Eduardo López from Pexels; AcatXIo, djexpectations, OpenClipart-Vectors, Thai Zeo from Pixabay]

---