With the ability to access music just a tap away, people have been listening to music even more. Students have somewhat diverse music tastes, ranging from hip hop to seventies rock to heavy metal, from pop to industrial rock. It seems that students’ and teachers’ characters are somewhat defined—or at least impacted—by their interests in music. Not only do students identify with the sound of their music, but also with the meaning behind it.

Teachers of the science department seemed to share a similar passion for older music, sharing favorites from the sixties up to the nineties. 

“When I was younger, I listened to only… classic rock and punk music,” science teacher Gordon Hallmark said. 

Hallmark’s music taste has changed over the years, though, and now he shares his love for rock and nu-metal. With nineties to two-thousands artists like Slipknot in his sphere, Hallmark plays similar music for his class. 

“I’ve got Fleetwood Mac going [in class]; right now, I’m listening to a lot of Death Grips, [System of a Down, and Slipknot],” Hallmark said.

Matthew Mickelson, another science teacher, shared an interest in similar music genres and styles. He values music for not just how it sounds, but for the creativity and structure behind it.

“I like rock and roll [because] I think it’s pretty diverse,” Mickelson said. “I like how the music’s put together and the time from which it comes.”

Students also share a similar interest in music of the seventies and eighties. Harrison Schultz, for instance, has a similar appreciation for seventies rock as Matthew Mickelson.

“[I love] seventies to eighties rock… [and] Brown Bird and the Beatles,” Harrison Schultz (12) said.

Most students, however, share their slightly more eclectic, diverse tastes. Students tended to be most interested in more niche genres as opposed to teachers, their older counterparts.

“Funk rock [is my favorite genre right now]. [I really enjoy listening to] the Red Hot Chili Peppers,” Noah Gunderson (9) said.

In contrast, other students had a preference for alternative pop and hip hop. Artists like pop icon David Bowie topped their charts.

“I like Frank Ocean or… SZA,” shared Antoine Killebrew (9).

From Fleetwood Mac to Slipknot, students and teachers alike are music-lovers, listening to music quite often. In fact, most students reported listening to music every single day.

“[I listen to music] when I’m doing work or getting ready for bed,” Devin Pierre (10) said. 

For many students, music is something they rely on each and every day. Marlee Henry (10) shared a similar sentiment for music in general, too. 

“[I listen to music] all day, every day–the second I get up, before I go to bed, all the time,” Henry (10) said. 

Students debated whether the lyrics or instrumentals of a song are better, too. Some showed a special appreciation for the lyricism of various songs, listening to the slightly more simplistic version of a song.

“More often than not, I’m listening to music for the lyrics because I listen to music to feel seen–like I’m in a place where I’m understandable. That’s what I really love about music,” Aster Bredwell (12) said.

Some students, however, disagree, preferring instrumentals instead. These students prefer inferring the meaning of the song, and truly making it their own.

“[I prefer] instrumentals [because I like] hearing all the different things come together. [It’s] beautiful,” Killebrew (9) said.

Students also commonly shared that Chappell Roan is overrated, although Taylor Swift was deemed the most overrated artist by far.  

“Taylor Swift’s [music] is genuinely just bad,”  Aiden Darnell (11) said.

Aside from criticizing Taylor Swift’s somewhat low-quality lyrics, students also disliked the overtly “pop” sound. Artists like Chappell Roan, Sabrina Carpenter, and–of course–Taylor Swift left a sour taste in students’ mouths.

“[Most] pop artists, I’d say, [are overrated]… Taylor Swift and Sabrina Carpenter [are overrated, too],” Griffin Anstaett (9) said. 

Students are also somewhat likely to create and express themselves through music, forming new careers as solo artists and bands like “Stupid Minds Think Alike.” Writing, playing, and listening to music seem to be major creative and emotional outlets for students, allowing them to release the troubles of the day behind them.

“I am also a singer in a band called “Stupid Minds Think Alike,”” explains Marlee Henry (10). The band covers alternative rock and metal songs in addition to writing their own music.

Overall, students and teachers alike shared a preference for alternative rock and metal. Bands like Slipknot, Korn, and the Red Hot Chili Peppers were some of the students’ top artists.

“My favorite music genre is industrial [rock] because I enjoy all of the changes and switches [in the music, and] the ways it makes my brain think when I listen to it. [The] music artists I’m listening to most right now [are] Circle of Dust and Celldweller,” Eva Weinel (12) said. 

Music is held close to the heart for some teachers and students, becoming more than just a sound. It became a pillar of support for those lacking it in other aspects of life.

“I lost my uncle back in September all of a sudden–we had no idea,” Aiden Darnell (11) said. “I had a song that I had written previously before he died, [and] it wasn’t completely finished…. Everything [I] wrote was about him, [and] that allowed me to get all of my [feelings] out. Everything I couldn’t convey through words, I could convey through music.” 

Overall, teachers and students seem to enjoy a multitude of genres, including alternative rock, hip hop and rap, and alternative pop. Regardless of music taste, music seems to be less of an optional pastime and more like a daily staple for most students. The meaning of both music’s lyrics and instrumentals seems to have struck a chord with teachers and students, building personality and strength.