As time goes on, students spend more time listening to music than any other activity. Students seem wired to their earbuds everywhere they go. This is no surprise considering that there are hundreds of music genres and music platforms at the listeners disposal. 

     There are many artists and songs people listen to in school, creating a blend of music tastes around the student body. 

     “I really like Kanye [West],” M’Lynn Harris (‘26) said. “My favorite song by him would have to be either ‘Homecoming’ or ‘Run Away Baby Girl’. It’s my favorite song because it shows how much he loves his home and where he’s from. It personifies Chicago itself,” Harris said.

     Kanye West is an American rapper, songwriter, fashion designer and more. West is known for his experimentation with genres like hip-hop, soul, gospel, indie rock and many others. 

“My favorite song is ‘I Don’t Care if You’re Contagious’ by Pierce the Veil because I am emo at heart, I woke up and got born in a coffin actually,” Jasper Carter (‘26) said. 

     Pierce the Veil is an American rock band that formed in 2006. The songs of this band are a mix of emo, pop punk and metalcore

     Other than being enjoyable, music can also be therapeutic.

     “Music-based interventions may be helpful for anxiety, depressive symptoms and pain associated with a variety of health conditions,” the National Institute of Health said.

     Music can also aid in concentration for students who struggle to focus on their day-to-day activities. 

     “I really like Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers,” Kevin Poland, history teacher, said. “I think they just have a very soothing, very mellow vibe around them and it’s relaxing to listen to, but I would say I don’t really have a favorite song,” Poland said. 

     Tom Petty was an American singer and guitarist who was part of the Heartbreakers, a rock band formed in 1975. The singer and band have been categorized as Southern and Heartland rock.

     Listening to multiple genres of music can increase the worldview of someone,  looking at different cultures, opinions and ideas.

     “My favorite artist is a band called Greta Van Fleet and my favorite song is probably one of theirs. It is called ‘Light my Love,’ Lillian Patchett (‘24) said. “They are very proactive about speaking out for human rights and they are very kind and down-to-earth. They are accepting of everybody and they’re just really cool people,” Patchett said.

Greta Van Fleet is an American rock band formed in 2012. Their music has been described as hard, blues and progressive rock. 

     “I’ll say Imagine Dragons is the best artist in my opinion because I think they have a vibe, you know. Like it always gets me energized and it always gives me energy when I wake up. I’ll have to say the best song is ‘On Top of the World’,” Abraham De La Torre (‘25) said. 

     Imagine Dragons is an American band renamed for their incorporation of genres like pop rock, electropop and pop. 

     Many genres of music are expressed in our building. But there are countless other genres out there that anyone can discover. Between the thousands of genres, there is at least one that fits every single person.