By Paige Hayes
From playing music through earbuds in the hallways to speakers at weekend hangouts, high school students are influencing today’s music trends more than ever, turning viral hits and their favorite throwbacks into their daily soundtracks.
While many students stream whatever music is currently trending, others feel more connected to the music that they play or perform. For senior Elliott Feeney music is more than just background noise, it’s a creative way to connect with others.
Feeney said he listens to a mix of rock and hip-hop but he especially likes performing jazz music. He explained that jazz is good for self expression compared to other genres. Jazz is a liberating genre. You can improvise and not play exactly what is on the music sheet, unlike other genres.
“I think it’s (music) a great way to come together with people,” Feeney said.
His taste hasn’t always been the same. Feeney used to primarily be a rap and hip-hop kind of guy, but joining the band has helped him discover his admiration for jazz.
Feeney didn’t always feel this way about joining the band and or music in general. He originally joined the band in sixth grade when his mom made him.
“I had almost no interest in music or performance when I was in elementary through middle school,” Feeney said.
During his sophomore year of high school was when he started seeing all the benefits from listening to and playing music.
Not only did his mom make him join the band but he also has had a family connection to music all along. Feeney’s dad, Mike Feeney, used to be a professional guitar player as well.
Music can greatly reflect someone’s personality. Feeney said that people often connect to their favorite songs and music artists and it becomes part of who they are.
Similarly, sophomore Lilli Freimanis also says her music taste reflects her personality and her emotions.
“Especially if you have a way to make your own music… You’re able to create your own kind of mood,” Freimanis said. “Whatever you’re feeling, you can turn it into a sound.”
Music is an important way for people to convey their emotions and help navigate tough situations.
To help get in the right mindset on game days, Fremanis listens to songs with inspirational lyrics. She likes to keep those lyrics on loop in her mind throughout the game for motivation and to keep herself calm.
Fremanis has been interested in music and has had a guitar since she was six years old, but she has been playing consistently for about two years.
She went to the Taylor Swift concert in Indianapolis with sophomore Avery Gray, but has always been into older rock music.
Freimanis’s love for older rock music shows how some students are drawn to music more of the past. Others prefer genres that convey their personal values and beliefs more.
Junior Alivia Jackson grew up listening to country and Christian worship music.
Jackson strongly believes that no matter what you’re going through in life, that God will always be there to help you through it. This leads her to the song “God Turn it Around” by John Reddick being her favorite song.
Freshman Lucy Vance said her music taste has come a long way. She has always had a connection to music especially when it comes to her feelings and emotions.
“I listen to different music, depending on my mood,” Vance said. “It can even help change my mood, like if I’m sad and I don’t want to be sad, I’ll listen to happier music.”
Vance’s connection with music stems from her childhood nostalgia. She said if she listens to some songs that she may not have heard in a long time, it’ll spark some emotion that she hadn’t felt in a while.
Like many other students, sophomore Leyton Martin has developed music tastes that are closely tied to his interests and beliefs.
Martin said he currently listens to Jeff Buckley more than any other artist right now.
He explained that even though Buckley was not widely known during his lifetime, his album “Grace” is one of the most beautiful albums he’s ever heard. Martin admires Buckley’s unique voice and wide vocal range.
With Buckley’s death at such a young age, this makes his music even more emotional, as listeners are left wondering what more he could’ve created.
“I think that there’s a little bit of mourning in every song that he sings,” Martin said.
Martin also believes that his music taste shows his open-mindedness. This is shown by listening to as many genres as he can and being open to new listening ideas.
Over the years, Martin said he went from listening to artists like Shawn Mendes and Olivia Rodrigo, but later started exploring some alternative options like the Arctic Monkeys and Childish Gambino. Recently Martin has begun listening to more classic rock, including Fleetwood Mac and Pink Floyd.
Music also plays a big part of Martin’s life at school. He has been involved in choir and theater for years, which has helped develop his passion for music even further.
Students’ music tastes are shaped by their personalities, experiences, and what matters most to them. Whether it’s rock music or worship songs, music gives you a way to express yourself and feel understood.
“They just kind of encapsulate my values and morals as a person,” Jackson said.
