By Maeve Kristian
According to data generated on spotify.com’s Spotify Charts algorithm, nostalgia played a large role in listening choices among students last year. Many Spotify listeners revisited longstanding songs and albums by artists such as Eminem, Coldplay, Nirvana, Kate Bush, and Coolio.
Moonshine Ink took note of a student article in the new public school newspaper Truckee Times, finding it noteworthy that students wanted to share their playlists, and their playlists indicate that they were not only entranced with cutting-edge sounds and beats, but also interested in the sources, foundations, and precursors to their favorite current tunes.
For example, sophomore Elizabeth Mark took a musical journey this year that kicked off with newer releases like The Weeknd’s album Dawn FM.
Then, Mark said, “I wanted to understand more about the influences of modern hip hop and rap.” She enjoyed artists such as Notorious B.I.G., Kanye West, and Tupac.
Mark credits her discovery of playing the guitar and how it got her more into the rock and indie genres. She recommends the songs “Happy” by Mother Mother, “Bullet with Butterfly Wings” by The Smashing Pumpkins, “About a Girl” by Nirvana, and “Chop” by Vundabar. Mark is constantly seeking good sound quality while listening to music. She said she enjoys consuming Apple Music through her earbuds or Beats headphones.
Another student who shared their musical experience was junior Annika Porado, who said their favorite genre of 2022 was metal.
“My favorite artists are Fiona Apple, Scowl, Dying Wish, and GEL,” Porado stated. They especially enjoyed the albums When The Pawn by Apple, New Age Filth by Hail The Sun, and Remnants of the Vessel by Faetooth.
Porado said they primarily listened with earbuds using the Spotify platform or their record player.
Damyn Dettling, a sophomore, likes tuning into the classic rock and ’20s jazz genres using earbuds, his stereo, or records. His favorite song was an old one, “absolutely ‘Funny How Time Slips Away’ by Willie Nelson.”
In 2022, Dettling enjoyed other throwback albums, including The Dark Side of The Moon by Pink Floyd and Nothing’s Shocking by Jane’s Addiction. He also listened to a lot of Jimi Hendrix’s music, he said.
The students’ choices fell in line with trends that Spotify Charts identified.
Spotify Charts results are divided into certain genres or cities and show if the song, artist, or album is moving up or down, or is staying the same in the rankings. Charts results also make visible the number of streams (when a song is played for 30 seconds or more), streaks (weeks in a row on the chart), and peaks (highest rank obtained). According to Spotify Newsroom’s 2022 roundup, Bad Bunny was the top singer globally and has been the most-streamed since 2020. Taylor Swift came in second in popularity.
Drake, The Weeknd, and BTS are the three other artists that received slots in the global top five. Many popular creators used social media to influence the followers of their new music.
The top five songs this year were “As It Was” by Harry Styles, “Heat Waves” by the Glass Animals, “STAY” by The Kid Laroi and Justin Bieber, as well as two tracks from Bad Bunny’s recent album, Un Verano Sin Ti, that came in first for albums globally.
Harry Styles’ Harry’s House, Olivia Rodrigo’s SOUR, Ed Sheeran’s =, and Doja Cat’s Planet Her came in next in the album ranks.
This is important to observe because the music people listen to says a lot about what they’re thinking, dreaming, and dealing with in their lives. Teenagers all over the planet especially rely on music. The online news site HuffPost calls music the young people’s “way of defining and sharing their sense of self, identity, or ‘personal brand.’”
Another year of music is beginning. What will be on your playlist?
Editor’s Note: This article was originally published Dec. 20, 2022 in The Truckee Times, the student news site of Truckee High School.
~ Truckee Times founder Maeve Kristian believes music is a universal way for people to connect, express themselves, and either escape or enjoy the moment. In 2022, she found good songs everywhere. Maeve also noticed the vibrant music culture and diverse listening of local teenagers that are reflected in her roundup article.
