Music Throughout the Halls

Travis States 
Staff Writer 
  Music is a highly relatable form of art that several people use to focus, cope with anxiety, gain inspiration, or to entertain themselves. Since there is a  wide variety of genres and tastes, people may find themselves connecting to multiple artists, but what music do the students of Bonneville High School listen to and how does it affect them? According to a survey of 82 BHS students, the most popular genres were pop (33%), rock (24%), and country (16%). The survey also revealed heavy music consumption among students: 45% listen to music six or more hours daily, while 55% listen for fewer than six hours per day.
  Alongside the survey, some small interviews were conducted with individual students. The first interviewee was a  sophomore student by the name of Cheyanne Clark whose favorite music genre is show tunes. When asked how she got into the genre, she stated, “When I was young it was what was on, Disney and Disney princess musicals and that just always made me feel better."As she grew older, Clark explained, her tastes became more refined, and she started listening to Broadway musicals with more depth in their lyrics, such as Hamilton and Dear Evan Hansen. Clark expressed that she prefers music that tells stories and hooks the listener,“I think a lot of music today is based off feelings that are relatable so if it’s not relatable it’s not a hit.” She then adds that musicals and show tunes do not have to be relatable because they take a story and turn it into something unique and everlasting. 
​  The next person interviewed was Cambria Reeder, a freshman whose two favorite genres are pop and classical. She explained her connection to classical music through her ballet background, “I like classical music because I've been doing ballet and stuff so that just comes naturally.” Her appreciation for pop stems from its widespread appeal. She said,“It's just like on the radio everywhere and my friends like it so it has just come naturally.” Regarding music's broader impact, Reeder believes it serves an important emotional function, “Music just in general can like help you control, release, or feel your emotions in different ways.” She also mentioned how listening to the emotions of music artists, even if the listener does not relate, can help them relate to other people who might share those emotions. Students who find themselves tired of their typical genres or in need of music that resonates with them should explore other artists and styles to expand their tastes.