Junior Marcus Torres was asked what he preferred as a music genre.
“I prefer the hip-hop genre,” said Torres. “When I’m listening to a song, I’m looking for lyrics that should flow with the beat. It’s also the creativity within each artist that makes it an entertaining genre. I feel like hip-hop artists are more experimental with their sound, and that’s what makes it so different and interesting.”
Music is something that has been used for stress relief, improvement in cognitive function, and can even physically restructure the brain through neuroplasticity. While music can be heard everywhere in the world, people’s taste in music varies widely, and that’s true specifically for the students at Triton. Junior Shane Olson explained that he would listen to any genre as long as it had these key details.
“I listen to any genre, whether it’s Rap, R&B, Pop, or Rock” Olson said. “But I would prefer storytelling hidden within the lyrics. It’s fun to find hints laid out in the song like double entendres. Honestly, I’ll listen to any song as long as I’m able to identify what they’re saying.”
Lyrics are what give a song its story. Yet many artists use violent language in their songs to express themselves. Still, for people who don’t listen to that type of music, it may be concerning.
In the article, ”Naughty or Nice? The Art of Creating Controversial Music, the author states that violence in lyrics can represent harsh realities that critique societal issues. Artists may use violence in lyrics to explain societal problems and use its shock value to push their point.
Junior Sam France clarified that he listens to one genre of music and doesn’t intend to switch anytime soon.
“I listen to anything hip-hop/R&B related,” said France. “But it has to be something that is a mix between those two things. I don’t really like old music, and other genres are usually too loud, too soft-sounding, or too unbearable for my ears. I like this genre specifically since it’s a mix between that nice soulful sound and that grimy sound I can’t help but nod my head to.”
When listening to a song, the sound is also a huge factor. It’s what makes the musical part a reality.
In the article “The Science Behind Why We Love or Hate Certain Music Genres,” the authors say that it’s because of musical tolerance. People’s brains get used to a certain sound, and if a genre has patterns that are too different from what you’re used to, it can feel jarring or even unpleasant. This is why people who might like country, classical, or jazz might dislike rap, pop, and rock, and vice versa. It’s because their brains aren’t used to listening to the type of sounds the genre gives off.
Junior James D’Amato described his music taste as basic because his preference is for anything popular.
“I discover my music through anything popular,” said D’Amato. “I listen to Drake, Kendrick Lamar, and The Weeknd. If you name something popular, I’ve probably heard it.”
Artists are what represent a genre of music and are the ones who make the music and build on top of what the genre already is.
According to ‘It punched a hole through political correctness’: How Eminem’s The Marshall Mathers LP sent shockwaves through the ’00s,” the author explains that Eminem’s intense, sometimes concerning, and often political lyrics were what made him controversial. His background of being a white kid who grew up in a black neighborhood made him an instant hit because of how abnormal it was. In fact, he was compared to Elvis Presley, who was famously known for his contribution to the 50’s black R&B music. Just like Elvis, Eminem received backlash because he was dominating a genre created by black artists. However, this was balanced by the respect earned from both of these artists because of how much they did for both genres and the future of music as a whole.
