The Playlists of CHS Students
Over the past several years, music streaming platforms have become a very popular source of music, especially for teenagers. Streaming platforms, such as Spotify, Apple Music, and Soundcloud, give students many ways to listen to their favorite music; one major way being the ability to make their own playlists. CHS is filled with students who all use these platforms to make playlists, each and every one unique from each other.
A survey was sent out to CHS students asking about their music experience and playlists. Out of those who responded, 97% said they listen to music through a playlist. All of these responders listen to playlists through streaming platforms, the most popular being Spotify (63.6% of responders) followed by Apple Music (13.6%) and YouTube (6.1%). Senior Logan Mizicko said he uses Spotify over other platforms for music streaming, because “It is really cheap and I can use it on all sorts of devices. It is easy to find stuff and there’s a massive variety of music. It’s just all-around easy to use.”
CHS students also have a wide variety of genre choices they listen to in these playlists. The top three genres of those surveyed were rap/hip-hop, rock, and pop, with indie music being a notable fourth. However, many responses stated that their playlists consisted of more than just one genre, and some students surveyed even said they listen to everything (although most stated everything besides country…).
Almost everyone surveyed stated that they have many playlists rather than just one. Listeners use multiple playlists for different genres, moods, or activities. The most popular answers, by far, were “too many” and “a lot.” One very notable responder was senior Allison Smart, who has a shocking 89 playlists to choose from.
Playlists can also be shared with family and friends if the same platform is used. Fifty percent of students surveyed said that they share their playlists with friends and/or family, while the other half prefer to keep them to themselves. Sophomore Tommy-Anne Marriott stated, “I typically share my playlists with my sister, Emily, because we have the same music taste. It’s a way of discovering new music, and I know that if my sister enjoys a song, I will typically enjoy it as well.”
Playlists are a way that students express themselves through the kind and number of music they add to playlists. These playlists also provide students with a smooth and enjoyable listening experience, as Logan Mizicko states, “Using a playlist is just easy, and with having all my songs I enjoy in one area, and I can hit shuffle and I know I’m going to know the song and like the song.”
