If you were to walk around the halls of St. Pete High, you would undoubtedly see many students with headphones in their ears or over their heads. Most students enjoy listening to music at school. Whether it’s during class (if the teacher allows), while doing homework, or walking the halls, music is always there.

Students listen to a variety of artists and genres of music. According to the results from an Instagram poll asking SPHS students about the genres and artists they had listened to recently, pop, rock, R&B, indie/alternative, and rap were the most recurring genres that students reportedly listen to most often.

In the pop genre, Taylor Swift had the most votes, which comes as no surprise. At the VMAs this year, she won awards for Video of the Year, Best Long-Form Video, and Best Direction for her All Too Well short film. She also announced her new album, Midnights, which is expected to come out in October 2022. Lana del Rey is also very popular with the students of SPHS as she provides calming and haunting music, perfect for intense studying.

For rock fans, it seems that The Smiths are the most popular. Their songs have recently been blowing up on TikTok, despite their music having been made in the 70s. Some students also love listening to David Bowie, who has been very popular since his debut, self-titled album in 1967. 

For R&B fans, Steve Lacy and Frank Ocean lead this genre. These two artists have also found success on social media. Steve Lacy released his album, Gemini Rights, on July 15, 2022, which has been trending all over social media. While Frank Ocean hasn’t released an album since 2016, he is still widely listened to by many. 

Mitski and Phoebe Bridgers were the most popular alternative artists. This is a popular genre due to the popularity of alternative artists on social media platforms (especially TikTok). Mitski released the successful album, Laurel Hell, in February of 2022, and Phoebe Bridgers was touring her critically acclaimed album, Punisher, until this past August. 

The rap artist that was the most voted for was Ye. Formally known as Kanye West, Ye released the album Donda in August of 2021 and was nominated for two Grammys: Best Rap Album and Album of the Year. With 21 Grammy awards under his belt, it’s not surprising that Ye is at the top of this genre. 

Music is one of the most important and influential commodities of our generation and it will continue to be influential for many more years than we can count. Music heavily shapes the lives of many and will continue its strong impact for a long time.