Carterville High School has about roughly 600 students, which of course consists of many different types of people. Athletes, musicians, actors, artists, you name it.  One thing that ties all of these students together is music. Walking down the hallways or even in PE, look around and you will see students with headphones on and tuned out to the world around them. And what does this mean? 

At CHS, we all have some kind of warm-up, calm-down, and car ride music playlists that we seem to listen to on repeat. Goth rock? Pop rap? Country? CHS has many different types of music genres that show not just their music tastes, but also a reflection of their personalities and who they are.

Noah Eckols, 12, describes his music as Nu Metal, Grunge, Rock, and Shoegaze. “I used to have a radio in my room as a kid like 4 to 12 and there was this station called ‘Tao’. My dad also loved Pearl Jam and Nirvana so I had that influence…” 

Music is something that usually can reflect our personalities since it usually is an escape from our daily lives. While it may not seem like it at first, music is a way for people to express themselves or to feel like they are heard. “I don’t think [my music taste] affects my personality. I think I’m drawn to it because of my personality” said Eckols. 

While many students have similar music tastes, others go for more of a country/pop/rap style. Paulina Jasinska, 10, said “I don’t really know how to describe [my music taste]. The music I listen to depends on my mood. I love country music (Josh Turner mostly), but I mostly listen to Uzi, Juice, Peep, and Key Glock, and artists like that.” 

In this case, music is commonly associated with feelings and emotions. Just like feeling, playlists change due to our attitudes or moods. “Sad moods equal sad songs and happy moods equal hype songs” said Jasinska. 

Paige Mausey, 10, is one of the many students that enjoy listening to country music. “I enjoy listening to country music especially in the summer when it is warm and sunny. It just makes the day a bit better and happier.”

Like all the previous students, many students have some kind of music genre they prefer over all of the others. Carterville has many different types of students, all of who have different personalities and musical tastes. Many students use music to relieve stress and get their feelings out, from country all the way to heavy metal. As music continues to evolve, students will change their playlists to reflect themselves.