8:26am. As you anticipate the bell, you reach for your airpods—some company on your way to second period. You shuffle your Spotify playlist, and Daniel Caesar starts to sing you to your next class. Walking through the busy halls, you see headphones in the ears of every other student, and within those airpods lies a song, an orchestra, a podcast. Some students may even keep their airpods in their ears during second period (to the disapproval of their teachers). Nevertheless, the point remains that the vast expanse of Spotify (or Apple Music, if you prefer) has captivated students. 

While some students cultivate different playlists based on their mood, others prefer a single hub for all of their favorite songs, and Edison High wanted in. The Eagle’s Eye compiled songs from each of these playlists, combining different songs into one playlist. EHS’ Favorite Music features contrasting genres and styles: in other words, different pieces of personality. From J. Cole to Paramore, the range of songs represents the diverse characters that coexist at Edison High. 

With 95 tracks from 97 different artists, the playlist presents the vast nature of Edison High School’s listening habits. The dominant genre of the playlist was pop, but hip hop, rock, and R&B were also common. On the contrary, the playlist had little to no country and new age songs. The most recurring artists on the playlist were Kanye West, Taylor Swift, and Tyler the Creator. 

Regardless of the songs queued, music seems to carry an often unanimous purpose for Edison High students: streamlining the process of the school day. Kat Hegedus ‘23 said, “For me specifically, I have a really hard time with external noise and even if a classroom is silent, I have a hard time focusing. When I have headphones and there is a sound I can control, I feel like I am more productive when I listen to music because it refocuses me.”

Sebastian Torres ‘22 conveyed a similar sentiment. He said, “It reduces background distractions. It’s just me tuning everything out to the music and whatever task I’m doing.”

Specifically in terms of mood, music can manifest many different emotions. Jada Bonds ‘24 said, “My mood [determines the songs I listen to], because if I’m happy I want a song that can hype me up. If I’m happy, I am not going to listen to a sad song that would just bring my mood down.”

Jana Elgebrawi ’22 agreed her mood dictates her playlist. “When I need comfort songs, I’ll usually reach for Lewis Capaldi, but when I want to be in a happy mood, I will listen to pop songs,” she said.

Even when the weather or loads of assignments are overwhelming, music can either reflect or uplift. Joyce Razouk ‘25 said, “I listen to songs to increase my mood. For example, sometimes I feel stressed and burnt out, especially after a big test. The thing I look most forward to is popping in my headphones to relax myself.”