The ground shakes. Windows rattle. Little children even scream in terror.
Is it an earthquake? Not quite. The scene actually describes a car driving through the University of Miami campus, blaring the latest hip-hop song for the entire student body to hear. And for the most part, nobody seems to mind.
Whether walking to class, programming our latest ringtones, blasting it from a car or even “enjoying” the selections of the Chartwells jukebox, music is everywhere. And tastes in music are all over the place, although hip-hop, pop and alternative rock seem to be prevalent.
But there have to be people out there listening to other stuff, right?
To find them, EDGE did some amateur sleuthing, a.k.a. asking people around campus for their opinions. While most said they preferred hip-hop and rap, there were a few exceptions. So, the question arises: What do students look for when judging and enjoying music?
“I’m a fan of country because the music is fun and upbeat, and I like what they talk about,” Nicole Marko, a sophomore, said.
Briana Casey, a freshman, said, “Classic rock is my favorite. The guitar sound is awesome.”
Going beyond the instrumentation, some said that music lacking lyrical substance is worthless.
“If it doesn’t have a true meaning I don’t think the song has a purpose,” Rickey Pierre, a freshman, said.
Evan Estrada, a senior, agreed. “A song like ‘I’m So Hood’ by DJ Khaled is awful, especially when white suburban kids are singing it.”
But Chris Hayes, a sophomore, said the lack of meaningful lyrics may actually add to a song’s charm.
“Sometimes I listen because of the ridiculous lyrics,” Hayes said.
Others are a bit more forgiving, forgoing the value of lyrics if the song has a spicy beat.
“If the beat’s good I’ll listen,” Irvin Cannaday, a senior, said. “I like something I can tap my toe to.”
So while everyone has different reasons for enjoying the music they listen to, what we all have in common is that music is important to each of us. We should continue listening to music that makes us happy.
But we must always remember to keep our musical minds and ears open. Finding a new tune that you connect with on some level is an amazing experience, so it may be worth your while to explore new kinds of music. You never know what you could be missing.
Joey Held may be contacted at j.held1@umiami.edu.