“Take your iPods out” echoed around the classroom, as it has many times before. Of course, our biology teacher Dr. Good meant AirPods instead of iPods, but the overarching message was clear. Music, just like every year, pervades EHS. Everywhere you go on campus, if you stop and look around, you will see at least one person with those famous white AirPods. But what tunes are blaring in every student’s ears? Well, thanks to the November 30th launch of Spotify Wrapped and Apple Music Replay, two services that give a yearly recap of what music each user listened to the most, we can see which artists and songs are captivating the student body.
Topping the charts for Edgemont students this year was none other than Taylor Swift. The 32 year-old pop sensation, per Spotify’s stream count, was the second most popular artist in the world and took the #1 spot at Edgemont. Out of all the students surveyed, she appeared in 32% of top fives, and almost 15% of students had her as their number one artist in 2022.
This boom in popularity could be partially attributed to the release of her 10th studio album, Midnights, on October 21st, as that attracted listeners worldwide and ranked as the 4th most streamed album in the world in 2022. Favorite Taylor songs by students included You Belong With Me, Anti-Hero, and Run. Swift’s versatility and ability to change between multiple genres of music over her long career could play a role in her being the top Edgemont artist. Taylor Swift has been a mainstay of high schoolers’ playlists for years, and that is sure to continue in the future at Edgemont.
One of the most popular genres at EHS is hip-hop, and for Edgemont students, the king of hip-hop is Drake. The Toronto-based rapper made big strides with his music this year, releasing two studio albums, Honestly, Nevermind and Her Loss. Though the latter was widely panned, Drake’s collaboration with fellow rapper 21 Savage had been widely anticipated and the November 4th album release didn’t disappoint in many students eyes. Circo Loco was the most well-liked song from the duo album, as Drake and 21 Savage rap over a clean sample of One More Time by Daft Punk.
The June release of Honestly, Nevermind was much more forgettable, but Jimmy Cooks, another collaboration track with 21 Savage, was a favorite of Edgemont students, especially when getting ready for a game or a special event. Many students picked from Drake’s long history of tunes, as Feel No Ways and Best I Ever Had, two older tracks, found their way into Edgemont playlists. Drake’s pedigree helped him to be the #3 artist in the world in 2022 and catapulted him to the top of favorite hip-hop artists at Edgemont.
The wide range of musical tastes reflected the diversity of Edgemont students. EHS students this year enjoyed genres ranging from classical to K-pop to rap. Over 100 different artists appeared in Edgemont students’ top fives, further showcasing that it’s difficult to predict what a single student will be listening to. The most popular genre at EHS was in fact pop, due partly to students’ affinity for Taylor Swift and Harry Styles . Hip-hop and rock followed closely, with the most listened artists in those genres being Drake, Kanye West, and Coldplay. BTS led the way in K-Pop, and Chopin and Beethoven dominated the classical genre.
So many different artists are listened to at EHS, and Spotify Wrapped and Apple Music Replay let students further define their musical identity by telling them the tunes they enjoyed most in 2022. Maybe now teachers will be more lenient about allowing AirPods in class.