Every person has something unique about them, something that makes them stand out. Music can reflect the differences in everyone. Students at Southeast Middle School have very different music tastes. According to a poll of 242 students, the top genre students listened to Spanish, followed by Rap. 

No matter the genre of music, people have always found some connection

in music. Music will always have emotions that songs put in ways most words cannot describe. 

Jayla Allen, an eighth grade SEMS student stated, “I like Daniel Ceaser, his music is very calming to listen to. My favorite song by him is probably Rearrange My World. I enjoy listening to it because it’s relatable to my life.” 

Daniel Ceasar’s, an R&B singer, most popular for his song “Best Part” with the artist H.E.R has more than 2 million listens on Spotify. Users on TikTok have used his song “Who Knows,” causing it to trend. 

People usually listen to music to express their feelings whether they feel sad, excited, in love, etc. Listening to music has become a way not just artists use to express their feelings. 

Another eighth grader, Jacob Morfin says, “My favorite artist is NBA YoungBoy, I really like alternative music. It’s pretty relatable and it gets me in my feelings.” 

Alternative music is usually not like any popular music, like pop for example. Alt as a whole is a style/lifestyle that goes against the norm.

Which include the alternative genres are one of a kind, which deal with a lot of story telling. 

Music always has had some types of differences, whether the change in lyrics, the style/genre, or the artists. 

At Southeast Middle School the top genre in the school, Spanish. South Gate is primarily in a Latino community, with Spanish music bonded into Latino culture. 

Dancing plays a big role in Latino culture. Many different songs associated with types of dances. Some include Reggaeton, Cumbia, Bomba, etc. 

The next highest music genre, Rap, was first popularized in the 90s. Some of the most popular rappers at the time are Kanye West, Eminem, and Jay-Z. 

Rap music and the Hip Hop lifestyle has made a big impact on African-American culture. Impacting many different aspects of people’s lives, giving people platforms to express their oppression. 

The third highest genre at Southeast, Pop. The music has grown to be a popular music genre since the 50s, Pop music has made a big impact on American culture. 

Pop had always been a popular genre but it reached an all time high in the 2000s, where artists like Justin Bieber, Brittney Spears, Katy Perry, becoming some of the biggest artists of the decade. 

Britney Spears, for example, is considered the biggest female artist of the 2000s, making many influential performances and songs of the time. She has many performances that are still so popular.  Brittney’s story has brought light to the negative sides of being a female popstar.