Have you ever heard a song and been transported back to the almost embarrassing time when you listened to it constantly? I’m sure you have. Specific artists, songs and even whole genres of music have the ability to place me in the shoes of the person I used to be. In a week, my high school career will end, and, coincidentally, I’ve been listening to a lot of the music and artists I loved when I was a freshman first entering Archer.

From Wallows to BTS, Mitski, the Internet and many other artists, music has played an important role in my development from a child to a young adult. So allow me to take you on the journey of my high school experience — as told through music.

Freshman Year

As cliché as it sounds, in the fall of 2019, I was entering a new era (as the kids call it): high school. We saw a rise in TikTok’s popularity, and during this time, I listened to a lot of “indie” artists and music. Some of these artists included Cuco, Wallows and one particular boy pablo song.

I first fell in love with “Are You Bored Yet?” by Wallows after seeing a TikTok featuring high school seniors participating in a “senior sunrise.” The video included montage footage of the teenagers dressed in their pajamas, eating popcorn and seemingly enjoying the beginning of the end of their high school career. Although I was just starting my four-year stint, I looked forward to participating in similar activities with good vibes, music and even better friends.

Cuco is the one artist that stuck with me through my transition from middle school to high school, and I credit him for my affinity for the alternative, indie genre. “Lover Is a Day”  by Cuco is a song that had permanence in my life … and my playlist. His melodic voice and uber-personal lyrics sustained numerous late-night, “stare-at-the-ceiling” sessions and, ultimately, made me nostalgic for a simpler time: middle school. Since freshman year, my time spent listening to Cuco has been sparse, but I recently listened to “Hydrocodone” for the first time, and my love for the artist and the genre in general was reignited.

Sophomore Year

What can I say about sophomore year? I spent the majority of the day inside my bedroom, staring at some sort of screen, but that isn’t an entirely unique experience. During this time, I experimented with my music preference, listening to artists like 100 Gecs and SOPHIE. I also spent a lot of time with my younger cousin Casside, unknowingly influencing her taste — although she’d never admit it.

On the sweet, obsolete days of Practicum, where I’d “sign up” for academic sessions, or, truthfully, just lie in bed, Casside would come to my home, and we’d watch music videos the whole day. I introduced her to artists I loved in the past like Wallows, of course, PRETTYMUCH and Kali Uchis; but, one of our favorite songs and videos came from the artist Bakar, titled “Hell N Back.”

This song falls under various categories like afroswing, indie and rap and never failed to put us in a good mood. It continues to be our perpetual “song of the summer,” and the ethereal landscape is unlike anything I’ve heard before. When I think of sophomore year, I think of a lot of things: quarantine (obviously), Zoom, “Hell N Back” and the time I spent with Casside.

Junior Year

In junior year, I couldn’t quite quit the sort of music that made me want to bawl my eyes out — sometimes in a good way, sometimes not. I found a home in the upbeat melodies, but painfully heart-wrenching lyrics of the songs that compiled Mitski’s discography.

If you knew me last year, or if you were in Ms. Taylor’s Literature of the American Self (what, what!), chances are I brought up my absolute love of the artist in passing. I vividly remember first listening to “Why Didn’t You Stop Me” in what I believe to be Ms. Hogan’s former classroom during hybrid learning and having an actual “come-to-Jesus” moment. From that point on, I consumed her music as if I needed it to survive.

Songs like “Nobody,” “Your Best American Girl” and “Class of 2013” were so incredibly vulnerable that I felt myself forming a parasocial relationship with Mitski (not in a creepy way, I swear). I felt like she truly understood me and was able to put my complex feelings about “self” into words. According to Spotify, I’ve “liked” over 40 of Mitski’s songs, but that doesn’t nearly gauge the amount of respect I have for her and the immense impact her music has had on me.

Senior Year

This past year, my Spotify Wrapped concluded I listened to 93 different musical genres throughout 2022. That seems pretty accurate. Since my senior year isn’t over just yet, I’ll list some artists and songs I’ve been loving this past school year.

I’m not sure if this is alarming, but I listened to a lot, and I mean a lot, of The Smiths this past year — that seasonal depression was hitting a bit harder than usual, I guess. I am not claiming to be a die-hard fan, nor do I condone any of Morrisey’s actions or words, but there’s something about sad British rock that does something to me. “I Know It’s Over“, “Back to the Old House” and “This Night Has Opened My Eyes” were songs I’d listen to whenever college applications became a bit too overwhelming.

Now, I’ve been a semi-fan of the Internet for a while. I knew some of their songs, such as “Girl (feat. KAYTRaNADA)”, “Come Over” and “Palace/Curse (feat. Tyler The Creator & Steve Lacy)“, but, this year, “It Gets Better (With Time)” has been a song with a message so powerful, it managed to make its way onto my “senior year playlist” — it’s become my anthem for the year.

With all that said, I hope you’ve learned a bit more about me through the type of music I like to listen to. While this piece explores my musical journey throughout high school, I’m not sure it fully encapsulates the personal one I’ve had. The time spent here hasn’t always been great: stressful classes, recurring feelings of loneliness, etcetera; but, I am grateful for the almost painfully extensive moments of reflection attending Archer has provided me. May 26, I can proudly say I will walk away, diploma in hand, with a better understanding of who “Cadence” is — the way she expresses herself, interacts with people, her interests, and, of course, the type of music she enjoys. See ya!

P.S.: I’ve left behind a playlist with some of the songs that have gotten me through this tumultuous year. Feel free to listen to it and follow my Spotify. Okay, now I’m gone.