I feel like my music taste fluctuates with my personal state. Not just mood, but who I am as a person in a given moment. I imagine that’s how it is for most people unless you’re super consistent. My brother, for example, has been listening exclusively to classical music since he was about 10 … nothing else. 

I don’t know if I’m nosy or something, but when I see someone in the hall or on the street with their headphones in, I always wonder what they’re listening to. Does the song match the person? Does it match what they’re doing? Is someone out there lifting weights to Piano Concerto No. 2 in F minor, Op. 21:2. Larghetto by Chopin like my brother? 

I’m sure there are more people out there like me who have the same curiosities, so I suppose I’ll put myself on the line: I’m not proud of it but in early quarantine (when I was still a sophomore) I was obsessed with Lana Del Rey. My gateway song was ‘Doin’ Time’ on the NFR album. I never had a “taste” in music prior to quarantine but I think the utter shock of going into lockdown, and not leaving my house ever (except to go on family walks) made me spiral. And so began my “sad girl” era. It was bad. I listened to nothing else except Ultraviolence on repeat. My sisters groaned when I beat them to the aux. I don’t blame them at all, I’m very glad I got out when I did.

Now that I’m in a better place, I’ve noticed I listen to music that lifts me up instead of music that enables sulking. I pretty much listen to whatever sounds good. Something that scratches that itch in my brain. I gravitate towards classic rock, which my dad takes credit for. My favorites include Fleetwood Mac, David Bowie, Jimi Hendrix, The Velvet Underground, INXS, Blondie, and Led Zeppelin.

Right now, however, I’m in my ABBA kick. I’m not sure how I got into it all of the sudden, but maybe I needed something a little vibrant, to get me through this never-ending winter. The way the voices harmonize, mixed with the instrumentals, and synthy noises has been so satisfying lately. My favorite song at the moment is ‘SOS’. I think bands that were built on drama, rumors, and breakups just have a little more spice. 

I’ve also realized that every year my music preference changes whether I like it or not. I usually become infatuated with a band or some songs and think that I’ll never outgrow them. I put my favorites in a designated playlist, and it becomes my daily rotation. The feeling of having a new soundtrack to my life is always exciting. However, once the shuffle becomes stale, there’s no going back (actually, I started writing this blog about a week ago, and the playlist I was so content with has become the victim of multiple skips). It’s always fun though when you listen to an old song a few months down the line, and it brings you back to a moment or feeling in the past: it becomes a weird moment of escapism.

So when the dreaded day of music unfulfillment comes, I go on the hunt for new tracks. I usually find new material in shows/movie soundtracks, by sifting through my dad’s twelve-hour playlist or going down a spotify rabbit hole. My shazam is always ready.