Soundtrack of My Life

Navigating the Question of Music Taste

Olivia Clarin

“What type of music do you listen to?” When asked this question, I am left dumbfounded as if I’m unfamiliar with the concept of music. Why is this a question people even ask? Why don’t we all just like the same music? We’re all listening to the same sounds, right? 

Maybe our music taste is based on the environment we grow up in. Some of my friends hate country music, but I always find myself defending it because I grew up in the country. Yet, this reasoning doesn’t always hold up; my sister, who grew up under the same roof as me, would never listen to Chris Stapleton by choice.

Maybe nostalgia plays a role. I think of when my mom would play John Denver in the car or when my family listened to Ingrid Michaelson’s album “Lights Out” on a trip in Washington state. Listening to songs from either artist takes me back to those specific moments from my childhood. 

Music taste can also change with the seasons. When summer fades to fall, I find myself switching from Leon Bridges to boygenius.

Maybe it changes with mood. In the days following the election, the voices of Maggie Rogers and Billie Eilish are the only ones piercing through the darkness. Singing the lyrics “while they’re overturning Roe v. Wade” feels both therapeutic and poignant considering the current political state of the country. Singing “if you leave the light on” feels like a beacon of hope for life beyond the turmoil. 

Or maybe— music is influenced by the combination of all of these things— an individual’s personal experiences, emotions, and cultural background. In other words, musical preference can be just as complex and ever-changing as the people consuming the music; one’s music taste allows insight into who they are, perhaps giving meaning to  the question “What type of music do you listen to?”