Anthology
A collection of personal reflections and insights from a variety of different people in my community.
WHO WE ARE
After finding myself fascinated by my friends' playlists and favorite songs, I decided to create an anthology tracking how music impacts different people in my community. I asked them to share three simple details: their favorite song, favorite artists, and a memory they associate with music. By using this data, I was able to paint a portrait of the collective musical identity I take part and live in.
Trevor
Favorite song: Prayer by Kendrick Lamar
Favorite artist: Kanye West
Music memory: "The song 'Don't Know Why' by Norah Jones"
Jacob
Favorite song: i by Kendrick Lamar
Favorite artist: Playboi Carti
Music memory: "Gangnam Style"
Stephen
Favorite song:
Good Looking by Suki Waterhouse
Favorite artist: Suki Waterhouse
Music memory:
"Trevor singing 'My Way'"
Luca
Favorite song: Vincent by Don McLean
Favorite artist: Djo
Music memory:
"First time hearing Gracie Abrams' 'Risk' on the bullet train in China"
Amelia
Favorite song: Wild Thoughts by Rihanna
Favorite artist: Jhené Aiko
Music memory: "Wild Thoughts playing at every single party"
Sara
Favorite song: Wasting Time by Brent Faiyaz
Favorite artist: Drake
Music memory: "There's lots of music associated with nostalgia in different points of my life"
Ethan
Favorite song: ETA by New Jeans
Favorite artist: New Jeans
Music memory: "My older brother always danced to Dynamite"
Lara
Favorite song: Some Unholy War by Amy Winehouse
Favorite artist: Billie Eilish
Music memory:
"Singing When I'm Sixty-Four to my grandma"
Evelyn
Favorite song: Better by Cory Wong
Favorite artist: Dirty Loops
Music memory:
"'Party in the USA' was the first song my sister and I memorized the lyrics to, it's very sentimental"
Luke
Favorite song:
Coffee Cups by S@YP
Favorite artist:
Superheaven
Music memory:
"Every time I hear 'Eat Me Alive' I think of the Downstream gig"
Eileen
Favorite song:
Girl You'll Be a Woman Soon by Urge Overkill
Favorite artist:
Nirvana
Music memory:
"Whenever Jane and I do something together I always give her my right airpod, because whenever one of us finds a song we send it to the other one and we both get hooked. She always has my right airpod, and when I’m alone I still only put in the left one"
Margot
Favorite song:
Something by the Beatles
Favorite artist:
Car Seat Headrest
Music memory:
"Listening to Oasis in the car with my parents as a little kid driving to New York"
Kenzie
Favorite song:
Stop This Train by John Mayer
Favorite artist:
Rufus Wainwright
Music memory:
"I love getting music from my parents, and all of their favorite artists become my favorites. I love going to concerts with them, especially seeing Rufus Wainwright in concert. It was so cool seeing him play piano and sing, and he definitely inspires my song writing and piano playing today"
Sabrina
Favorite song:
Cath by Death Cab for Cutie
Favorite artist:
Radiohead
Music memory:
"Blasting songs I love with my best friend surrounded by beautiful trees and rain"
Blake
Favorite song:
In the Aeroplane Over the Sea by Neutral Milk Hotel
Favorite artist:
Tyler the Creator
Music memory:
"Performing Kilby Girl at Whitman Coffeehouse in freshman year"
Sophie
Favorite song:
Undercover Martyn by the Two Door Cinema Club
Favorite artist:
Saint Motel or Ariana Grande
Music memory:
"Going to tiny concerts with my friends and having the singer be right there"
Nia
Favorite song:
Ain't No Mountain High Enough by Marvin Gaye and Tammi Terrell
Favorite artist:
Noah Kahan or Lana del Rey
Music memory:
"Anything dance related: competitions, recitals, auditions"
Naomi
Favorite song:
The 30th by Billie Eilish
Favorite artist:
Reneé Rapp
Music memory:
"Dancing with my sister at 1 am to Speak Now by Taylor Swift"
Sasha
Favorite song:
The Chain by Fleetwood Mac
Favorite artist:
Lana del Rey
Music memory:
"Boating on the lake listening to country over the summer"
Syd
Favorite song:
Overjoyed by Stevie Wonder
Favorite artist:
Faye Webster
Music memory:
"Being at my friends house for a family dinner and she introduced me to a beach house song, every time I hear that song I think of her"
Josh
Favorite song:
Tomorrow Never Knows by the Beatles
Favorite artist:
Brian Wilson
Music memory:
"Playing on stage with Randy Brecker in 2023"
Ms. Richie
Favorite song: Orpheus by Sara Bareilles
Favorite artist: Sara Bareilles
Music memory: "'Call Me Maybe' was really popular when I graduated high school"
Eyob
Favorite song: Lost Ones by Lauryn Hill
Favorite artist: The Weeknd
Music memory: "My mom always sings 'Like a Tattoo'"
Lauren
Favorite song:
Foolish One by Taylor Swift
Favorite artist:
Taylor Swift
Music memory:
"Singing 'What Is This Feeling' from Wicked with my friend"
Ellis
Favorite song:
Moon by the Microphones
Favorite artist:
Los Campesinos
Music memory:
"Indie rock like the Strokes reminds me of 2020. I have mixed feelings about it"
Clara
Favorite song:
Silver Springs by Fleetwood Mac
Favorite artist:
Fleetwood Mac
Music memory:
"Listening to American Pie when I was in elementary school in the car cause we had it on CD, and last year listening to it with my friends on a road trip drive"
Lucas
Favorite song:
A Song For You by Zach Bryan
Favorite artist:
Zach Bryan
Music memory:
"Selling out my first ever headline show, and seeing everyone hold their phone flashlights up while I sang a song for my late grandmother"
Gigi
Favorite song:
Gunjoy by Yoasobi
Favorite artist:
Yoasobi
Music memory:
"Going to a Hannah Bahng concert in Chicago at a really small 150 person venue. It amazed me how she was able to connect with those people and that’s how I knew I wanted to do music as a career"
Lei
Favorite song:
Sleepwalking Past Hope by HIM
Favorite artist:
ÇilekeÅŸ
Music memory:
"When I crowd surfed for the first time last year, I made a bunch of new friends at that show and it made me feel so loved. It felt like I had so much support from the people I looked up to the most, literally and figuratively"
Vir
Favorite song: Californication by the Red Hot Chili Peppers
Favorite artist: Led Zeppelin
Music memory: "My dad screaming 'Waka Waka' for the 2014 World Cup"
Eshaan
Favorite song: Feels Like We Only Go Backwards by Tame Impala
Favorite artist: Mac Miller
Music memory: "Superstar by Lupe Fiasco reminds me of Sean O'Malley"
Ms. Mulhern
Favorite song: One Last Song by Sam Smith
Favorite artist: John Legend
Music memory:
"Watching my daughter jump while listening to Snoop Dogg's children's album Doggyland: it moved me to tears because it was such an honest expression of joy"
Dan
Favorite song:
Kids Are Pretty People by Thad Jones
Favorite artist:
Thad Jones
Music memory:
'Triago de La Salsa' reminds me of middle school"
Kiran
Favorite song:
Lovers Rock by TV Girl
Favorite artist:
Mac DeMarco
Music memory:
"Listening to music on the JBL with Emi and Ona"
Carmen
Favorite song:
Call Your Mom by Noah Kahan
Favorite artist:
Noah Kahan
Music memory:
"Listening to music during transportation, like the car, bus, train, or plane, and decompressing"
Ona
Favorite song:
For Emma by Bon Iver
Favorite artist:
Laufey
Music memory:
"Seeing Mac DeMarco in concert with my best friend"
William
Favorite song:
SuÍte Norte, Sul, Leste, Oeste by Hermete Pascoal
Favorite artist:
Casiopea
Music memory:
"Whenever I drove with my dad when I was young we would listen to classical WETA (local radio station) so I would think of mediocre baroque music as driving with my dad"
Josh
Favorite song:
Tomorrow Never Knows by the Beatles
Favorite artist:
Brian Wilson
Music memory:
"Playing on stage with Randy Brecker in 2023"
