While Spotify Wrapped highlights listeners’ favorite songs each year, Liberty High School students already know what tracks defined this school year. From heavy metal classics to trending rap songs, students shared the music they kept on repeat.
Starting off great with a heavy metal song based on the fear of the unknown, Fear of the Dark by the band Iron Maiden. This song was written in 1992, representing the shift in the band’s musical sound. This song was based on the bass player Steve Harris’ own personal experiences with feeling uneasy in the dark. It brings light to mental health issues in society today, things like; Paranoia, Anxiety, the fear of being alone, and fear of the dark. This song is a great listen to any age group, giving an example of how music can affect people from all age ranges.
“My favorite part of the song is the guitar solo, it has a great sound that is very well written. Though my favorite verse is ‘I have a constant fear, that something is always near’ it sounds very ominous giving it mystery” explains Sophomore, Oscar Canales
This year the 2010s are coming back, we are reintroducing what songs were like during that time period. Junior, Brayan Gonzalez Portillo, mentioned his love for the song Wrecking Ball by Miley Cyrus. This song is about breaking down the emotional barriers that come from traumatic experiences and unhealthy past relationships, it’s a song about heartbreak and regaining confidence after such events. Co-written by MoZella in 2013 this was a song that held great influences to our generation, bringing us to singing at the top of our lungs to an upbeat song.
“I love this song, it hypes me up whenever I’m walking through stores like Walmart. My favorite lyric of the song is ‘ I came in like a wrecking ball’ . It is the most mentioned lyric but it gets you in the zone when you need to lock in on something” Brayan explains.
R&B and the Soul genre remain a dominant musical genre. A newly trending song has caught the attention of many at Liberty. Garden Kisses by the American R&B singer Giveon was made in 2018, but has recently made a comeback through the social media app TikTok. The song itself has a slow tempo and is described as soulful. It was written and produced by Giveon himself, making it his first debut single.
Brianna Valenzuela, a freshman girl with a love for the genre, has expressed Garden Kisses is her favorite song of the school year. “Everything from the melody to the beat is amazing, it really hooks you. I love listening to it anytime of the day. It makes me feel calm and at peace. I’ve had many of my friends listen to it and they all have enjoyed it. It’s such a good song, I think everyone should give it a chance.”
Today the rap genre is incredibly popular, ranging from ages of 15 to late 30s. The grammy winning artist Lil Baby has released over 100 hip-hop and rap songs in his career. Since 2017 his music has grown in popularity, often reflecting his life experiences like transitioning from the struggles of his youth to the responsibilities of adulthood, fatherhood, and the pressures of fame. Senior Brian Aguila has found his favorite song to be one of Lil Baby’s tracks; Pure Cocaine. This song was released in 2018 and is from Lil Baby’s album, street gossip. It focuses on his shift from a street-level drug dealer to a thriving rapper. The lyrics highlight the motifs of wealth, hustle, success, and self-reliance.
“I first heard it from my friend, Ethan Barahona, when we were hanging out. The lyrics and overall theme of the song caught my attention. Ever since it has grown to become one of my favorite songs. I usually listen to it when I go to the gym as it’s a nice warm-up song. I would recommend it to anyone, especially if they enjoy rap.” shares Brian.
Bringing modern pop culture to light we have I Can’t Let Go by Lil Tecca feat. Don Toliver. This song was written in 2024, it brings up topics of emotional attachment and toxic relationships helping people navigate through the struggles that relationships can bring. It first got popular on the social media app, TikTok, as a track that has heartfelt emotions mixed with the modern rap sound. Sophomore, Liam Clayton enjoys this song while going on drives, it is catchy and enjoys the consistency of the song, he found while trying to widen his music taste on Spotify. It is great for older teenagers to young adults, helping them work through the heart break that their ‘first love’ can bring. This song brings up the negative coping skills that people tend to gravitate towards after feeling that much emotional pain, and trying to move away from that resource. It gives people hope when they are feeling unwanted and down, being overall a powerful and catchy song to listen to.
“I recommend this song to others because it is two very good rappers collabing with each other that ends up becoming a really great song. My favorite line in the song is ‘you could go, go do better’ . It gives encouraging information for those who take the easy route” Liam explains
This school year we have enjoyed the company of some amazing songs, music brings people together, and we have seen some examples of this throughout the school. We are looking forward to future “Top Songs” that our fellow peers enjoy throughout upcoming years. Whether students prefer classic throwbacks, rap, pop or metal, one thing is clear: music remains a major part of student life at Liberty. As summer approaches, students say nostalgic hits and new releases will continue shaping their playlists.
