OH Homecoming and Prom are two of the most anticipated events of the year. People spend hours upon hours preparing, making sure everything is perfect, and each day the events grow closer, and people get more and more excited.
Despite this, students often leave underwhelmed after the event they have looked forward to for so long. The cause for the widespread letdown is none other than the music choice.
Music choice is, surprisingly, a contentious topic. Some fans like pop music and religiously worship the ground Taylor Swift dances across, while others prefer the southern sounds of a twangy guitar or the drama of a classical symphony. But none of these opinions are incorrect; they are simply subjective and vary from person to person. So even though the music choice isn’t the only issue people have with these events, it can make or break how people remember it.
According to a survey of 16 respondents at OH, 68% of those surveyed shared opinions about the music choice at school events ranging from “hated it,” to “I didn’t really like it,” or “it was fine.”
A disappointing majority compared to those who said “It was fine, could have been better,” 31.3%, and “It was perfect,” 0%. Unfortunately, students agree that the music at these dances leaves them disappointed.
“It is a lot of rap, which I know is a very prevalent genre for high school kids. It all sounds similar to me, and I get bored of it within a half hour,” said one of the OH survey respondents.
Students have also expressed disappointment with the DJs themselves, often citing instances where they would talk over the music or switch it after only a few seconds. Having more input is also a request a lot of students tend to have. Making requests for them is a viable way for them to hear the songs they want to hear. However, this tactic is not always foolproof because, at the end of the day, the DJ is in charge.
“Students are not involved in the choice of DJ due to money. This is a decision made with administration,” said Jennifer Keto, an OH staff member involved with prom planning.
Rap music is some of the most popular music today, and for good reason. The talent needed to create this type of music is immense, and its followers are huge fans. However, not everyone is as big a fan of rap as others, and yet a majority of the music at these dances falls into the rap category.
The survey given to students yielded results sharing that the top 3 genres of music enjoyed by people at OHS were pop music, alternative, and classics like music from the ’70s and ’80s, which were all chosen by 75%, 63.5%, and 50% of participants, respectively. Surprisingly, rap music was only chosen by 25% of those who responded.
“I would say different music tastes aren’t represented that well, but then again, it can be hard to get the energy going with songs that are slower or not as peppy. I wish they would play some different types of music every once in a while that can still be danced to,” said junior Greta Woelke.
The differing music tastes at OH would not be an issue if not for the lack of variation in the music during dances, so a solution to this widespread distaste is simply more involvement for the students. Whether through more student input in the selection process or just more accessible request forms, if they are the ones supposed to be enjoying these dances, why not let them help make them fun?
I am a senior at OH and so excited to be a Managing and Opinions Section Editor this year! I love working on 42Fifty, but I am also very involved in band and numerous honor societies here. Looking forward to doing great work this year!
[…] student at OH is unique and has varying interests, so choosing prom music can be tricky, as highlighted in last year’s 42Fifty opinion article about music at school dances. However, by incorporating all student opinions, OH Prom on May 3 can […]