48 Hour Listening Log and Reflection

Log:

Monday 11:35am-11:59am, walking to class, on my phone (Spotify)- my “best songs that aren’t in english playlist” including “Love Scenario” by iKON (2018), “Toppen av ett berg” by Petter (2018), “Vekk meg opp” by Gabrielle (2017), “Answer: Love Myself” by BTS (2018), “Fy faen” by Hkeem (2017), “Was Du Liebe nennst” by Bausa (2017), then switched to a song by J.Cole called “MIDDLE CHILD” (2019)

Monday 12:50pm-1:45pm, walking to study and studying, on my phone (Spotify)- at first listening to a Spotify playlist called “This is: BTS” including “Hope World” by j-hope (2018), “Butterfly” by BTS (2015), “Love Maze” by BTS (2018), and “Go-Go” by BTS (2017). Then changed to my saved songs on shuffle including “Terrified” by Terror Jr. (2019), “Homemade Dynamite” by Lorde (2017), “Carried Away” by H.E.R. (2018), “thank u, next” by Ariana Grande (2018).

Monday 3:30pm-4:30pm, Starbucks and Newcomb dining hall (speakers/radio?)- mix of today’s hits, including “thank u, next” by Ariana Grande (2018)

Monday 6:15pm-6:30pm, walking to dorm, on my phone (Spotify)- “Unfortunately, Terror Jr” album by Terror Jr (2019)

Tuesday 8:15am and 8:30am, on my phone (Apple Music)- “Don’t Stop Believin’” by Journey (1981) played as my alarm clock rang, hit snooze and then “Revolution” by Diplo (2013) started playing.

Tuesday 11:00am-11:15am, walking to dorm from class, on my phone (Spotify)- “Love Yourself: Answer” album by BTS (2018)

Tuesday 12:00pm-12:20, eating lunch at Newcomb (speakers/radio?)- mix of rap songs that are popular today, not sure of any in particular

Tuesday 1:45pm-2:00pm, walking to class, on my phone (Spotify)- “This is WALK THE MOON” playlist on Spotify, assorted years and songs.

Tuesday 3:10pm-3:25pm, walking to dorm, on my phone (Spotify)- “Love Yourself: Tear” album by BTS (2018).

Tuesday 4:20pm-5:30pm, in the car (Spotify)- listened to my saved songs in order including “MIDDLE CHILD” by J. Cole (2019), “I’ve Been Waiting” by Lil Peep (2019), “Terrified” by Terror Jr (2019), “bury a friend” by Billie Eilish (2019), “All Night” by ASTRO (2019) , “S.O.S. (Sawed Off Shotgun)” by The Glorious Sons (2017), “Dancing with a Stranger” by Sam Smith and Normani (2019), “Wow.” by Post Malone (2018), “all my friends” by 21 Savage (2018), mostly new music or top hits.

Tuesday 5:45pm-6:20pm, California Pizza Kitchen (restaurant speakers)- Eating dinner with my sister they were playing music loudly including “Somebody That I Used to Know” by Gotye (2011) and mostly other hits from the mid 2010’s.

Tuesday 7:00pm-10:00pm, concert venue, live band- opening band called Bear Hands played a few songs then WALK THE MOON played a setlist including “Shut Up and Dance” (2014), “One Foot” (2017), “Anna Sun”(2012), “Timebomb”(2018), “Avalanche”(2014), “Kamikaze” (2017), and “Ghostbusters” (2017) and a few other of their hit songs. The concert venue was playing music before and in between the sets, including today’s top hits and some indie rock music.

Tuesday 10:30pm-11:30pm, in the car (Spotify)- started drive back to school listening to my “ultimate nostalgia” playlist including “Womanizer” by Britney Spears (2009), “Glamorous” by Fergie (2006), “Rock Star” by Hannah Montana (2007), and “Mine” by Taylor Swift (2010), then I switched to Taylor Swift’s entire 2008 Album “Fearless” which I listened to the whole way through at top volume.

Wednesday 8:15am and 8:30am, on my phone (Apple Music)- “Don’t Stop Believin’” by Journey (1981) played as my alarm clock rang, hit snooze and then “Revolution” by Diplo (2013) started playing.

Analysis:

It isn’t until you focus in on the music that is being played around you, that you begin to see how much of our daily life is saturated by a constant stream music. Music is everywhere- in restaurants, in malls, in our cars, in our ears, even on the streets. It is this constant exposure that has kind of left us to put a lot of the music that we hear in the background, as if it’s just a pesky fan or the chattering of people around you. Focusing in on this music and paying attention to our surroundings can give us a better insight on the music that we are being fed, rather than purposefully listening to.

Because I made a trip to see my sister in Richmond, I had some time to listen to music by myself in the car. My own personal music taste is centered around new music. I love finding new songs so I can tell my friends about them or just generally be connected to the world and up to date on the most popular, chart-topping songs. I listen to a lot of pop music along with a good amount of rap and hip-hop- throw in the occasional indie rock band, a few K-pop groups, and a bit of non-English music and you basically can describe my Spotify account. I think that on this drive I was looking for a chance to just hear some good music and relax my mind. I would say that the music I chose definitely did its job. I was able to sing along to some of my favorite songs at the moment, relax with the beat of the music, and sit back, turn up the music, and know I would not be disappointed. Some of the songs I also listened to on my drive were older songs that I used to love, especially right when I discovered them. That feeling of listening to a song you used to love is a bit like reconnecting with an old friend. I think that on my lonely drive I was seeking this sense of comfort and because I didn’t have a person with me, I chose the next best thing- my music.

When I finally got to Richmond, my sister and I went to eat dinner at California Pizza Kitchen, a semi-popular sit-down pizza restaurant with an overly pricey menu. Personally, I think the restaurant tries really hard to be upscale but if that is the goal, then the music is doing anything but fulfilling it. The music, which was turned up to the loudest volume, was an odd mix of older hits from the early 2010’s that would be played on adult pop stations and songs that my mom listens to so she can feel “cool”. This blend of out of date music is really off-putting to a younger audience, like my sister and I, but the restaurant might be trying to dissuade a younger crowd from going to the restaurant, perhaps because they don’t tip well or they are just generally ill-mannered. Considering the restaurant’s high prices, it is clear they are trying to be a classy dining establishment however, the music does not really fit that title. I think with better music, perhaps songs from the 60’s or 70’s, at a lower volume would provide the atmosphere that California Pizza Kitchen is looking for.

After our very expensive dinner, my sister and I went to see a live concert at The National in Richmond. The music that was being played before the concert began was definitely catered towards the specific crowd that the concert attracted. Because it was a WALK THE MOON concert, the audience consisted of a lot of edgy teenagers and young adults seeking a night of lively, upbeat music. This young audience, clearly fans of indie rock bands, were treated to a playlist that consisted of a mix of rock, pop, and a little bit of hip-hop that leaned more towards obscure than mainstream. I think this pre-concert mixtape was perfectly crafted in the interest of WALK THE MOON fans, which provides a really comfortable atmosphere before the show begins. The familiarity in the songs on the playlist allowed people to mingle around before the show began and be celebrated for the genre of music they prefer.

Seeing how much music I consume during two days really opened my eyes to what music I am listening to on purpose and what kind of music is being filtered to fit my needs at the time, sell me something, or help me relax. Having this insight while going about your daily life can really open your eyes- or rather your ears- to all the ways music plays a huge part in our daily lives.