Whether it be in the car, at school, or just as a fun hobby during free time, listening to music is part of nearly everyone’s daily lives. Although it may not be a passion for some, the fact remains, rarely a day goes by where one doesn’t hear music.

With this in mind, the entire topic of music tastes and interests becomes a whole lot more interesting. What music do people like? Why do they listen? Most importantly, what factors influence their taste?

For many listeners, music is all about getting a taste of everything. Why have one flavor of ice cream when you can have all of them?

“It depends on the day and mood I’m in.” said junior Chloe Schippers. “Some days I enjoy alternative music. I like rock, classical, and a lot more.”

For Schippers, music is also much more than just something to listen to. “If I’m sad, I listen to stuff I used to listen to with my dad because the memories make me happy. Other days, if I’m painting or drawing I listen to indie pop or dubstep to inspire me.”

For some, their music is influenced by what happens in their daily life. Sophomore Karalina Coates is a piano player whose music taste is heavily influenced by her instrument. “I listen to classical,” she said. “To a lot of piano concertos and stuff like that.”

As for others, their music tastes are influenced by friends and loved ones.

“My dad really got me into classic rock when I was five or six.” said sophomore Reid Casson. “From then on, I [got] to pick and choose what I like off of someone’s playlists. If I hang out with a certain person for a while, I adopt their music taste.”

Casson plays the guitar and has been doing so for years.

His taste for acoustic, alternative and heavy metal rock was brought about by his experiences playing guitar growing up. When he plays, it taps into what he’s feeling.

“I can play a… soft song on my acoustic and be in a really kind of sad mood,” said Casson. “But if I want to rock the house in my bedroom, I’ll crank it on my electric to some Metallica or Green Day.”

Many seem to have an emotional connection with music, and their mood or the situation can sway what they listen to, and when. For senior Sam Ferrara, music goes far beyond just songs and impacts him deeper than most.

“Music has shown me sides of life I would never understand otherwise; it’s shown me how to come to terms with my own emotions even when I don’t fully understand what those emotions are,” said Ferrara. His music taste has a foot in each world, and he gets around a lot from genre to genre. “I physically cannot stick to a few genres. I get bored very quickly.”

For some, music is just a hobby. For others, a lifestyle. The ways one experiences music are dependent on who and what they live their life around. So it’s important to be a good influence on the people around you.

The last thing you would want, of course, is to give someone a bad playlist.