Wicked. 30. Hamilton. Red (Taylor’s Version). As Broadway returns and musicians pump out new albums, Central’s students are eager to pop in headphones and jam out to songs ranging from old favorites to new hits. 

Ninety Red Devils responded to an open-ended survey asking them to identify their favorite music and artists. According to the results, tunes by the consistently-popular Beatles were favorites, though relatively newer artists such as Olivia Rodrigo are gaining steam. One student cited “traitor” by Rodrigo as their favorite song, while another stated that they preferred the track “jealousy, jealousy.” A few students mentioned their favorite album was Rodrigo’s sour, though the album with the most preferences was Red or Red (Taylor’s Version) by Taylor Swift. sour and Red (Taylor’s Version) are both categorized as pop albums, so it’s no surprise that 33% of the students surveyed favored that genre. Other favorite genres included rock (20%) and hip-hop or rap (about 18%). 

Additionally, many students reported that they enjoy musical theater. While only about 4% stated it was their favorite genre, many of the students surveyed have seen a musical and enjoyed the experience. “I absolutely loved it,” one student said of their trips to see Six and Hadestown on Broadway. Another characterized Hamilton as “A lot of fun.” A respondent expressed enthusiasm for when Six comes to Chicago soon, saying they are “really excited.” An additional student shared that mindset, looking forward to when the musical will “finally” be downtown in March. 

Even for those who can’t hit the road to see a live performance, there are still opportunities to listen to music, via Spotify and iTunes, of course. Additionally, with shows such as Saturday Night Live returning and events such as the Grammys taking place, even those of us who are unable or don’t wish to attend concerts or stream music will be able to watch artists perform (and we can sing along!). Crank up your tunes, Red Devils!