When I was a kid I was very limited with music, I never really ventured off into different types of music taste. Recently I have been exploring different types of music like calm, rnb, jazz, rock, and many more. These five songs are my favorite from all of them because they all hold emotional and sentimental value to me. Music has been my own way to deal with my problems, because when I plug in my headphones all my thoughts slowly wash away and are suppressed by music, for me music is more than just soothing sounds going into your ears, music is art.
The first song in my list is “Let Down” by Radiohead, I really love this song because it shows me the meaning behind my struggles and how I’ve been able to keep afloat even in my most unstable times. This song shows me how I’ve grown to accept my emotions and to control them, know I know its okay for me to cry, its okay to get sad, its okay to feel down, but what matters is how you feel afterwards, if you don’t have a positive outlook on life you won't get a positive result back.
Another song that means a lot to me is “Shut It Down” by Drake featuring The-Dream. Drake is known for mixing rap and R&B, and this song gives off just that it helps me relax and also at the same time gives me some type of energy. Living in Houston, I’ve always been around music like this, so it feels familiar to me. This song reminds me to stay focused and not let anything distract me from the person I want to become and my goals and ambitions. It makes me feel more confident and like I am the one in control, especially when it feels like I'm not.
“Lover, You Should’ve Come Over” by Jeff Buckley is a very emotional song about love and regret. Jeff’s style mixes rock and soft melodies which is what I’ve been getting into recently, which makes the song feel really deep. This song makes me think back on what could’ve been, what could’ve been if I were the person I am now. The person I was back then was a very immature version of myself and till this day I have so many things I regret, but I realize that regret is proof I’ve grown. The fact that I wish I could’ve done better means I already am someone who would.
The last song I chose is “All I Need” by Radiohead. This song is slower and more emotional, and it talks about wanting connection but also feeling alone. I connect to it because it reminds me of quiet moments when I’m just thinking about life, family, friends, and my future. It shows a different side of me, a side of me I’ve tried to escape, but learned to accept. Back then I used to think being alone was a sign of weakness, I felt I always needed to be around people to be considered “normal”. Now I realize that being alone is one of the greatest gifts given to you, being alone gives you time to reflect and to know how to enjoy yourself even if you don’t have company.
I chose this topic because music has become a big part of my life, especially since I started exploring different genres that I never really listened to before. When I was younger, my taste in music was very limited, but over time I began listening to R&B, jazz, rock, and calmer music, which helped me understand myself better. This personal experience connected to my research because I wasn’t just studying music I was also reflecting on how it affects emotions and personal growth. During my research process, I first picked songs that truly meant something to me, then I looked deeper into the artists, their styles, and the messages behind their music. I also spent time thinking about how each song relates to my own life. The part I enjoyed the most was being able to connect my feelings and experiences to each song, because it made the essay more personal and meaningful. The most challenging part was trying to put my emotions into words, since some feelings are hard to explain clearly. Overall, this essay taught me that music is more than just something you listen to—it can help you grow, understand yourself, and deal with life. I also realized that the way my music taste has changed shows how much I’ve grown as a person.