Have you ever wondered what songs your teachers are listening to in their free time? Or maybe about the genre of music your teachers prefer? I most certainly have! So this week, I decided to interview several AMHS teachers about their playlists and music tastes.
When she is in a quiet mood or reading, Dr. Altman turns on the music of Mozart or Benjamin Britain or listens to her favorite musicals: Les Miserables or The Phantom of the Opera. Otherwise, she puts on her Favorites playlist, which combines older and more recent pop songs. When she works out or does jazzercise, she prefers to listen to newer pop hits by artists such as Ed Sheeran and Dua Lipa. Recently, she has particularly enjoyed Lipa’s song “Dance the Night from the Barbie Album.”
Listen to Dr. Altman’s playlist here: https://spotify.link/KjoJkA5YZDb
Ms. Akery defaults to her In My Feelings playlist, which consists of songs from her adolescence. The name of her playlist comes from the mood she feels when listening to the playlist: nostalgic or sentimental. However, if she is having a bad morning, she overrides this and chooses to have a Spice Girls concert in her car, as it always turns her mood around. She considers her music taste eclectic and notes that the music she listens to varies depending on the person she is with. For example, when she is with her husband, she often finds herself listening to emo music or post-rock instrumentals. But when she is with her best friend, they turn on RB&B, Bad Bunny, and Beyonce.
Listen to Ms. Akery’s playlist here: https://spotify.link/oAyOH16YZDb
Honestly, if a rap hit from the 90’s or 00’s is on, I lose complete control of my body. I will make a stank face and bust a move.
— Ms. Akery
A 90s rock and alternative music fanatic, Ms. Yackey claims that she is too old to have an app with the ability to make a playlist. But she still gave me a list of some of her favorite songs that would be on it. She notes that every song from the Weezer Blue album would be on her playlist; therefore, I am going to assume that she is a huge fan of this album. Ms. Yackey describes her music taste as “wretched” and “horrible,” but she can not help what she loves. Whatever she is listening to, she shouts it from the top of her lungs when alone in her car.
Listen to Ms. Yackey’s playlist here: https://spotify.link/WfsCDx8YZDb
Mr. Williams named his playlist Music is My Religion after a Jimi Hendrix quote. Although he did give me one of his playlists, he says this one does not necessarily consist of his favorite songs. Similar to Ms. Akery, Mr. Williams also deems his music taste eclectic. He justifies his self-description by saying he can go from rock to rap to blues to country all in one car ride. He says that the music he listens to changes based on his mood, as well as the different activities he does. For example, he listens to different music when driving to work versus from work, as well as when he drives with or without his kids.
Listen to Mr. Williams’ playlist here: https://spotify.link/hq3edB9YZDb
Ms. Langley would describe her music taste as “pretty mellow” because harmonies and lyrics are most important to her. If she did have a playlist, she would name it Harmonizing in the Car, as during Covid she made a seven-hour trip to Tennessee to see her dad and sang throughout the entire ride. Ms. Langley shared that she had not felt that good in so long, and simultaneously, the chemicals in her body also sang happily. If she needs to concentrate, Ms. Langley will turn on foreign or instrumental music; otherwise, she will lose focus and start singing the song.
Listen to Ms. Langley’s playlist here: https://spotify.link/caXC2KUZ9Db
Music always wins in my brain.
— Ms. Langley
Although she also does not have a playlist and listens to Pandora with ads, Ms. Smith gave me a list of ten songs that would definitely be on it if she “weren’t too lazy or too cheap to pay for the ability to have one.” If she did have a playlist, she says that she would probably make a name for it. Ms. Smith states that even though she is not sophisticated or tech-savvy, she would like to think her playlist name would be creative. However, she concedes that they might be pragmatic like Car Karaoke or Shake it Off. Ms. Smith mostly listens to folky rock or alternative music from 20-40 years ago.
Listen to Ms. Smith’s playlist here: https://spotify.link/OZZhOUbZZDb
Mr. Lovering only listens to 80s music. Even when he does other activities, like working out, he still turns on 80s music, such as songs by Van Halen. When asked why, Mr. Lovering said he has a “soft spot for ’80s power ballads.” If he had a combined playlist, he would name it: Songs That I Rock Out to in My Car When Nobody is Around.
Listen to Mr. Lovering’s playlist here: https://spotify.link/DbMuudfZZDb
Like many other teachers, Ms. Frazier listens to the playlists that music apps suggest to her. But if she had a playlist, she would call it Music to Clear My Head as that is why she listens to music. Ms. Frazier would also describe her music as eclectic as she listens to any genre from any time period. When she grades papers, she listens to music that is quieter and of a slower tempo. She adds that the Folklore album by Taylor Swift is really good to grade papers to. When she is on the way home from work, she turns on more upbeat music like pop and country.
Listen to Ms. Frazier’s playlist here: https://spotify.link/xfBIv1dZZDb
Did you expect some of these teacher’s playlists? Were some of their responses unexpected? If you did or did not, or have any other thoughts about this article, please feel free to leave a comment down below! To listen to all of their playlists, search @amhs teacher playlists24 on Spotify.
