Summer has officially ended, but with HOCO being named Eternal Summer, the music can go on
September 24, 2020
"Summer music" by jaci XIII is licensed under CC BY-NC-SA 2.0
The summer has ended, but with it brought lots of new music. Whether listening by records or from a speaker, music has reached the students.
During the summer of 2020, new music continued to be released despite the COVID-19 pandemic. Artists ranging from Lil Uzi Vert and Juice Wrld to Taylor Swift and Morgan Wallen released music. But one song that stood out from all the rest and can be heard playing all over the radio, WAP by Cardi B (feat. Megan Thee Stallion). The song was released on August 7, 2020. The song took off on another social media platform, Tiktok, where users made various dances to different parts of the song. WAP was a cultural reset where women claimed back the derogatory references and used them to empower themselves. Another popular song was Be Happy by Dixie D’Amelio, released July 31, 2020. Since her sister became famous on Tiktok, D’Amelio has explored her platform and produced a song. Since then, she has used her platform to promote her music. This song reflects on the pressures put on teenagers and raises awareness of mental health.
Quarantine meant students were stuck inside, whether listening to rap, country, pop, or R&B, music was an escape. Students’ music tastes change frequently, and COVID-19 allowed them to find music that speaks to them, whether it was released this summer or not. Students got back to listening to artists that they forgot. “COVID made me branch out to music that I would usually avoid like more rap,” junior Sarah Oppenheim explains. Some song recommendations from students include Bags by Clario and Paradise by Bazzi. “It just makes me happy, music is very calming, and it helps with anxiety,” sophomore Hobbs Lillygreen states.
Various songs this summer are related to the topic of society’s standards. The killing of George Floyd inspired songs about racial injustice and spurred famous artists into advocating for BLM. I Can’t Breathe by H.E.R debuted June 19, 2020, bringing awareness to black Americans’ struggles. This R&B song reflects on how tired people are of fighting and not seeing enough change within society. The album cover includes H.E.R holding up a poster with the words I Can’t Breathe on the front with a city in the background and a tear running down her face.
Music is a language that reaches the masses, and everyone is able to understand the message they receive. Whether it be on racial injustices or mental health awareness, music is a community where everyone is welcome. This summer, music production companies adjusted to circumstances regarding COVID-19, music was released to allow the community to come together.