Dick Clark once said, “Music is the soundtrack of your life.” This even goes for students at Averett University. With genres of music spanning from rock to rap to country. Every student has a favorite song, artist, or podcast that makes their life feel a little bit more put together every second. This is what several students had to say when asked, “What are you listening to?”

Rock music seems to be a favorite on campus with students liking different versions of the classic genre. Hannah Walton, a freshman majoring in history, said that her favorite band is Fleetwood Mac. Fleetwood Mac is a 70’s rock band that Walton discovered because of her father, one of the biggest influencers of her music. Walton’s favorite song by the band is Gold Dust Woman.

She is also heavily influenced by the music her friends listen to. “Music can connect people,” Walton said.

Sophia Marshall is a freshman majoring in business and she is an alternative rock fan, two of her favorite bands are Green Day and The Killers.

“Mainly The Killers because they are from Vegas,”  Marshall, who has spent some of her life in Vegas, said.

Marshall is also Hispanic and her culture influences her music taste a little bit, along with her friends. One of her favorite songs is APA by Mora, a Spanish song.

Dayton Moore is a freshman majoring in health sciences and she loves country music. Her favorite artist is Morgan Wallen.

Moore said she has been influenced by “Where I grew up and how I grew up.”

Cassidy Merricks, a freshman majoring in sociology and criminal justice, is a fan of rap and hard rock. Her favorite artists span from Post Malone and Rod Wave to Virginia native Dave Grohl. Merricks feels like her music taste is influenced mostly by her mood at the time. Her taste doesn’t stop at just music, it also leads to her listening to podcasts.

Merricks enjoys the podcast Crime Junkie. “It helps with my major and the thinking process.”

Another person who listens to music and podcasts is Lennon Nicholls. Nicholls is a freshman from England who is majoring in business management. He goes back to his British roots by being a big fan of Britpop band Oasis and one of his favorite songs is Supersonic by the band. Nicholls listens to music to feel good, and he is influenced by his mood. One of his favorite podcasts is ShxtsNGigs, and he enjoys listening to it on his flight back to the US from his home in England.

Fred Koskinen is a junior from Finland, and he is majoring in business marketing. Koskinen enjoys rap, hip-hop, and R&B. His favorite artist is Drake, and he listens to music to relax.

Philipp Bohnenkemp is a junior who is double majoring in management and accounting. Bohnenkemp is from Germany, and he enjoys listening to German rap music. His favorite artist is Apache 207, a German rapper, and one of his favorite songs by Apache 207 is Boot.

In the end, the real question is how music affects schoolwork and if it causes a distraction. Three out of 7 of these students think music doesn’t distract them while the others think it does. Walton is an ex-dancer, so she focuses too much on the beat instead of her work. Bohnenkemp can’t focus on work using the English language unless his music is in German, but he prefers no music at all while working.

Sophia Marshall loves to listen to music while working. “It helps a lot. Especially with math.”