During the month of September, Armuchee middle school students were surveyed on their individual music tastes to discover which genre, song, and artists are most popular within their grade. By speaking to middle school students, it can be seen that the Armuchee community listens to specific music whether they grow up around it, impacted by social media, or self-influenced. By exploring different students’ preferences, this study allows for a deeper understanding of the middle school students as a whole. 

Throughout the 8th grade, the most commonly enjoyed genre was alternative, which is a broad category that can be defined by music that stands out from mainstream styles. This also includes sub genres such as punk, indie, grunge, along with many more. Out of the all students surveyed, 42% said their favorite genre was some sort of alternative. 8th grader Victor Bardan said, “My favorite genre has always been punk/grunge because I’ve grown up around it and can relate to it.” He also stated that his favorite song was “Black” by the artist Pearl Jam, which is also his favorite artist. Alternatively, 8th grader Garrett Clark said, “I listen to the genre because it has a sad vibe”. Garrett’s favorite artist was Adrianne Lenker, and her music falls under the sub-genre of indie with songs like “Sadness is a Gift” and “Anything.”  While most of the interviewees said their favorite genre (or genres) was alternative, there were also many others that stood out. For example, 8th grader Jaycee Everett said that her favorite genre of music was “K-pop, because it’s free and confident.”

Unlike their upperclassmen, the majority of the 7th grade students said country was their favorite genre. Country music, which is a popular genre in the southern rural areas of the United States has different subgenres within it but can most likely be defined by a mixture of ballads and slow beat songs, usually equipped with electric guitars, acoustic guitars, and harmonicas. Out of the students surveyed, 52% said that their genre of choice is country. 7th grader Maddie, said, “Christian country is my favorite because I can relate to this music, and I like the mood it puts me in.” 7th grader Lilian Perry agrees; she said, “My favorite song is ‘Man On The Moon’ by Megan Moroney.” She is a commonly cited country artist among the 7th grade students. Attractiveness also plays an important role in students’ music taste. 7th grader Tyren Puckett, said, “I really enjoy listening to Tie Myers because he is very attractive, and his song ‘Tie that Binds’ is viral on social media.” Although the majority of these students agreed on country music, 7th grader Owen Park’s answer stood out. Owen said, “I really enjoy listening to alternative music because I grew up listening to it with my dad. My favorite artist is also Twenty One Pilots!” The music these students see on social media, grew up around, and feel when listening to greatly influences their lives. 

Much like the 7th grade class, 62% of 6th graders’ favorite genre was overwhelmingly country. When surveyed, 6th grader Kaylie Garrett said, “My favorite artist is ‘Maddox Batson’ a young country songwriter with songs such as ‘X’s’ and ‘Southbound.’” Along with this, 6th grader Scarlett Galvanauskas said that her favorite song was “Indifferent” by Megan Moroney, her favorite artist. Both of these artists’ styles and writing fall under the country genre, which in the past few years, especially, has gained popularity. 

Country music as a whole has boomed in popularity these past few years, with artists such as Morgan Wallen, Megan Moroney, and Maddox Batson making their debuts. Both sixth and seventh grade especially enjoy this type of most upbeat and fun genre. Another conclusion can also be made that these genres are especially popular because of the region. Due to the location these students live in, it can be said that these students can relate to this type of music more than a student who lives in the North. Although in the 8th grade class, students seem to stray away from the typical country genres. This could be due to the fact that as people grow and develop, they learn to find their own styles and likes. This is further driven by the fact that the 8th grade class had more diverse and different likes than the classes below them. One genre was not overwhelming the others, and they were spread out and varied from student to student.