Whether it is the nostalgic pop of Gen Z’s favorite boy band, One Direction, or the alternative rap icon that is Tyler, The Creator, some albums are just so perfect that every song could have been a single. Every student has their go-to Spotify or Apple Music playlist for studying or driving, but that feeling you get when you find an album you enjoy from front to back is unparalleled.
So, we asked students: What albums have you listened to front to back?
First-year Kyle Beaman does not just appreciate the music he hears, but also has created an Instagram page where he rates and reviews new albums to share online. His Instagram account @musicreviewstodo enables him to share his opinion on everything from popular to underrated music.
“What I try to do is listen to as many albums from the current year as possible and review them based on theme, lyrics, vocals, flow, stuff like that,” Beaman said.
Beaman’s personal favorite album is "IGOR" by Tyler, The Creator. The artist, who is known for his genre-blending, alternative rap music, released "IGOR" in 2019, an album where each song is artistically refined and representative of his life and what he has overcome.
“It was the first project I was exposed to of his, and the way that it even just starts just immediately draws you into what the album is really about and the sound of it, the theme of it, everything about it,” Beaman said.
First-year Ashley West said she had a similar experience when she first listened to "Midnight Memories," an album released in 2013 by the boyband One Direction.
“The first time I listened to it, I was about 10," West said. “And immediately, I loved it. I was probably dancing around my room screaming 'Story Of My Life' at the top of my lungs.”
For any Gen Zers who shared a love for One Direction, turning on the album once in a while lets them remember the good old days before coronavirus and midterms.
