Hariharan Senthilkumar - Week 15: Memories and Spotify Wrapped

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I think that we all agree that certain periods in our lives were characterized by certain songs. We all went through phases, and music is perhaps the easiest thing that can identify that era of our lives. Music shapes our memories in so many ways; I remember different seasons by the music we associate with it (summer pop, moody autumn), I remember vacations with music (fast paced Kollywood for when I visited India or old westerns for when I visited Georgia), we can remember almost anything in our lives with the music we connect it with. So I thought it would be fun to dive into my Spotify Wrapped from 2022 to 2024.

2022:

So this was when I was in 8th/9th grade, and my music taste was very fast, loud, and pop-like. The songs that hit the top of my charts were:

"We Don't Talk About Bruno" (I will always be a die-hard Disney fan)
Enemy (with JID) - Arcane (I don't know how I feel about this one anymore, to be honest)
Killer Queen - Mad Tsai (A bit embarrassing, but this was three years ago)
Control - Halsey (still a favorite of mine)
Achilles Heel - Janani K. Jha (Greek mythology will always hold a special place in my heart)
Bad Guy - by Billie Eilish (Don't judge me too harshly; I was 13/14)

2023:

So this year, I was a huge fan of this artist called Marina. She's not exceptionally popular, but I can guarantee most of you have heard at least one of her songs as part of a TikTok or Instagram reel before. Though I don't listen to her anymore, her voice and music basically defined my personality in 2023, so she is still one of my favorite artists. Most of my top songs in 2023 were by her:

"Oh No!" - Marina
"Are You Satisfied?" - Marina
"Teen Idle" - Marina
"Primadonna" - Marina

I also got into musicals a lot more, and I listened to a lot of songs from a musical called SIX. I highly recommend you all watch it; it's so funny and interesting (the musical follows the lives of the six wives of King Henry VIII).

"Don't Lose Ur Head" - SIX
"Ex-Wives" - SIX
"Haus of Holbein" - SIX

2024:

The songs I liked in 2024 are very...unique. I honestly don't know how else to describe them. According to Spotify, it's a mix of "dark pop" and "moody." I am still in my musical phase, and my favorite musical in 2024 (and now) is Epic. It's Homer's Odyssey written as a musical, and I am sure most of you have heard at least one song from the musical as part of the audio for popular reels.

"Wouldn't You Like" - Epic
"There Are Other Ways" - Epic
"Suffering" - Epic
"Done For" - Epic

As for why I would describe my 2024 taste as "unique," here are my other top songs, most of which are relatively unknown:

"With A Smile" - Maiah Manser
"Notre Dame" - Paris Paloma
"Labour" - Paris Paloma (this one, a few of you probably know)
"Strangers" - Kenya Grace

These songs have a more subtle, kind of dark but mostly mysterious kind of a feel. I think that this aesthetic appealed to me because in 2024, I started reading a lot more murder thrillers and horror novels, especially around spooky season in October.

The reason I showed you all my top songs from different years is because, to me, music defines the way I look at the past. By hearing the music I listened to back then, I feel like I've been transported back in time. I remember the memories I had, the things I experienced, the joy, the anxiety, and everything in between. Music can really be a time capsule, and it can affect not just the past but the present, too. As I said, my music taste in 2024 changed my reading taste drastically; I used to be a very fantasy-heavy reader, but music indirectly steered me toward a whole world of literature that I may have otherwise missed. If any of you would like to share your top songs from different times in your life, I would love to know!

Comments

  1. SabiKatApril 30, 2025 at 8:22 PM

    Hi Hari! Whenever I listen to a song I've listened to in a past period of my life, it instantly brings me back to that period. Music, like you said, characterizes so much of our lives. It is a "time capsule," bringing us back to the thrills and sadnesses of our past. Like you, I also enjoyed the "We don't talk about Bruno" song in Freshman year. I haven't hear many of the other songs you described, but I might give them a try! My old playlists, although making me cringe on the inside now, still hold a special place in my heart. The songs on them take me back to middle school and Covid-19, bringing back the thoughts and emotions I had as a kid. I'm sure the songs I listen to now will do the same when I am older. Thank you for your piece that tied music to memory, and I look forward to hearing more!

    ReplyDelete
  2. Caleb TrunehApril 30, 2025 at 9:53 PM

    Hi Hari!
    I also feel the instant memories felt of listening to an old song from my past and I do also enjoy reviewing my spotify wrapped every December. It allows me to recap on how not just my music taste has changed but how I have also grown as a person and forces me to retrieve information from many months ago. It is a great way of introspection into who we are in a fun positive manner! I loved how you said that music can be a time capsule because I 100% agree and believe it is the most relevant form of art in the lives of younger generations today! Overall, I enjoyed reading your blog this week and look forward to reading what you have to write next week!

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