Music Reviews
It’s the Most Wonderful Time of the Year
Written by Yadier Peguero
‘Tis the season to be jolly! And what better way to celebrate than listening to music that draws that feeling of delight. Music is a special way that helps us feel the spirit of this special season as Christmas approaches. Our first song on the list is Kelly Clarkson’s “Underneath the Tree.” from her Christmas Album. This classic was released in 2013 which is filled with joy and is emotionally impactful. This is due to the mixture of Clarkson's strong vocals with a vibrant, vivacious melody. The addictive, lively tempo is the song's most notable element. Its lively, swing-inspired orchestration, which features gleaming bells, truly captures the vibe of Christmas. The next song is “Sleigh Ride” by The Ronettes. “Sleigh Ride" is a traditional Christmas tune that perfectly captures the joyous, festive setting of the season. The song is an annual classic because of its catchy rhythm, endearing lyrics, and iconic production, which all contribute to its sense of holiday magic. This music transports listeners to a snowy sleigh ride, allowing them to experience the full glory and thrill that this season brings. The final song will be Michael Bublé’s “It’s Beginning to Look a lot like Christmas.” A sentimental mood is instantly created by the song's lively, jazzy rhythm. The song feels timeless because of Bublé's voice, which adds a layer of refinement and warmth with its smooth tone and flawless phrasing. His smooth and elegant song delivery feels modern and new while still bringing that era of older Christmas music.
Spotify Wrapped
By Cesar Reyes
At the end of every year, many music streaming services release the listener's top artist, the main one being Spotify Wrapped. I asked most people at this school who their top artist was. I’ll be going over the top 3 and what they did for the year.
Drake - 7 votes
I’m surprised Drake got this many votes, he was in the top 3 last year, but due to him not dropping anything except a few songs, and being in a rap beef where the majority claims he loses, I was expecting to be lower, but Drake got the most out of any other artist. As I mentioned, Drake started the year with the biggest rap battle in recent history, between him and Kendrick Lamar. From there, he dropped a couple of singles but none really went as big as his past ones. Despite this, Drake clearly is still played throughout the school.
Kendrick - 6
The effects of the beef happened on both sides, as Kendrick now has 6 votes this year, while only having 2 last year. Kendrick was declared the winner of the beef by the majority, but since then he has been quiet, only announcing his Super Bowl appearance and his music video for Not Like Us, however, he released an album at the end of 2024, but it wasn’t counted towards the wrapped. Kendrick had really big songs during the beef, the most popular being “Not Like Us”, being named song of the year by multiple publications. With all this combined, it makes sense that Kendrick is second in the school.
Travis Scott - 5
My top artist, Travis Scott is still feeling the effects of his album Utopia, released last year. While not dropping this year, songs like “Fein” and re-releases of his album “Days Before Rodeo” all brought him back into the limelight. He’s also had multiple concerts across the country, including one in MetLife just in September, where multiple students went. While being quiet this whole year, it seems we can expect something from Travis coming next year.