Music, a particularly hot topic and influential point in any teen’s life, is always more helpful than harmful. Students can and do use music in many different ways, whether it’s to help them focus while doing their school work or unwind after a long day, it is important that students have access to their music when needed. One of the best, easily usable and most popular programs that plays music is Spotify. Spotify, an app that used to be available to students on their iPads, was taken down a few years ago, but should be available again. Hudson City Schools should allow students to download Spotify onto their iPads again because it can increase productivity, boost energy levels and enable students to express themselves better in school.
For starters, music can help improve focus and productivity levels. In 2016, a Totaljobs survey showed that 79% of the surveyed people said they were more productive while listening to music. 48% said it helped them focus, while the others stated that the music helped them drown out other distractions.
Many students at HHS have said that music indeed helps them. Sophomore Chloe Bigham shared that quiet music is important to help her study, “I like to put on Taylor Swift in the background while I’m finishing homework. Some people think it’s distracting, but to me, the music keeps my brain active.” Bigham is just one example from HHS who agrees that Spotify would be beneficial to bring back.
Music has also been shown to boost the moods of teenagers in general, which is important in school settings. Hudson Schools are known for working at the constant improvement of their students’ mental and physical health. An easy way that the school can continue to work at this is by allowing students to listen to music of their choosing and giving them access to it in general. Currently, it is hard for students to be able to enjoy music in school without the use of music on their phones, which many classes prohibit. With a good source of songs on the iPads, students could listen when needed without the distraction of their phones.
Teens also commonly use music as a source of expression. Throughout generations, music has been used to express emotion and help teens navigate their feelings. For example, in the 70s and 80s, teens listened to rock and roll to differentiate themselves from social norms and protest for change. Every generation experiences music differently, but it is clear that catchy beats and melodies help teens better understand themselves. Today, music is a straight source of not just self-expression but cultural expression, which leads to more inclusion. Music overall plays an essential role in discovering who people are. With more access to music at HHS, students will feel more comfortable at school, encouraging them to connect with others by finding new musical genres. Music can be used as a helpful tool in classroom settings in this way, and with Spotify on students’ iPads, this tool can be better used.
It could be argued that allowing Spotify to be downloaded on school iPads is inappropriate and could be a distraction for students. While there is music that has explicit lyrics and topics, students at HHS are old enough to decide on their music choices themselves. Spotify also allows for the restriction of explicit songs, which is a setting that could easily be put on the iPads. Those against adding the app should consider that not having the app can be just as bad. As previously mentioned, without easy access to Spotify, students are more prone to taking out their phones for music, which can become a distraction. In many cases where students aren’t allowed to have their phones, they aren’t easily able to listen to any songs.
Spotify is an app that has proved valuable many times. Students should regain access to this app to improve their productivity rates, boost the overall school well-being and create a place of self-expression. Students should be able to experience music whenever they need to and easily, too. Spotify is essential in the school setting, and its current availability should be reconsidered.
