What is the Soundtrack of Your Life?

‘Sometimes its not the song that makes you emotional, it’s the people and things that come to mind when you hear it.’ – Tiesto

Music. The best thing about it is that a beat, rhythm or lyric can take our minds to a place nothing else can. A single track can evoke a thousand different emotions from each person that hears it.

Take a second to think about all of the significant memories and moments in your life. What song comes to mind? Now think about a particular year in your life. What artist comes to mind? Each person holds unique connections to a specific genre, album or artist, and these connections are linked to an array of memories, whether good or bad.

Grand Central Magazine set out to ask Central Michigan University students what songs and artists link them to one of their favorite memories – a song that when they hear it, brings them back to a place and time and has the ability to put a smile on their face.

Senior Kasey Kruckenberg, 23

Hometown: Island Lake, Ill.

Song: “Out Last Night”

Artist: Kenny Chesney

“This song reminds me of my family. We always go on group vacations to Florida with my uncle and his kids. We spend days on the beach listening to country music, especially our favorite singer, Kenny Chesney”.

 Senior Chris Brown, 21

Hometown: Leslie, Mich.

Song: “Hail Mary”

Artist: Tupac

“Hail Mary was the first Tupac song I ever heard, and it made me want to listen to all of his songs. In turn, his music made me a big fan of old school rap artists such as Notorious B.I.G, Big L and Big Pun. These are all songs and artists that hold on to some great memories of mine.”

Junior Emily Macauley, 20

Hometown: Rockford, Mich.

Song: “The Real Slim Shady”

Artist: Eminem

“[It] was a song my parents oddly used to listen to all the time, so when it came time for the talent show at school, I thought it was the perfect idea to dress up as Eminem in front of a bunch of teachers and students (not realizing just how bad the lyrics were), and lip sync the song. Everyone looked at me like I was crazy, especially the teachers. That was when I got my first detention due to the vulgar lyrics. The song makes me laugh every time.”

Sophomore Grace Jamieson, 19

Hometown: Chicago, Ill.

Song: “Something Like That”

Artist: Tim McGraw

“Tim McGraw reminds me of being little with my sisters. We would blast the song ‘Something Like That’ on my boom box and dance around my room. We would always have karaoke jam sessions growing up, and this song was always on repeat.”