Maryvale’s Hits: What Music Students are Listening to

As Maryvale students dive into the 2026 school year, goals change and dreams emerge, but something that always sticks is their love for music. Maryvale Lions express a vast variety of listening across all genres of music between grades. 

Music has always been a core value of Maryvale culture, as students proudly sing the school song every week, whether at community homeroom, in the classroom, or at games. Tunes have always allowed students to express themselves and feel comfortable with who they are. 

Students responded to an anonymous survey corresponding with their greatest personal hits from last year and their future predictions of what they think will be hot this year.

Survey results reveal many interesting similarities and differences in students’ listening habits. When asked the question: “What was your most-played artist this past year?” responses varied from Drake, The Weekend, Sabrina Carpenter, Rihanna, and Zach Bryan all the way to Taylor Swift. These responses highlight the diversity of the student body. 

Students wrote how they also believe that Olivia Dean will become the next upcoming artist in 2026. An anonymous student wrote, “Olivia Dean will undoubtedly become more popular this year. Because Dean won a Grammy for Best New Artist and is going on tour this year, her music is going to reach a larger audience and become more mainstream.” This individual’s words demonstrate Maryvale students’ optimism of the future and having the ability to form opinions. 

To the question “Do you think you will have a new most played artist this upcoming year?” individuals largely responded with “Yes.”  Students who believe that there most played artist will change could find themselves listening to Olivia Dean as many predicted. 

Looking back on the most listened to songs of 2025, students came rolling in with a variety of songs such as,“The Hills” by The Weekend, “Rock That Body” by Black Eyed Peas, and “Baby Come Home 2/ Valentines” by The Neighborhood.

Corresponding with these songs, pop, rap, and country are the most listened genres of Maryvale students.

Uniquely, students showcase a love for music from upbeat Disney movies that many younger children cherish and have grown up with. These songs have not lost their sparkle in the Maryvale community; instead they have thrived,  “Break Free” from the film “High School Musical,” and “Something That I Want” by Grace Potter featured in “Tangled” are major hits across the board. 

These song choices represent Maryvale’s ability to allow students to encapsulate their childhood to the fullest. Because of Maryvale’s outstanding English courses students have gained the ability to see and analyze the true meaning of these famous childhood songs and how they can be presented in our present day lives as lessons. 

Although Maryvale students have had many different listening habits, one meeting ground everyone landed on was how music allowed people to feel good. 

Music motivates people, feeds the soul, allows relaxation and comforts those in solace. One student wrote, “Music simply makes life better. It can be a conversation point or something to bond over with someone you just met. Listening to music immediately alleviates any stress I’m feeling. I can enjoy music while driving, doing homework, exercising, cooking, or doing anything else.” 

Music brings people together. The music that swirls around Maryvale’s campus connects everyone on an invisible string. Having a school which honors music is crucial to exploration of different cultures and artists. 

Maryvale allows students to project their favorite song through a segment in the community homeroom called “Hopes Hits”; this moment allows everyone as a community to be bonded over the song playing through the speakers of the theatre. 

Maryvale students will continue to light up the campus with music reminding everyone how the community is built.