Music tells a lot about a person. The genre and lyrics of a song can give us hints about someone’s personality. People use music to escape and express themselves. Different songs can relate to a certain event or time in someone’s life. Empathizers who are drawn more to creative careers and working with people tend to enjoy softer music that brings up an emotional response. They would most likely enjoy indie, country, or folk music. People who are systemizers and follow a career path near math and science are most likely to listen to complex and intense music. This includes rock, punk, and rap.

I interviewed teachers here, at Winthrop High School to figure out their all-time favorite albums. With this, we can get a closer look at our teacher’s personalities beyond school.

What is your Favorite album and what makes it your favorite?

Mr. Austin is a Math teacher who is new to Winthrop High School. This is how he answered the question, ¨My favorite album is called Come On! Feel The Illinoise by Sufjan Stevens. It came out in I think the mid-2000s. It has these big huge arrangements in like orchestras and all these singers. They have sort of unique songs that are kind of like folk songs that have been blown out into these really huge sounding … like big grand epic arrangements. Some of my favorite songs ever are on that album and I always find something new when I listen to it”. 

 Spanish teacher, Señor Nickerson, answered with, ¨I would say 1984 by Van Halen just because it was an album that my brother would listen to all the time when I was growing up.¨

English teacher Ms. Driscoll answered, “Care package by Drake, and then Sideline Story with J.Cole and Thank Me Later by Drake are close seconds. When I was in high school and we would go to hockey practice we’d all carpool together. This is what we would bump on the bus, in the car, and in the locker room. So they are ingrained in my brain.¨

Science teacher, Ms. Irvine, told us her favorite album is, ¨The Black Album by Jay-z: I’ve always been a hip-hop head but this album has to be on top. You can’t listen to it and not appreciate Jay-Z as one of the greatest rap artists of all time. The Black Album came out back when I was in high school- but I still know every word!¨

I was also able to get Ms. McKinnon a History teacher´s opinion, ¨So my favorite album is probably Red by Taylor Swift and I could say any Taylor Swift album to be honest. But probably that one because it is my safety album. I can always just listen to it, and it makes me happy.¨

Mr. Skane, who is in charge of the Viking Longships Project told us his favorite album,¨ I would say Cream Disraeli Gears. It came at a time in history where music was changing from folk to rock and folk is excellent, very mellow. And to me, that was an experience that was just totally different. The way the three, Eric Clapton, Jack Bruce, and Ginger Baker put that three guys making the sound like they did was awesome. In that time in my life, I was shifting over from folk to more hard rock. That is the album that sticks out in my head. It sort of introduced me to a new type of music. And I think you have to keep yourself open to new types of music.

Everyone enjoys listening to different types of music.  The answers tell us more about the teacher’s identities and personalities. Music plays a strong role in someone’s life. It can help us connect with others and express ourselves. Maybe now you have realized that you and one of your teachers have the same music taste.