Runner-ups
Let’s first acknowledge some of the runner-ups for album of the year among State High students.
Despite not winning any Grammys, “Hit Me Hard and Soft” by the beloved Billie Eilish came tremendously close to being State High’s Album of the Year. Regardless of the album’s inability to achieve State High Album of the Year, students have recognized its worth and melodic charm.
Speaking about charm, “Charm” by Clairo was one of the surprise albums to have made an appearance in the competition for State High’s Album of the Year. Other albums such as “Short N Sweet” by the six-time Grammy award winner Sabrina Carpenter, and “The Tortured Poets Department” by the adored Taylor Swift, put on a prominent performance in the survey for State High’s 2024 Album of the Year.
State High’s Album of the Year
Now that the other hit albums of 2024 and the favorites among State High students have been recognized, it’s time to announce the winner.
“Chromakopia” by Tyler the Creator wins. It’s clear from survey testimony that “Chromakopia” stands out from the rest. The album is a mix of dynamic production, passionate personal storytelling, and unique harmony, all aspects that solidify it at the very top.
Even though some students did not love “Chromakopia”, they still acknowledge its storytelling and unique listening experience. Despite his distaste, junior Selim Alptekinoglu shared his thoughts on the album.
“Although I didn’t love Chromakopia, I didn’t think it was bad and liked how Tyler [the Creator] attempted weird melodies as well as the courage to talk about his personal problems” Alptekinoglu said.
Kendrick Lamar vs Drake: Where State High Stands
Marked by beef between two of the biggest rappers, 2024 was a crazy year in the music industry.
On one side of the ring there was Kendrick Lamar and on the other side, Drake. According to State High respondents, Kendrick Lamar dominated Drake with 82.9% of the vote. While on the other end, Drake only acquired a respectable but measly 17.1% of the vote.
Kendrick also beat Drake in terms of awards and statistics. Kendrick’s song “Not Like Us,” a diss track forwarded at Drake, won multiple Grammys and has gained over 1,100,000,000 streams on Spotify in less than a year of its release.In addition to these achievements, Kendrick performed at the 2025 Super Bowl Halftime Show, performing“Not Like Us” as a finale song.
Compared to Kendrick, Drake’s biggest diss track only garnered 140 million streams as well as a lack of Grammy awards compared to Kendrick Lamar this year.
What Are Students Listening to in 2025 – And How Often?
It’s clear that State High students listen to a lot of music, hallways always filled with students blasting music in their airpods, in their own worlds.
According to the school survey answered by over 170 students, they collectively spent approximately 7,405,183 minutes listening to music through apps like Spotify and Apple Music in 2024.To estimate the total number of minutes all State High students spent listening to music, multiply that combined total by 14.
Due to State High’s apparent love for music, students were asked what they are listening to in 2025. Given State High’s diversity, a wide range of responses were received. Ranging from famous country artist Zach Bryan, to the emotional “Secret of Us” by Gracie Abrams, all the way to Kendrick Lamar, and his new album “GNX”.
Conclusion
The wide variety of music that State High enjoys echoes the school’s diversity and the profusion of culture within the school. Whether it’s the country twang of Luke Combs, the emotional depth of Taylor Swift, or the breathtaking sounds from Kendrick and Drake, music within State High is treated as a reflection of experiences and cultures, as well as a thread to unify and connect students together. For some it can be an escape from reality, and for some it can be a moment of peace in someone’s day. It’s different for everyone and that’s the beauty of music.
