LOS ALAMITOS, CA– The smell of overpriced pizza. The long lines waiting outside of the venue. The anticipation you feel as you see the stage. Butterflies in your stomach as you realize you’ll soon breathe the same air as your favorite artist. Concerts are the one place you feel all emotions, all at the same time.
Just 23 miles away, Los Angeles is the home of many popular concert venues like The Forum, The Greek Theatre, SoFi Stadium, and so many more. In 2023 so far, just SoFi Stadium has housed The Jonas Brothers, Morgan Wallen, Taylor Swift, Metallica, Beyoncé, and Ed Sheeran. Since LA is such a hot spot for concerts, it’s pretty easy to get the chance to see your favorite artists perform, if you make it through the Ticketmaster queue.
As fall rolls in, so do touring music artists. August through December are usually the months that North American tours make it to LA. On the other hand, California is also home of Coachella, Rolling Loud, and Stagecoach, which are some of the most popular music festivals in the United States. These festivals are the best way to see all of your favorite artists in the same weekend.
“We go to a concert probably twice a month. We see everyone at The Forum and The Novo,” said Brooke Vieira, Los Al junior.
There are popular and trending artists, underground artists, and one-hit-wonders. As music artists range in popularity and genre, it makes it easy for listeners to find what they like and explore new music. Aside from that, what are people really listening to?
I’m an OG. I’m not a bandwagon.”
— Trevor (TRIPLE B) Vieira
According to a free response poll, at Los Al, the most popular music genres are pop, rap, and rock. These three genres are just some examples of the range of music students listen to. From the 80’s all the way to 2023, these genres have stayed relevant and grown.
The same poll showed that some of the most streamed artists at Los Al are Taylor Swift, Drake, and Morgan Wallen, who are all in different categories of genre. Although these are all newer artists, students still enjoy the oldies; Blink-182, The Smashing Pumpkins, and Metallica are still streamed on the daily at Los Al.
No matter what concert, genre, or artist, music is a way for students to express themselves. Everyone has their own taste in music (even if it’s all over the place), and it works as a safe space for them.
