The Evolution of College Classics: Just a Decades Difference, or not so different

Trends come and go, songs rise and fall from the top of the charts, but one there is one thing that commonly remains: the need for music to fill the space. Change doesn’t always have to be juristic, though; sometimes change filters in and out, but eventually we end up back at the start. When looking at the college scene now compared to ten or twenty years ago, obvious changes have occurred. However, when it pertains to the style of music college kids enjoy, we always seem to come back to the basics. Since the early 2000s until now, music has always filled some type of void for college students. From the chaotic maximization of indie sleaze to the rhythms and beats of rap to the current college favorite: feel-good melodic tech house music, all of these genres have had their moments to shine in the college music market. Now, we reflect on how they have filtered in and out and how they provide students with such feelings of nostalgia and understanding during a time when they feel most lost. The genre of indie sleaze has recently made its way back onto the radio, but the genre truly took off almost twenty years ago. Music has always been a way for people to find themselves. Before the trends that rose from social media and the obsession with sticking to an aesthetic, people found solitude in being truly themselves. There wasn't really the need to fit in or follow a certain stereotype, but there was a connection in enjoying what you wanted to because you could. The 2000s had great music all around, but for college kids during that time, they wanted to find something that wasn't always on the radio. College is the time to find your true self. Your parents are not influencing you every more, your high school friends are all going their separate ways, and your environment isn't limiting you to just what is convenient. One of the earliest examples of indie sleaze is the album Is This It by The Strokes. The album completely elucidates the constant gearing minds of college students. The song ”The Adults Are Talking” focuses on that feeling of legally being an adult but never truly feeling it, while also describing the fear of reaching that totality and never being able to return to adolescence. While there are songs on the album that describe that nostalgia, others describe the actual feeling of early adulthood. For example, ”Last Nite” is an upbeat song that describes the experience of a typical night out and how it ends. While The Strokes really set off the indie sleaze genre, many others followed in their footsteps. These albums filled the loudspeakers of kickbacks at colleges, then made their way into the bars and clubs. ”Dancing On My Own” by Robyn was one of those songs of the indie sleaze era that quickly became a club classic. This song encapsulated the millennial minds during their college years. Not only was this song on loop for college kids during the early 2010s, but it has also remained heavily in the college scene. While you don't hear it as commonly in bars and clubs now, it still has its place on pregame playlists and house party speakers. Like Robyn’s hit song, the music group MGMT has had many hits that remain college classics. Their album Oracular Spectacular has several hits, all of which have remained very popular even 18 years after their release. Specifically,” Time to Pretend” and ”Kids” are cult classics for college students. The former focuses on the party scene of college, making sure to describe the euphoric feeling of early adulthood. While ”Time to Pretend” focuses on that new feeling,
”Kids” concentrates on the familiar feeling of nostalgia. And like many other songs that fall under the indie sleaze genre, it generates these borderline sad lyrics through an upbeat, eccentric song. As mentioned before, college kids love this genre because of not only how upbeat and quirky it is, but also because the lyrics are usually very relatable to what it is like to be a college student. The feeling of being a college student is indescribable. Nostalgia, freedom, fear, excitement; there are so many feelings going on at once. Indie sleaze embodies those feelings in the lyrics while making the pulse jubilant. LCD Soundsystem is one of those groups that brought this genre up into what it is today. ”Dance Yrself Clean” is one of those songs that makes you feel like you're the only person in the world. The lyrics, the tempo, the beat drop; it is all perfectly indiesleaze. Like ”Dance Yrself Clean”, many of LCD Soundsystem’s songs follow the same vibe by making their lyrics almost too relatable and their beat perfectly in tune. Passion Pit, like LCD Soundsystem, perfectly describes the indie sleaze genre. Their songs are consistently expressive of that college feeling. ”Sleepyhead” specifically gives a high that can only be described as euphoric. Passion Pit has remained on the indie sleaze scene for quite some time and has continued to provide songs that college students love to introduce their friends to.
Where indie sleaze took off for its peculiar-ness, rap made its way onto the college scene for its familiarity and modernity. Hip-Hop had always been a headlining genre, but during the 2010s, it became more popular among colleges. One reason for its growth in popularity was social media. Songs like ”Juju On That Beat” by Zay Hilfigerrr and Zayion McCall and ”Watch Me (WhipNae Nae) by Silento were popularized by the dance trends that surrounded them. This then brought on many similar songs, such as ”Black Beatles” by Rae Sremmurd, which was beloved because of the mannequin challenge that was associated with the song. While the indie sleaze era focused on finding yourself and having that individuality, rap's resurgence created a stronger sense of community within the college scene. Having that knowing feeling that when you went somewhere, there would be music playing that everyone knew was a comfort. While it was a comfort, it was also fun to do the silly trends or dances that were associated with the songs playing. While there was that clear difference between the two genres, Other songs in the rap genre had strong, similar qualities like the indie sleaze genre. For example, many of the hit hip-hop songs were known as college classics because of their relatability in the lyrics. ”The Pursuit of Happiness” by Kid Cudi is a prime example of this. Not only does this song begin the transition into the now more common genre of house music, but it also has lyrics that many college students relate to. Many of Kid Cudi’s songs were trendy for their relatability and their beats. Similarly, Mac Miller made a quick rise to fame for the same reasons. His song "The Spins” is one of his most popular and remains dear to the hearts of college students. It is one of those songs that will always be played on a night out, whether that be at a house party or the club. ”The Spins” is not the only song of his that has such high status. Miller has several songs that are commonly played within the college scene. For example, his song ”Weekend” featuring another popular rapper, Miguel, describes exactly what it is named for. Songs like those have that certain factor of resonance for college students. Now, the majority of the time, when you walk into any social event during college, whether it be a pregame, a frat party, or a club, you will typically be overcome with the pulsing of melodic techhouse music. While the other genres remained quite original, especially when considering the music taste of college students, house music practically combines the two. Where indie sleaze brings in maximalism and loud, upbeat backgrounds, rap provides quick, melodic lyrics. House music can take both of those and combine them into what current college students want. One of the most popular songs on the college scene at the moment is ”The Days- NOTION Remix” by Chrystal and NOTION. The song has those relatable lyrics that describe the party life that many college students experience, while also bringing in funk beats that make it an easy play in any environment. Songs like this one and many more typically are made popular by television or social media, then get remixed to where they are the perfect song in a college setting. John Summit is a common artist who does just that. He has taken songs like ”Sweet Disposition” by The Temper Trap and made it into an even bigger hit that college students adore. He has several remixes, all of which have made their way into colleges. A-Trak is a similar artist to John Summit. By taking songs that were already hits, such as ”Heads Will Roll” by the YeahYeahYeahs, and adding a little extra funk, he can change cult classics into even bigger college classics. He also has some hits of his own that perfectly fit the vibe of current college life; ”Barbra Streisand” being one. Though trends in music come and go in the college scene, the constructs remain quite similar throughout. Indie sleaze is making a resurgence, rap has remained close to college kids' hearts and speakers, and tech house music continues to gain traction and fill the space of crowded rooms. All of these genres have their own special aspects. Some strive to remain quirky and underground, while others have a special sense of community. They all have their own individual things that made them so beloved at the time. Now, there is access to all of them at any time. There is always room for discovery, always room to find just that perfect song to describe your college life. Through all of this change and trend, one thing is for certain, though: these genres are still college classics to this day and will remain in the college scene for quite some time.