If someone wishes they had Jesse’s girl, then they just might be an ‘80s fan. Today, people born over a decade after the ‘80s are listening to the music of that time.

A common misconception about students who listen to ‘80s music is that they don’t understand how powerful the music of the ‘80s was. Kyle Mitchell, junior, said that [‘80s music] is timeless and has a fresh feel every time he listens to it.

“The enjoyment of this music is in my genes,” Mitchell said.

Even though high school students may still be young, older music can be a part of who they are.

“I grew up with it. My grandparents and siblings love older music, so the only place I’ve been exposed to modern music is school and at the grocery store,” Rebekah Rogers, senior, said.

Parents of many of the students who enjoy older music also enjoy this genre.

“I was still a fetus when I first heard this music,” Mitchell said.  Mitchell was only 3 years old when he realized he liked this style of music.

The influence of his father taught Drew Stolz, senior, to enjoy older music.

“Only very recently have I been exposed to music more modern than 1989,” Stolz said.

Today, the most popular style of music is pop, from artists like Katy Perry and Kanye West. This type of music can be found on the radio and iTunes Top 100 charts. Some students don’t enjoy the vulgar lyrics and extreme emphasis on female body parts.

“The lyrics then were about life problems, nature’s beauty and psychedelic experiences. They weren’t obsessed with the booty,” Michelle Palacios, senior said.

Some favorite songs of students with a passion for ‘80s music include “Red Barchetta” by Rush and “You May be Right” by Billy Joel. Students like Palacios believe that there are too many beautiful songs to just choose one. Popular ‘80s artists include John Denver, Queen and Bon Jovi.

“I love checking out the records at Half Price Books; they have some interesting stuff,” Rogers said. Students have found musical inspiration from many places like band tours, YouTube, and even TV.

So what is so groovy about ‘80s music? Palacios said the music is unbeatable. Music produced in the ‘80s was very original and the first of its kind.

“Real music is created, not manufactured; today’s music is manufactured,” Rogers said.

Bands like the Rush were the very first of their type to be different from all of the regular mainstream artists.

“The lyrics of older music are simply more wholesome. You end up feeling good, if not better, after listening to it,” Stolz said.

Though music of the ‘70s and ‘80s may not be as popular today as it used to be, students still find that it makes them start dancing with themselves. They may not be listening to the most popular  music, but the ‘80s definitely has              left its mark on the teens of today.