Whether studying or getting ready for a night out, the new year brings new music for students at UMKC. With many to choose from, students shared a week’s worth of their favorite tracks.
Monday: “Master of Puppets” – Metallica
This song is a great way to pump energy into a groggy mundane morning. Entertainment also seems to factor into what students are listening to on campus. MAD senior, Lyric Evans, states that “popular media, such as Stranger Things, influenced me to listen to Master of Puppets by Metallica.” She leaned into the soundtrack of “Sinners” as well, and how that opened her door to an era of blues, jazz and R&B.
Tuesday: “Espresso” – Sabrina Carpenter
Heading into the mainstream pop world, junior English major, Meredith Kiesling, gushes about her love for artists like Taylor Swift and Sabrina Carpenter. While it’s hard to choose, “there’s a lot of pop songs for my moods,” said Kiesling. Wake up, get up, get out there with an upbeat rhythm to start your Tuesday.
Wednesday: “Folded” – Kehlani
Sophomore elementary education major, Amira Ahmed, often listens to music based on her mood. Lately, she gravitates toward both rap and r&b, specifically singer-songwriter Kehlani. “Right now I’m listening to r&b, like folded, you know I love that song too,” she said.
Thursday: “Thieves” – Sammy Rae & The Friends
Senior communications major Shelyse Fields’ recommendation for those who are drawn to a good rock vibe. She explained how the band’s discography has a lot to choose from, “they have a lot of good songs for during the day and later in the evening.”
Friday: “Titi Me Preguntó” – Bad Bunny
The ultimate getting ready jam, Bad Bunny does all the right things. Freshman biology major Naman Saini, who sticks with the most popular trends, recommended him. “I listen to whatever artist is popular, a lot of my playlists have Bad Bunny right now,” she said.
Saturday: “Toi Et Moi” – Paradis
Turn on the speaker, and get to cleaning with this Dance/Electronic song, which is a favorite by freshman Spanish major, Awais Shahid. After discovering it from a class assignment, “it was a nice way to explore French culture” fluent in five languages, “I don’t listen to much in English,” he said.
Sunday: “Black Hole Fantasy” – The Crane Wives
A perfect indie-folk song to kick off a slow Sunday morning. Hailing from Cameron Cianciolo’s playlist, the song “describes a story so well, the lyrics are everything, it’s on repeat,” says the junior double major. Unwind from the weekly chaos and enjoy a cup of joe.
Access the playlist here.
Ben Walters • Feb 20, 2026 at 2:12 pm
Can we get a version for Apple Music users