What Your Favorite Fall Song Says About You

Mackenzie Dafonseca • November 2, 2025

As the seasons change, so do our beloved playlists. These are some of the songs I always find myself listening to as the leaves turn from a vibrant green to a rusty orange or a fiery red. So, grab a warm pumpkin latte and find out what your favorite fall song says about you.

My Life in Playlists

Jenny Hotchkiss • April 1, 2025

My playlists are time capsules. Each one, chronologically sorted, takes me back to a specific moment in my life. Every song brings a flood of emotions and memories—an almost indescribable feeling of nostalgia mixed with deja vu. When I miss a person, place, or time of my life, all I have to do is find that one corresponding playlist and press play.

Playboi Carti Breaks Five-Year Hiatus with Chaotic Return to the Spotlight, ‘MUSIC’

Lucas Ferrara • March 16, 2025

After years of cryptic teasers, cult-like fandom buildup, and a nearly nonexistent two-day rollout, Carti returns with MUSIC.

Why Headphones Might Be Hurting Us More Than We Think

Pat Connell • November 24, 2024

The first thing I noticed without my headphones was how dependent I am on the distraction of music. I live in a quaint and homey Mod, and even something as simple as walking to the Walsh laundry room—a one-and-a-half minute journey, at most—always required my AirPods. I grew uncomfortable doing so without them. The walk was shorter than the length of a song, yet I loved the reassurance that I would not have to talk to anyone I ran into.

Local Artist Kemp Harris Inspires Change Through Story and Song

Genevieve Morrison and Laney McAden • February 19, 2024

Kemp Harris, an activist, singer-songwriter, and retired Newton educator, has a deep and colorful history and an even brighter future, making an impact on the city with musical and political commentary. “When...

Weynand: Albums Exist for a Reason, So Listen to Them

Jack Weynand • February 11, 2024

Assc. arts editor Jack Weynand argues for the value of albums as a complete listening experience rather than individual songs.

The Importance of Anti-War Messaging in Christmas Music

Brendan Mahoney • December 16, 2023

Peace and Christmas have long been inextricably linked. One of the most famous examples of this is the Christmas truce during World War I, in which British and German troops began a ceasefire on Christmas Eve.

“Stories of a Life in Music”: Remembering Irish Music Composer Mícheál Ó Súilleabháin

Angelina Li • December 9, 2023

Mícheál Ó Súilleabháin, late Professor of Irish Studies at Boston College, was a famed composer, pianist, and scholar of traditional Irish music.

A “Rat-tastic” Column

Chase Pinette • December 1, 2023

The Rat is a hub of cultural innovation. It’s a hotspot for debriefs, jam sessions, and homework cramming. Whether it is your go-to spot for lunch or just the most convenient place for a bite between classes, everyone knows the Rat.

A Psychological Analysis of Concertgoing

Makayla Hickey • October 31, 2023

The necessity of music as an emotional outlet is indisputable in my opinion, but it typically serves as background noise to the ever-moving world around us. Concerts provide a brief interlude from the onslaught of life’s stressors, allowing us to live life in a pure state of awe and uninterrupted emotion.

The Music in My Mind

Chase Pinette • October 29, 2023

Almost every day of the week, I wake up with a song in my head. Nothing prompts this phenomenon—it just happens, and it paints a picture of how my day will likely pan out.

YNFA: Emerson Leif Adds Layers To Underground Pop Genre

Kieran Wilson • March 1, 2023

Staff Writer Kieran Wilson recommends artist Emerson Leif, an Australian singer and songwriter whose mellow beats are difficult to categorize under one genre.