Think superintendents are so busy overseeing school district operations that they don’t have time to listen to music? Think again!
Between driving to endless meetings, traveling to conferences, carefully curating playlists for the week’s pep rally, or just pressing play when they have a moment of free time, superintendents racked up the hours on music streaming services this year.
Spotify released its always highly anticipated year-end project, Spotify Wrapped, on Dec. 4, through which the platform gives users a summary of their activity on the platform over the past year—primarily their most listened to artists and songs. Users oftentimes share their Wrapped on social media platforms like X, Facebook, and Instagram for their friends to see (and sometimes judge). Apple Music does a similar year in review.
Like that of everyone else, superintendents’ music tastes vary greatly, from Kenny Chesney to Kendrick Lamar to Frank Sinatra. One superintendent’s top song on Spotify this year was written and produced by students in the district. (A Grammy-nominated artist and an alumnus of the district also made that superintendent’s top five.) Another was dreaming of the beach all year with Jimmy Buffett on repeat.
Five brave superintendents shared their top songs or artists of the past year, as chronicled by their Apple Music or Spotify year-in-review summaries. Some shared their top songs, some shared their top artists, and while many were bold enough to share their top five, some shared fewer—and since this is just for fun, we allowed it.
Kimberlee Armstrong
Portland Public Schools, Oregon
Apple Music top songs:
Bryan Johnson
Atlanta Public Schools
Apple Music top songs:
Adrienne Battle
Metro Nashville Public Schools, Tennessee
Spotify top songs:
Michael Sollitto
Burrillville Public Schools, Rhode Island
Spotify top artists:
Karen Molinar
Fort Worth Independent School District, Texas
Apple Music top songs:
