What your squad-mates are really telling you with their music playlists
SUMMARY
Whether it's the barracks on base, a berthing area aboard the ship, or a plywood building at a remote outpost in unfriendly lands, living in close quarters with folks you don't know all that well is a big part of military life. But there are ways to expedite the process of getting acquainted by picking up on the clues your fellow service members are putting out all around you – like their taste in music, for instance.
So sneak a peek at their smartphones and see what they're jamming on Spotify, Pandora, Beats, iTunes, or whatever. If you see any of these 7 artists (or the associated genres) here's what your room-, bunk-, squad-, or shipmates are telling you:
1. The Black Keys
"I'm a new school take on an old school vibe, which is to say I'm at once low maintenance and high gloss. I'm an achiever but not in that obnoxious kiss-ass way that would give me a reputation among the others in the command. I like sports, but I'm not a bro. I'm in a stable relationship with a person back home and plan on getting married, but not until the time is right for both of us. I have two years of college under my belt and will work on finishing the rest in my spare time before my enlistment is up. After that I'll get out and pretend like none of this every happened. Oh . . . and I'm smarter than you, but I'll never say it."
2. Sia
"You've probably already picked up on my intensity through my body language and the tone of my voice, although I haven't said very much to you. I was one of the cool kids in the early high school years but got sick of those people -- the meathead jocks and their vain girlfriends -- so I pretty much spent the rest of the time with my best friend reading Dave Eggers entire body of work and making chalk doodles on sidewalks after dark using a flashlight. I had one boyfriend who broke up with me right after he stole my virginity. I got drunk after that and started to get a tattoo of his name to try and mess with his head or something, but I chickened out because it hurt so bad, so all I have is a small black dot near the top of my left bun. I knew nothing about the military when I joined but did it because it's exactly what my parents thought I would never do. Now that I'm here I hate it. And -- don't take this personally -- I'm pretty sure I hate you."
3. Trivium
"I got these tattoos before I joined and want to get a few more regardless of what the rules are. (They keep changing anyway.) I had planned on going to college, but before I got accepted anywhere I got busted for spray-painting graffiti on the side of one of the overpasses in my hometown. My dad lawyer'd up, and my record was wiped clean, but he gave me one option at that point: Join the military. So here I am. Funny thing is I don't mind it; in fact, I'm actually enjoying it. I told the dudes back home that I was only staying for one enlistment, if that even, but truth is I'll probably wind up being a lifer. I'm a good friend who knows how to hook a buddy up. I also know about paying assholes back, so don't be one."
4. Luke Bryan
"It won't surprise you based on my build and the intensity of my workouts that I was the quarterback of my high school football team. I went to junior college an hour from my hometown in Texas, but had one too many blowouts with the coach and got thrown off the team. After that I started to party and stopped going to class. I flunked out and didn't want to go back home, so I joined the military. I come off as a super-friendly, semi-religious guy but really I'm a massive backstabber, especially if things aren't going my way. I'm very competitive and hate to lose at anything, including making rank ahead of my peers. I talk about trucks all the time but my main ride is a Yaris the insurance money bought after I crashed my F-150 a few years back. I can line dance, which makes me a good wingman in certain bars. I'll listen to your problems with an earnest expression, but really I don't care, and if you need me for a crisis I'll probably have a conflict that'll prevent me from helping in any meaningful way. Sorry. (Not really.)"
5. Maroon 5
"I was student council vice president and a member of the National Honor Society and had oodles of promise but I kind of gagged on it and couldn't deal with the weight of my family's expectations, so after working as a sales associate at Target for a few months I joined the military. The recruiter told me about the great education programs and how I could get into officer training pretty easily based on my profile, but it turns out that was all bullshit, of course, and I'm stuck with this lame MOS that I kinda feel is beneath me but will do a good job with anyway. The command will tempt me with advanced schooling and other incentives based on my cheery disposition and positive outlook, but I'll get out after my first term and give college another try using my GI Bill benefit. Oh, and I listen to Maroon 5 because I really don't like music all that much."
6. Ed Sheeran
"I joined the military after a traumatic breakup with my fiance because I needed massively new surroundings in my life (and I thought the move would also be a nice "you can't hurt me" signal to my ex) but halfway through boot camp I had massive regrets, and I freaked to the point they pulled me out and sent me to the doc who told me that I was fine and that stress was a natural part of life and that I needed to stay hydrated. After that I heard whispers from the others that I was a drama queen, which is a total lie cause I hate drama and have posted a bunch of memes on Facebook about that fact. I've been in three relationships since I got to this command seven months ago, and all of them ended kinda ugly, mostly because they didn't respect me for my mind and the fact that I listen to song lyrics and get what they mean. And I need a hug."
