In a world where music is often reduced to background noise, one club focuses on bringing the practice of album listening back to life by encouraging students to broaden their music taste, dive deep into discussions, and rediscover the joy of experiencing music from start to finish.
Album of the Week, or AOTW, is a unique club where students meet every other Monday in room 400 to learn about and discuss different albums.
“I was inspired to begin AOTW because my brother mentioned attending a club called AOTW at A&M,” club founder and president, junior Ava Aalund said. “I thought it was such a cool way to expand your music taste and share the love of music with others.”
Aalund took this opportunity to create a space where music lovers could broaden their tastes by founding an AOTW club at Carroll.
“With AOTW my goal is to expand the music taste of not only our members but myself,” Aalund said. “I also hope to provide meaningful context behind each album to show people that music can reveal so much about the culture at the time.”
Aalund has designed club meetings to be educational and interactive in order to create an engaging environment for members.
“The average AOTW meeting is composed of a short mini-lesson about the album and artist led by Charlotte and me,” Aalund said. “Then we move on to small group discussions about how everyone liked the album and what they took away from it.”
Aalund is not the only member who has plans for the future of AOTW as vice president and junior Charlotte Carlson also works towards the club’s goals.
“What we want to accomplish is to create a welcoming club while introducing people to new music from different genres,” Carlson said. “We aim to help people find new music and be engaged with their community based on their music interests.”
This approach creates a space where everyone can connect through their enjoyment of music.
“Students should join AOTW because of its fun and inclusive environment,” Carlson said. “No matter your music preferences, your opinions regarding music can lead to great discussions and meeting new friends.”
These discussions have led to some of the most engaging moments in the club.
“My favorite thing we’ve done so far in our club is the introduction of interviews,” Carlson said. “It brings a fun and engaging atmosphere to our club and our social media presence.”
These student interviews are conducted by junior Sayesha Mahat, AOTW’s interviewer and editor.
“My responsibilities are to interview other club members about their opinions of the album of the week, and edit those interviews so they can be posted on Instagram,” Mahat said.
These responsibilities have provided valuable insight into club members’ perspectives.
“I think interviewing all our members is a good way to learn about each of their opinions,” Mahat said.
At its core, AOTW is a club built on discussion and the sharing of ideas. It not only highlights individual perspectives but also creates a sense of community among members.
“Overall, AOTW is a great place to learn new types of songs and create fun memories,” Mahat said.
