If someone was to ask me, “Lauren, what are eight song lyrics you would share with someone to represent just a glimpse of what life is like?” I would probably have a hard time just picking eight different songs, but after chewing on that question for quite sometime, I think I have come up with eight songs. These eight songs from eight different genres can give a glimpse of the beauty of diversity and individuality in both the music industry and in life itself. As I was scrolling through these songs and albums trying to find the eight I wanted to use that best sum up life, I was in awe of the diversity within the industry itself. I thought about how boring the music industry would be without its diverse culture. In reality, the world looks like that too -- what would the world look like without a diverse population? It would be boring if we were all copies of the same person, with the same strengths, and the same weaknesses. Society would not be able to advance. It would be just like the movie "Groundhog Day"-- and believe me, by the end of that movie, I was glad it was over.

1. Alternative: "Heathens" by Twenty One Pilots

All my friends are heathens. Take it slow

Wait for them to ask you who you know

Please don't make any sudden moves

You don't know the half of the abuse.

The Twenty One Pilots duo began their music career in Columbus, Ohio. Twenty One Pilots brings a mix of piano, synthesizer, drums, vocals, and occasionally the ukulele. Their songs are poetry-based, but when the poetry gets too lengthy, they mix in rap to fit the lyrics. Many of their songs allude to Christian theology, yet they are not considered a Christian band. According to the band, their purpose is “to make people think.”

2. Blues: "At Last" by Etta James

At last my love has come along

My lonely days are over and life is like a song, oh yeah

At last the skies above are blue

My heart was wrapped up clover the night I looked at you.

Etta James was born in Los Angeles, California in the year 1938. Rolling Stone Magazine ranked her as number 22 of the 100 Greatest Singers of All Time. James started off as a star Gospel singer at the age of five and turned into a Blues legend before she died in 2012.

3. Country: "Setting The World On Fire" by Kenny Chesney (featuring P!nk)

Up all night and we were feelin' so good

Yeah, we got a little higher than we probably should

We were in a hotel singin' in the hallway lights

We were strikin' the matches right down to the ashes

Setting the world on fire, setting the world on fire.

Kenny Chesney is from Knoxville, Tennessee and was born in 1968. Kenny Chesney is an American country singer and songwriter. He has recorded 20 albums and 40 Top Ten singles.

4. Hip Hop/Rap: "One Dance" by Drake (featuring Whizkid & Kyla)

I need a one dance

Got a Hennessy in my hand

One more time 'fore I go

Higher powers taking a hold on me.

Drake is a Canadian rapper, singer, songwriter, record producer, and actor. Drake is influenced by fellow artists including Kayne West, Jay Z, and Lil Wayne. His songs contain changes in pronunciation due to his upbringing in Toronto and connections with Caribbean and Middle Eastern countries. The content of his songs are said to be boastful or emotional. He as even been referenced as one of the most "diverse rappers of his generation."

5. Latino: "Duele El Corazon" by Enrique Iglesias (featuring Wisin)

Si te vas, yo también me voy (If you go, I go too)

Si me das, yo también te soy (If you give, I give too)

Mi Amor (My Love)

Bailamos hasta la diez (We dance until ten)

Hasta que duelan los pies (Until our feet hurt)

Enrique Iglesias, also known as the "King of Latin Pop" was born in Madrid, Spain, but currently resides in Miami, Florida. Enrique Iglesias has sold over 159 million albums world-wide and holds the record for most number-one hits and the longest-running number-one hit on that chart according to Billboard Charts.

6. Pop: "Cold Water" by Major Lazer (featuring Justin Bieber & MØ)

And if you feel you're sinking, I will jump right over

Into cold, cold water for you

And although time may take us into different places

I will still be patient with you

And I hope you know.

Major Lazer is an American electronic music band. Major Lazer has recorded three albums starting in 2009, with the most recent being "Peace Is the Mission" (2015). The band is composed of Diplo, Jillionare, and Walsy Fire. Between the three of them, they have ties from Mississippi, Trinidad, Jamaica, and China.

7. Rock: "The Sound of Silence" by Disturbed

People writing songs

That voices never share

And no one dare

Disturb the sound of silence.

Disturbed is a hard rock band from Chicago, which originated in 1996. David Draiman, lead vocals, explained that the band was influenced by "Sabbath, Maiden, Priest, Metallica, and Pantera." He also adds, "We don’t rap; there’s no turntable involved; no fusion in that respect. We play, in my opinion, classic metal."

8. World: "Somewhere Over the Rainbow" by Israel Kamakawiwio'ole

Somewhere over the rainbow

Way up high

And the dreams that you dreamed of

Once in a lullaby.

Israel Kamakawiwio'ole was a native of Honolulu, Hawaii. Kamakawiwo'ole's "Facing Future" is the best-selling Hawaiian album of all time. Kamakawiwo'ole is also known for his lyrics directly representing his desire to promote Hawaiian independence and civil rights.

Check it out. The music industry has taught me two things here: embrace diversity and music connects us as a Globe, not just as a town, city, state, or country.

On a global scale the music industry makes $15 billion. Each and every artist is unique in their own ways. Playing to their strengths and unique backgrounds, they each contribute to the success of the industry as a whole. It is not just one artist trying to conform to society, rather those artists showing society their individual strengths, cultures, backgrounds, desires, and styles of music. In my eyes, the music industry can represent the world as a whole through its' diverse nature. People from all nations, backgrounds, with different strengths and weakness, opinions, hopes, and dreams are able to come together to make this world unique and successful. The music industry encourages diversity. Instead of being hateful towards others differences, we should be encouraging people to be their unique and individual selves and help one an other to develop strengths that differ from ours.

On a different note, the diverse nature of the music industry has connected us on a global scale. This summer I had the opportunity to work with other students from all over the world including countries like Kazakhstan, Turkey, Jamaica, Bulgaria and Romania. All of us came in with different backgrounds, languages, and dreams, but music connected us all. Songs in English were not only top hits in America, but were also top hits in those foreign countries as well. Songs that are popular in Spain, are also popular here. Enrique Iglesias is a good example of this. This is just one part of Globalization that has been able to make us a whole and experience other culture. The music industry is proud to be diverse and unique.