Song lyrics getting simpler, more repetitive, angry and self-obsessed – study
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Just like people
This. Definitely this. Companies making people more like them—soulless, selfish assholes.
Agreed. Unfortunately, we are a product of our environment for better and for worse.
Be self-aware. Be kind. Move with empathy and it becomes easy to weed out the shitty artists/music.
"Anything too stupid to be said, is sung" —Voltaire
Hopefully the case against Ticketmaster’s monopoly will bring shows back to affordable prices so new artists can shine in person instead of just online. Creating a following and scene… like every other time in history.
F'in $71 plus fees for widespread panic GA tix... what? Im sick of it
Simple lyrics aren't inherently bad. You just need to have something to say. Tom Petty's lyrics are simple, but a lot of them are amazing. I Won't Back Down is a good example.
This is the first stanza, and 3 out of 4 lines are almost identical. The whole song is pretty direct and not hard to understand. But it's also vague enough that you can interpret the song to be about standing up to whatever struggle you are personally experiencing.
A lot of modern pop doesn't really seem to be about telling a story or getting across any kind of message like this. A lot of it seems to be more about the best.
Clearly the author missed being a teenager during nu metal
A lot of Nü metal bands at least wrote some pretty meaningful lyrics. Staind, Flaw, Linkin Park, etc.
I was gonna say the same thing. Corey Taylor's word play and lyric structure was nearly unmatched at the time. Mushroomhead has layers upon layers of musical depth. Mudvayne is still some of the most aggressively poetic dive into the human psyche.
Today's "Pop" music fits the titles description much better
I'd argue too that there's a meaningful but hard-to-define difference between something that's meant to explore an angry, narrow state of mind and something that's just narrow and angry, yn?
Ooh...I like that.
Or gangsta rap.
SoundCloud rap
Or rock
Or grunge
You're listening to the wrong rock music.
Now data isn’t wrong. And I can even use Nu metal as an example if you want.
Nu metal would be the generations like millennials who grew up on that. They changed music in the sense that we don’t need full albums to be solid. We just need one single from an album to be amazing. This is also why stuff like Napster was so loved because now you don’t have to buy the trash album just buy the single.
As time goes on we see now data shows teens and young kids don’t even care if it’s 1 good song on an album. As long as one song can go viral because of a 15 second hook that is fun. This is why music is being dumbed down. Producers see this and try to make that viral hit. Nu metal was never like this. Bands like linkin park had albums with loads of hits on them.
Take Jack Harlow for example. A mid rapper who is a rich white kid from Kentucky. He paid his way into fame with features and production value. One of those over produced albums got terrible reviews from places like pitchfork and everywhere else because it lacked any substance. Was the same shit he had been rapping about in past albums (basically G easy shit where he just keeps rapping about how he is cute and bitches want him.)
The entire album was garage. But he did well off it because the Fergie song he did on that album went TikTok viral and everyone just wants to hear that one song that isn’t even that good.
Jack Harlow did this again currently. He got a producer to make an album that isn’t that good but he has one song going viral on TikTok about him being cute and bondage stuff etc. now another shit album by another mid rapper who really shouldn’t be famous but money lets him stay in the spotlight and get these lame ass songs to go viral.
Data is often very much wrong. You can get it to say anything you like.
It’s a study, says so right in the title.
“Lyrics should stick easier…”
Just remove adhesive backing
They looked at 12,000 songs from the last 40 years. There are 120,000 new songs released A DAY as of 2023.
Seems like a tiny sample
I'm guessing it's referring to the top tracks over the years. Either way, this is not something most people needed a study to know. Whether it's allegorical lyrics, a breakdown of current struggles, and/or complexity of the melody/rhythm; by every metric, mainstream music has become extremely oversimplified. They're not even catchy anymore. I honestly can't think of a single song that's gotten stuck in my head since Call Me Maybe.
Baaaaaby shark, doo-doo, doo-doo, doo-doo /s
I knew that was coming lmao
I agree. Every song today is as simple as “Friday” from Rebecca Black. It was a funny meme, but now we’re living in a Black Friday world for reals.
To combat the problem, I’ve been listening to more musicals.
Musicals are so difficult to get made in terms of producing financially and the actual development process, you’re way more likely to find a strong song.
In a musical, almost every song has to fill a specific storytelling purpose (though there are some “the main character is going through a costume change,” songs.) You can’t just get away with “Ugh, yeah, ah, you know it! Oh whoah”
I’ve had “We Don’t Talk About Bruno,” stuck in my head for days. My bias is that I have a toddler, but still!
Do you not listen to music? lmao
If it were a political style survey of 120,000 people total the sample size needed with a 2% margin of error would be 2354.
Yes, this is apples and oranges but it’s likely that the 12,000 sample, 10% of the total, is meaningful.
https://www.checkmarket.com/sample-size-calculator/#sample-size-calculator
Assuming the “a day” metric holds over 40 years (which will be wrong, but for simplicity), it’s actually 12,000 / (365.2540120,000) = 0.007%
I don’t know enough about stats to know if you can still get a meaningful sample, though according to that website you still can, surprisingly!
So, you're saying my wife lied? Size. DOES. Matter?
I hate statistics. Thank you for your service.
Listen to more metal
I think part of why they got more simple is because of a removal of lots of censorship. There used to be a lot of layers of obfuscation needed to talk about sex, drugs, curse words, suicide, lust, being gay and even politics.
Artists had to be able to say “that’s not what I meant” when the mob cane for them, if they said something out of line with “polite” society. If their record was pulled from the radio or stores because of a line on one song, it could doom a small artist or even derail an established one.
Hmm, Human Music. I like it.
Yet even AI won't lower itself to lyrics like, "My lifestyle determines my deathstyle."
keep searchaaaan…
No surprise there. I’ve noticed the cheapness more and more.
I mean there’s only so many times I wanna hear about how someone’s genitals are the best in the world and how everyone is jealous of them.
what songs are you listening to?
"Sugar Lumps" by Flight of the Conchords apparently.
I listen to a lot of different music both new and old. But I’ve noticed I’ve been getting pickier than usual because it mostly sounds the same, especially the newer stuff.
It’s a lot easier for anyone to put out music these days being that streaming & social media has helped popularize songs with explicit lyrics more vs traditional radio with its rules, just look at most any top 20 music streamer lists and you’ll see it.
The messaging in a lot of pop lyrics are generic and simple for a reason. Most lyrics these days have about a third grade reading level & cover the same subjects repeatedly (sex, relationships, breakups) because it’s easier to market and and can mirror attitudes of the current listener demographic who desire a certain degree of escapism from daily life issues/struggles.
but you mentioned genitals? Most of the songs I listen to do not mention that.
Depends on what pop you listen to usually but WAP was popular for a bit not too recently on a lot of platforms including radio.
Art imitates life…
It has a lot to do with the genres that are dominant. Rap and hip hop lyrics are bordering on childish. Country isn’t much better. I’m sure there are exceptions but the majority is unlistenable.
The truth is most people want simple, generic music.
It’s a shame too. Lots of amazing artists out there with amazing lyrics and style.
Big reason why I get frustrated with Taylor Swift and the Swifties. The music and performance is like vanilla ice cream (no bean, just shitty ass bland grocery store vanilla), and people lose their minds.
I think this is why so many of the most ardent Swifties regard her as an iconic lyricist in the same ranks as Bob Dylan. Compared to other pop musicians of the last decade or so, she absolutely is a better lyricist. But I don’t know that she holds a candle to some of the singer songwriters I grew up with in the 80s/90s.
My brother and his wife were band directors up until recently, and any time I’ve heard her music, it’s those mish-mash remixes of pop songs. Absolutely no flavor. Idk what he listens to nowadays, but it really strikes me as nonsense when I hear music in their car. Especially for people who are both musically talented.
They live in a shit town in a shit part of the country, so what do I expect?
Here’s my two cents: it’s like movies and tv for me. Yes I have my favorites that are deep and thought provoking. And most of my favorite artists (I feel) are lyrically and musically talented (eg: just went to see Guster’s “we also have eras tour” a few days ago and holy shit what a show) BUT every once in a while, I just want to listen to some pop-trash that I can dance along too. Maybe you caught them when they wanted something easy on in the background?
Yes. I have artists in my playlists that are immensely musical, incredibly gifted, and have a magical way of sharing through music. I don’t actually even want to listen to them every day, because I never want to get sick of that music. And if I’m within earshot of anyone else, I’m probably not playing that music either. I’m not going to play something that means a lot to me only for the passenger to say “what is this music, lol, let me find something good”.
I do own several TS albums. That kind of music get quite a lot of plays when I’m doing other tasks, as it’s fun, simple music but not something I need to feel in my soul.
Sure there are lol. Those so called "amazing" artists are never mentioned or promoted by the fans in these convos. Feels like a bunch of pseudos circlejerking imo
It might never be appealing to the masses, but it’s out there for those that want it. Even if it’s not discussed, there is an abundance of lyrically complex music for those that prefer it.
This song is just six words long!
Well Americans have to be able to understand them!
Love, love, love Love, love, love Love, love, love
(Love, love, love) There's nothing you can do that can't be done (Love, love, love) Nothing you can sing that can't be sung (Love, love, love) Nothing you can say But you can learn how to play the game It's easy
(Love, love, love) Nothing you can make that can't be made (Love, love, love) No one you can save that can't be saved (Love, love, love) Nothing you can do But you can learn how to be you in time It's easy
All you need is love All you need is love All you need is love, love Love is all you need
(Love, love, love)
(Love, love, love) (Love, love, love)
All you need is love All you need is love All you need is love, love Love is all you need
(Love, love, love) Nothing you can know that isn't known (Love, love, love) Nothing you can see that isn't shown (Love, love, love) There's nowhere you can be That isn't where you're meant to be It's easy
All you need is love All you need is love
All you need is love, love Love is all you need
All you need is love (All together now) All you need is love (Everybody) All you need is love, love Love is all you need
Love is all you need (Love is all you need) Love is all you need (Love is all you need) Love is all you need (Love is all you need) Love is all you need (Love is all you need)
Love is all you need (Love is all you need) Love is all you need (Love is all you need) Love is all you need (Love is all you need) Love is all you need (Love is all you need)
Love is all you need (Love is all you need) Love is all you need (Love is all you need) Love is all you need (Love is all you need) (Love is all you need) (Love is all you need)
(Love is all you need) Yesterday (Love is all you need) Oh, love is all you need Love is all you need (Oh yeah) Love is all you need (She loves you, yeah, yeah, yeah)
(She loves you, yeah, yeah, yeah) (Love is all you need) (Love is all you need)
This has been an ongoing trend for 5 or 6 decades now. Possibly longer. We’re just really starting to feel how far we’ve gone down this road. We’re a very long ways away from the bubblegum pop of the 60s.
But yeah popular music has been trending darker, angrier, narcissistic, and simpler every year for quite some time.
Well, it certainly reflects the times, a lot of people are in that headspace.
I asked echo to play some happy music - she put on pop and the first five songs she played were so depressing. Not a one was happy, I gave up. The poor youth of today…
I guess it’s a good thing I don’t listen to anything post-2015? Even that’s a stretch
I am very connected with song writers and basically the only way artists make any money these days is to license their music to ads and tv/film. So especially in the last 20 years, lyrics have turned to essentially ad friendly tag lines.
My answer to all butthurt complaints about the quality of music in any era versus any other era is, “You’re just listening to the wrong music.”
Let’s not forget the insanely deep 60s song “She loves me yeah yeah, she loves me yeah yeah.”
There’s all different kinds of music for all different kinds of vibes, if you’re doing something dumb and repetitive at work or home…. Dumb repetitive music helps it go by faster.
I miss the days of radio, where we all connected under music. Now we’re all in our own bubbles, totally disconnected from each other.
Music is just basic noises now. You don't need to sing or be able to compose music. Just sample a bunch of other people's music and talk like you would normally.
Been thinking this but just thought I was turning into a curmudgeon.
I thought so too but turn on the radio. It’s all “I have this and I have that” and “ you can’t sit with us”. It’s all garbage
It’s because people are getting stupider.
That’s just the people from Jupiter
And this is why we all listen to “the old days” music.
Bo Burnham reported on this study 9 years ago - https://youtu.be/nt9c0UeYhFc?si=GRBQNUbS_wVrhIDg
With everything else going to pot the last few decades its a shame the music has to suck now too.
One must also consider that prior to the 70's, lyrics were shallow and phony. So one way to look at it is that music from the 70's onward has expressed more authentic emotion and involved more deeply personal and raw self-expression.
Regarding the comment that people lose interest if the song doesn't grab them in first 15 seconds, this has surely always been the case. At one time, we just turned the radio dial unless we could only get one single radio station.
I listen to ska punk, my opinions are invalid.
relevant
Substitute “USA” for “song lyrics”
The USA is the biggest country in the world, and the super power of the world in terms of military, political, economical and cultural power, so it can force anything it invents to the rest of the world, be Canada, Mexico, France, Brazil, Germany, Bosnia, Turkey, Morocco, Thailand, New Zealand or Zimbabwe.
Everybody is angry now a days, of course the anger is gonna be in the lyrics
You have to listen to more than just Kanye for a good study, tho
I mean just listen to Kim Petras.
Yet "Fucked with an anchor' remains a banger despite ticking all these boxes.
Speak get dumb too
You’re getting old Stan
No surprise here, among with humans, the water we drink, the air we breathe, clothes we wear, food we drink, the quality of everything decreased. It won't cease to exist unless we can invent a time machine and go back to the time hunter gatherer communities.
Oh! So I’m not crazy.
And generally new music sucks
Music sucks since big money took over
I hate when people say this about music and movies. They’ve always been about big money. The difference is now that they have the tools to make content with machine-like efficiency and minimum cost. The human element doesn’t need to be there as much.
Where are all the political protest songs like back in the 60s?
Just say music sucks now and move on.
Felt like this for a while, I miss songs that had a strong political message
We have know this for a while now. And it sucks because when you try to talk about this data and other data we have (like songs being made to just have one snippet that is 15 seconds that can go viral. Rest of the song sucks. Etc.)
It’s like millennials started the craze of “we don’t care if an album sucks we just want one single from the album to be a banger.”
Now the kids are like. “We don’t even need a whole song. Just give us one catchy 15 second hook. Some artist who had his music go viral on TikTok has stopped playing the song everyone came to see him for because he hates doing hour long sets only to have the crowd sing and her out phones for the last 15 second of the show.
But when you tell kids this they get so mad because of course they like music and have favorite songs. But they can’t see a time where music was very different. So talking about these studies with young folks is damn near impossible.
Haven’t they been using forms of AI for years to help with writing? The lyrics of mainstream music have gotten abysmally simple and uninteresting.
no shit…. this study took 2 minutes to conduct.
“Yummy yummy yummy I got yum in my tummy”
Ya…things are so bad NOW.
Lots of people are obsessed with being "fed" junk food rather than wait to eat a made with love home cooked meal. Today I read that several mainstream pop stars are bragging about having about 100 songs written for new albums and most of the stuff they release are just covers and songs we have already heard before. They have several people on their team just writing for them. If you want good music, it's just always better to find smaller independant artists that give a damn about what they create.
Because society has devolved so badly. In the past, people had more integrity, discretion, creativity, depth, talent, and there were basic societal norms. Rap music in particular the beginning of gangster rap really was the beginning of the end of music. Now it’s all disturbed people writing self obsessed overly sexual lyrics with a pervasive lack of creativity or talent trying to appeal to teenagers. It’s so sad and the messaging is often violent, psychotic, and destructive.
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Nothing like Trump. Nothing this insane, that people think this man is anything but a very mentally disturbed pathological liar. He only is interested in himself and his deranged views. He couldn’t care less and openly mocked and continues to mock his supporters who have no capacity to discern right from someone who has no character and integrity and actually is a violent criminal and deeply misogynistic.
Let lean into that with some AI!!!!
Wow sorry people aren’t taking LCD all the time anymore