Songs have become simpler, more repetitive and angrier
Listen to the story (Irish accent)
A recent study found that song lyrics are becoming simpler and more repetitive.
Researchers from Europe analyzed more than 12,000 English-language songs from various genres, including rap, country, pop, R&B, and rock, from 1980 to 2020.
The study found that lyrics have become angrier and more focused on oneself over the past 40 years. This change could show society’s values, emotions, and concerns. The researchers believe that lyrics are a “mirror of society.”
The study also mentioned the changes in the music industry over the past 40 years, like how music is sold and produced. The way people listen to music has also changed a lot, moving from records and cassette-tapes in the 1980s to CDs in the 1990s, and now to streaming music on the internet.
The researchers looked at the emotions in lyrics, the difficulty and variety of words used, and how often they were repeated. They found that lyrics in all genres have become simpler and more repetitive. There has also been a decrease in positive, joyful lyrics and an increase in lyrics that show anger, disgust, or sadness. Words like “me” and “mine” have become more common.
Rap music has seen the most increase in repeated lines and has become angrier than other genres.
The study also found that rock fans often look up lyrics from older songs, and not new rock songs.
The study suggests that songs with more choruses and repetitive lyrics are more popular because they are easier to remember. This might be because people usually listen to music in the background these days.
Vocabulary30 words
- Recent
- not long ago;
- Study
- the activity of examining/studying something in detail to discover new information; research; investigation
- Find
- realize; learn; discover;
- Lyrics
- The words of a song; The words you sing in a song
- Repetitive
- doing the same thing over and over again
- Researcher
- a person who does research; a person who studies something to find new results
- Analyze
- To look at something carefully to understand it; Break something down into smaller parts to understand it better
- Various
- different kinds; more than one; several
- Genre
- a style, category or type of story, music or art
- Include
- to contain; incorporate; to be part of; to have something smaller as a part of it; come with
- Focus on
- to give most of your attention to someone or something; to look or listen carefully
- Oneself
- The person that is doing or being talked about; You, yourself
- Society
- A group of people living together in a community; people considered as a group, or a group of people who live together in a particular social system
- Values
- What people think is important or good.
- Emotion
- A feeling like happiness, sadness, anger, etc.;
- Concern
- the feeling of worry; anxiousness; anxiety; unease; distress;
- Mirror
- Something that shows what something else is like;
- Mention
- to briefly or quickly talk about something; to say something, but not talk in detail about it
- Industry
- business field; area of work or business; type of business
- Produce
- to create or make something
- Record
- A thin, round object that music is stored on (usually black);
- Cassette-tape
- A small plastic case containing tape that music or sounds are recorded on; ?
- Stream
- to watch a video or listen to music online without downloading it or having a physical copy
- Variety
- different kinds; different types, assortment
- Disgust
- A strong feeling of not liking something; strong dislike
- Line
- a group of words in a song, poem, book or movie
- Look up
- To search for information about something; to find out more
- Suggest
- propose; to put forward; to recommend; to submit
- Chorus
- The part of a song that is repeated after each verse
- Background
- a person's life experience, knowledge, and education; your personal/professional history
Quiz
Answer key
1. Rap 2. There are more lyrics that show disgust 3. True
Fill-in-the-blank listening
Play the audio again and fill in the missing words as you listen.
A _____ study found that song lyrics are becoming _____ and more repetitive.
Researchers from Europe _____ more than 12,000 English-language songs from various _____, including rap, country, pop, R&B, and rock, from _____ to 2020.
The study _____ that lyrics have become _____ and more focused on oneself over the past _____ years. This change could show society’s _____, emotions, and concerns. The researchers believe that _____ are a “mirror of society.”
The study also _____ the changes in the music industry over the past 40 years, _____ how music is sold and produced. The way _____ listen to music has also changed a lot, _____ from records and cassette-tapes in the 1980s to CDs in the _____, and now to streaming music on the internet.
The _____ looked at the emotions in lyrics, the difficulty and _____ of words used, and how often they were repeated. _____ found that lyrics in all genres have become simpler and _____ repetitive. There has also been a _____ in positive, joyful lyrics and an increase in lyrics that show _____, disgust, or sadness. Words like “me” and “_____” have become more common.
Rap music has _____ the most increase in repeated lines and has _____ angrier than other genres.
The study also found that _____ fans often look up lyrics from older songs, and not new rock _____.
The study _____ that songs with more choruses and repetitive lyrics are more _____ because they are easier to remember. This might be _____ people usually listen to music in the background these _____.
Discussion questions
- Why do you think song lyrics have become simpler and more repetitive?
- Do you agree that lyrics are a “mirror of society”? Why or why not?
- Should songwriters focus more on positive messages in their music? Why or why not?
- Do you prefer older songs or new songs? Why?
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