The evolution of songs in English over 40 years

What image does musical production convey to our societies over the past forty years? According to work published in Scientific reports On March 28, song lyrics have become simpler and more repetitive over the past 40 years. Production in at least English, according to this study, which covers a panel of 12,000 songs from all musical genres (rap, country, pop, rhythm, blues, rock) dating back to the period between 1980 and 2020. The study shows in particular a stronger production in English. – The tendency toward anger and introspection in texts.

Song lyrics can be used as “A mirror of society” Eva Zangerli, who works on music recommendation systems at the University of Innsbruck in Austria, told AFP that they reflect changes in an individual’s values, emotions and interests. “Over the past 40 years, we have also seen a sea change in the music landscape, from the way music is produced to the way it is sold.”According to what the researcher, the main author of the study, said. Vinyl records and cassette tapes in the 1980s gave way to the Internet and portable music platforms, which promoted algorithm-based music.

Read alsoWhy do these French people sing in English?

The study team looked at the emotions expressed in the words, the proportion of different and complex words, and their frequency. “In all musical genres we found a tendency toward simplification and repetition.”“, explains Eva Zangerli. This work confirms previous research that found a decrease in positive or happy themes, and an increase in those expressing anger, disgust or sadness. The tendency towards introspection is increasing in the lyrics of singers, whose use is increasing “I” And the “I”. Rap music was given a special place in the study, with a very sharp increase in the number of repeated phrases in the song. “Rap music expresses anger more than other genres.”“, notes the researcher.

I also looked at searches made by fans of different music genres on the lyrics site Genius. For example, rock music fans, unlike others, look for old lyrics rather than modern ones, clinging to the glory days of a genre that has been less popular for several decades. Another notable change: “The first 10 or 15 seconds are crucial for listening or skipping a song.”“, points out the researcher.

In addition, music today tends to be heard more in the background: songs in which choirs sing simple lyrics seem more popular. “These lyrics are more easily remembered, simply because they are easier to memorize. The lyrics to these songs should be easier, simply because they are easier to remember.”concludes the academic.