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The Evolution of Lyrics in Music over the Decades
Throughout the various eras of music, from the ’80s new wave to ’90s grunge to the latest pop single, we have witnessed significant changes not only in sound but also in lyrics. Research conducted by Eva Zangerle of Innsbruck University, along with her team, analyzed 12,000 English-language songs across different genres released between 1970 and 2020, shedding light on the evolution of lyrics over time.
Analyzing Lyrical Trends
Zangerle and her colleagues focused on pop, rock, rap, R&B, and country genres, utilizing data from the virtual music encyclopedia Genius. The study revealed that lyrics have been progressively becoming simpler and more repetitive. This trend is particularly noticeable in rap and rock but extends to other music genres as well. Moreover, lyrics today tend to be more personal and emotionally charged compared to five decades ago.
The research, recently published in Scientific Reports, indicates that lyrics, much like literature, act as a mirror reflecting the norms, emotions, and values of society over time. Zangerle’s dataset, created from lyrics obtained from Genius, examined the structural, linguistic, emotional, and complexity aspects of songs in the selected genres.
Interpreting Lyrical Changes
Viewing the lyrics of songs online, as discovered by the study, holds unexpected significance. The number of lyric views indicates the importance of lyrics regardless of a song’s or genre’s overall popularity. The analyses revealed crucial characteristics prevalent in lyrics across genres, such as repeated lines, choruses, and emotional language.
Over the decades, lyrics have become increasingly repetitive, featuring more choruses than in earlier years. Moreover, they have become more personal and infused with emotion, particularly anger. The use of personal pronouns in lyrics has notably increased in rap and pop, with moderate rises in rock and R&B, while country lyrics have remained relatively consistent in this regard.
Expressions of anger and other negative emotions have seen a rise in lyrics across genres, with rap exhibiting the most significant increase in this aspect. Conversely, positive emotions have somewhat declined in pop and rock while showing slight increments in rap. An intriguing finding was the varying interest in lyrics based on genre, with rock songs from older eras garnering higher lyric views compared to newer releases, showing contrasting trends in country music.
Implications of Lyrical Shifts
The study suggests that music lyrics have undergone simplification, increased repetition, and heightened emotional content, especially anger and personal narratives. While the research did not delve into the societal influences behind these changes, the authors offer sociological insights. They propose that pop music aligns with commercial trends and contemporary preferences, whereas rock music appeals more to anti-commercial sentiments among middle-class audiences.
The emotional charge in lyrics may reflect societal shifts and attitudes, underscoring the need for further exploration of the role of lyrics in reflecting cultural change. The study concludes that analyzing lyrics can offer valuable insights into cultural artifacts and societal transformations.
Scientific Reports, 2024. DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-55742-x
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