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The original was posted on /r/todayilearned by /u/tyrion2024 on 2024-07-08 20:07:19+00:00.

Original Title: TIL an analysis of the lyrics of more than 12,000 English-language songs released between 1980-2020 (from the genres of rap, country, pop, R&B & rock) found that lyrics have become simpler, angrier, more repetitive & more self-obsessed over that period of time.

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    1 month ago

    This is the best summary I could come up with:


    A team of European researchers analysed the words in more than 12,000 English-language songs across the genres of rap, country, pop, R&B and rock from 1980 to 2020.

    Before detailing how lyrics have become more basic, the study pointed out that US singer-songwriting legend Bob Dylan – who rose to fame in the 1960s – has won a Nobel prize in literature.

    Senior study author Eva Zangerle, an expert on recommendation systems at Austria’s University of Innsbruck, declined to single out an individual newer artist for having simple lyrics.

    The vinyl records and cassette tapes of the 1980s gave way to the CDs of the 90s, then the arrival of the internet led to the algorithm-driven streaming platforms of today.

    The results also confirmed previous research which had shown a decrease in positive, joyful lyrics over time and a rise in those that express anger, disgust or sadness.

    Rock has tumbled down the charts in recent decades, and this could suggest fans are increasingly looking back to the genre’s heyday, rather than its present.


    The original article contains 515 words, the summary contains 174 words. Saved 66%. I’m a bot and I’m open source!