Music research - Top songs are getting simpler and simpler
Popular Songs have become simpler in terms of rhythms and melodies over the past 70 years, according to a research duo in the scientific journal "Scientific Reports." The researchers do not intend to evaluate this development: "This would go beyond the scientific findings into the realm of subjective opinion," they stated.
Madeline Hamilton and Marcus Pearce from Queen Mary University of London analyzed the most prominent melodies, typically the lead vocal melody, of songs that made it to the Top 5 of the Billboard Year-End Singles Charts between 1950 and 2022. Over 350 songs were included in the analysis.
The number of notes played per second increased significantly
The statistical analysis showed that the complexity of song rhythms and tonal arrangements decreased on average over the years, along with a significant increase in the average number of notes played per second. The researchers identified two drops in 1975 and 2000, and a smaller one in 1996, which were marked by a considerable reduction in complexity.
The researchers attribute the decline in 1975 to the emergence of new genres such as Disco and New Wave. In the 90s and at the turn of the millennium, the rise of Hip-Hop may have played a role.
Genres play a role
Hamilton and Pearce speculate that the decrease in melodic complexity could be due to an increase in complexity of other musical elements, such as the increased note count. This might prevent the music from being overwhelming for listeners. With the increasing availability of digital instruments, musical complexity can also be more effectively expressed.
Another theory is that the musical trend reflects the linguistic trend: "The digital age demands the compression of language, so that what we have to say fits within character limits and fits into headlines." This reduction in complexity of messages and perhaps the ability to digest complex ideas may also apply to popular music. In other words, people may no longer have the intellectual capacity for complex songs.
The results align with a 2023 study analyzing texts from over 350,000 English-language songs. Western Pop music is reportedly becoming simpler and angrier. An analysis of Rap, Country, Pop, Rock, and R&B songs from 1980 to 2020 shows that the structure of so-called lyrics is becoming simpler. Text elements are repeated more frequently, refrains take up more space, and the vocabulary used is smaller, according to the study.
Songs are now consumed differently
The research team believes that this development could be related to how songs are now consumed. Music creators produce their songs to be streamed, clicked, and viewed as much as possible, explained Elisabeth Lex from the Technical University Graz. Repetitive, simple, and dense - this reportedly fosters the development of earworms.
- The study published in 'Scientific Reports' in London was conducted by researchers from Queen Mary University of London, specifically Madeline Hamilton and Marcus Pearce.
- The findings of the study suggest a decline in melodic complexity in popular songs over the past 70 years, a trend that aligns with a 2023 study conducted in the USA.
- The analysis of Top 5 Billboard Year-End Singles Charts songs from 1950 to 2022 revealed a significant increase in the average number of notes played per second, alongside a decrease in the complexity of song rhythms and tonal arrangements.
- Genres such as Disco and New Wave in 1975 and Hip-Hop in the 1990s and early 2000s are believed to have played a role in the observed decline in melodic complexity.
- The researchers also explore the possibility that this musical trend mirrors the linguistic trend, with the digital age demanding compression of language and messages, potentially leading to simpler popular music in Great Britain and other parts of the International music scene.
