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Study Reveals How Much Dumber Songs Are Today Compared to 10 Years Ago

The world is changing in many ways, but not always for the better. At least, not in the realm of music.

A new study conducted by Andrew Powell-Morse analyzing 225 songs that spent three weeks or more at the top of of Billboard‘s song charts (Pop, Rock, Hip-Hop, and Country) has revealed an interesting revelation regarding song lyrics: they’re getting dumber.

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I miss the intelligent #1 songs of the 90's like Who Lets the Dogs Out, Mmm Bop, Macarena and Baby Got Back.

I think most older music lovers already knew that today's music is not nearly as good as the music from earlier generations.

 

Of course there are some exceptions out there of really talented current musicians making some really good songs today, but for the most part, there just aren't a lot of them.

 

I tried to watch some of the Billboard Music Awards this past Sunday to see what was considered today's top music and musicians and couldn't even watch it.

 

I guess every generation says "I just don't get today's music" but what I saw on Sunday just wasn't entertaining music to me at all.

 

Now granted, I did not watch all of it or even half of it, but I did check in on it at various different times and just never saw anything that I even remotely liked listening to or would even consider buying on a CD.

 

With a few exceptions, it's like today's kids are getting ripped off as far as the music they listen to is considered, but I guess every generation says that.

We are in the McDonalds era of music.

This could be one of the dumbest "studies" ever done. Kudos to this researcher.

Shots Shots Shots Shots Shots Shots Shots Shots Shots Shots Shots, Everybody!

It's been consistent that the lyrics of the most popular songs could have be written by a 3 year old.  This has been going on for a while.  "I Believe I can fly"?  This is like a kindergartner's homework assignment.  "Just the Way you are" is like some grade school kid got caught passing a love note in class and it was confiscated by Bruno Mars.  But people like these songs, so the lyrics will remain dumb.  This article is dumb too.  I'm dumb.  Everything dumb today.  What's going on?

Most music that charts and reaches the top of the charts is hardly thought provoking, and hasn't been for a long time, if ever.  There are certainly exceptions to this, but most music that reaches the top of the charts does so because it's got a catchy hook or a beat people like.  They don't particularly care if the lyrics are intelligent, or if the writing requires a doctorate to decipher.  Even much of the "deep thinking" lyrics of days gone by that charted were more than likely the result of some drug or alcohol induced haze, and the writing wasn't any more intellectual than "All About that Base".  People were afraid to question them for fear they'd not seem as deep, so they just went with it.  Inagodadavida?  Seriously?

 

Even some of the great song writers through time have produced some absolute crap as well. 

There was a #1 song in 1968 called Harper Valley PTA. Dumb songs are not a new phenomenon.

Quote:There was a #1 song in 1968 called Harper Valley PTA. Dumb songs are not a new phenomenon.

They even made a movie about that stupid song!!

Quote:They even made a movie about that stupid song!!

 

And a TV show!

 

I believe it starred Barbara Eden.

 

Mmmmmm, Genie......

I miss the deep thinking lyrics of Early Pink Floyd, very philosophical

Everything 80's and before, please.. Most everything today is clicks and whistles..

Quote:I miss the deep thinking lyrics of Early Pink Floyd, very philosophical

People did better drugs back then...that is all. :thumbsup:

Quote:I miss the deep thinking lyrics of Early Pink Floyd, very philosophical

 

It isn't even about "deep thinking lyrics." I must be getting old because most of today's music is just plain...bad (imo) relative to its predecessors. I think hip-hop, which was never my favorite genre of music to begin with ,is the most egregious. We go from KRS-One and A Tribe Called Quest to...<insert popular rapper here>? Really?

 

The only real saving graces musically in my mind are the early alternative (Smashing Pumpkins) and acid jazz scenes (Jamiroquai) in the 90s. It was all downhill from there.

Quote:It's been consistent that the lyrics of the most popular songs could have be written by a 3 year old.  This has been going on for a while.  "I Believe I can fly"?  This is like a kindergartner's homework assignment.  "Just the Way you are" is like some grade school kid got caught passing a love note in class and it was confiscated by Bruno Mars.  But people like these songs, so the lyrics will remain dumb.  This article is dumb too.  I'm dumb.  Everything dumb today.  What's going on?

 

Don't You Forget About Me

 

Oops!... I Did It Again

They needed a study for this?

"it’s important to note that this data doesn’t touch on the meaning of a song, the metaphors, how the words connect with the artist’s personal story, etc. to create deeper meaning. These numbers are fun and interesting, so just enjoy them."

What readability index did they use to determine it?  It seems like they used the Coleman-Liau Index or possibly SMOG.


Edit: Nevermind.  Read the report.  They used some sort of average.  Though their numbers look a little low in that case.  


Different indices will give you different grading levels.  And grade level doesn't really give you much on how 'intelligent' the lyrics are.


Examples:

Who Let The Dogs Out

Flesch-Kincaid Grade Level 10.7
Gunning-Fog Score 13.5
Coleman-Liau Index 4.8
SMOG Index 3.4
Automated Readability Index 11.6

Harper Valley PTA
<div>Flesch-Kincaid Grade Level 4.2
Gunning-Fog Score 6.1
Coleman-Liau Index 6.7
SMOG Index 3.8
Automated Readability Index 3
Average Grade Level 4.8

Hey You

Flesch-Kincaid Grade Level 3.1
Gunning-Fog Score 5.6
Coleman-Liau Index 5.7
SMOG Index 3.2
Automated Readability Index 2.3

<b>Never Ever Getting Back Together</b>

Flesch-Kincaid Grade Level 6.3
Gunning-Fog Score 8.6
Coleman-Liau Index 6.3
SMOG Index 5.3
Automated Readability Index 4.8
Average Grade Level 6.3

Bohemian Rhapsody

Flesch-Kincaid Grade Level 3.9
Gunning-Fog Score 6.1
Coleman-Liau Index 5.8
SMOG Index 5.3
Automated Readability Index 0.9

<b>Dark Horse</b>

Flesch-Kincaid Grade Level 10
Gunning-Fog Score 12.8
Coleman-Liau Index 4.9
SMOG Index 5.1
Automated Readability Index 10.1

Baby

Flesch-Kincaid Grade Level 9
Gunning-Fog Score 10.5
Coleman-Liau Index 5
SMOG Index 4.2
Automated Readability Index 7.4

Happy Birthday

Flesch-Kincaid Grade Level 3.4
Gunning-Fog Score 5.7
Coleman-Liau Index 8.3
SMOG Index 4.1
Automated Readability Index 3.1

All About that Bass

Flesch-Kincaid Grade Level 20.5
<div>Gunning-Fog Score 23.5
Coleman-Liau Index 4.6
SMOG Index 6
Automated Readability Index 23.7

Not Afraid

Flesch-Kincaid Grade Level 34.9
Gunning-Fog Score 38.1
Coleman-Liau Index 5
SMOG Index 9.9
Automated Readability Index 41.8
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Quote:What readability index did they use to determine it?  It seems like they used the Coleman-Liau Index or possibly SMOG.

Edit: Nevermind.  Read the report.  They used some sort of average.  Though their numbers look a little low in that case.  

Different indices will give you different grading levels.  And grade level doesn't really give you much on how 'intelligent' the lyrics are.

Examples:
Who Let The Dogs Out

Flesch-Kincaid Grade Level 10.7

Gunning-Fog Score 13.5

Coleman-Liau Index 4.8

SMOG Index 3.4

Automated Readability Index 11.6Harper Valley PTAFlesch-Kincaid Grade Level 4.2

Gunning-Fog Score 6.1

Coleman-Liau Index 6.7

SMOG Index 3.8

Automated Readability Index 3

Average Grade Level 4.8Hey You

Flesch-Kincaid Grade Level 3.1

Gunning-Fog Score 5.6

Coleman-Liau Index 5.7

SMOG Index 3.2

Automated Readability Index 2.3Never Ever Getting Back Together

Flesch-Kincaid Grade Level 6.3

Gunning-Fog Score 8.6

Coleman-Liau Index 6.3

SMOG Index 5.3

Automated Readability Index 4.8

Average Grade Level 6.3Bohemian Rhapsody

Flesch-Kincaid Grade Level 3.9

Gunning-Fog Score 6.1

Coleman-Liau Index 5.8

SMOG Index 5.3

Automated Readability Index 0.9Dark Horse

Flesch-Kincaid Grade Level 10

Gunning-Fog Score 12.8

Coleman-Liau Index 4.9

SMOG Index 5.1

Automated Readability Index 10.1Baby

Flesch-Kincaid Grade Level 9

Gunning-Fog Score 10.5

Coleman-Liau Index 5

SMOG Index 4.2

Automated Readability Index 7.4Happy Birthday

Flesch-Kincaid Grade Level 3.4

Gunning-Fog Score 5.7

Coleman-Liau Index 8.3

SMOG Index 4.1

Automated Readability Index 3.1All About that Bass

Flesch-Kincaid Grade Level 20.5

Gunning-Fog Score 23.5

Coleman-Liau Index 4.6

SMOG Index 6

Automated Readability Index 23.7Not Afraid

Flesch-Kincaid Grade Level 34.9

Gunning-Fog Score 38.1

Coleman-Liau Index 5

SMOG Index 9.9

Automated Readability Index 41.8

Someone put way too much thought into this.