By Chase Cowan

Music is objectively getting worse, according to many studies and polls.  A document published in Scientific Reports states that a study of thousands of songs reveals that lyrics are becoming “simpler and more repetitive.”

Music is often seen as a representative of a culture, expressing the values and emotions of its time. A study published in Scientific Reports analyzed more than 12,000 songs across several decades and found that lyrics are becoming “simpler and more repetitive,” raising concerns among critics that today’s music lacks the complexity and imagination of earlier times.  A Ponte Vedra High School junior, Kieran Riely, states “music is losing its touch on people,” and that “all it talks about now is graphic content.”  Kieran Reily is an example of a person born in the generation of music decline that actually realizes it and expresses his concerns of this problem.

To understand this problem, it is important to be aware of the evolution of music throughout the generations.  From the roaring twenties jazz, to Elvis in the fifties, then to the Beetles in the sixties, music has always been changing and to people from prior generations, the changes are constantly negative.  For example, people from the twenties thought that Elvis was just noise, and people from before the twenties despised jazz music.

The findings repeat what many listeners have felt. Older people complain that today’s hits rely on hooks and shallow themes, while fans of newer music argue that accessibility and catchiness are not flaws, but features. Still, the data points to a clear conclusion, which is that vocabulary has declined, emotions have been dulled, and repetition has become more important in modern music.

This trend is not alone. Other studies have noted that popular songs have become shorter, louder, and more basic in melody. A 2012 study by the Spanish National Research Council (SNRC) described pop music as increasingly “bland,” pointing to a declining chord variety and more predictable beats.

Some experts blame the economics of streaming apps. With platforms like Spotify and Apple Music rewarding songs that hook listeners quickly, artists may feel pressured to make music that is instantly memorable, even if that means sacrificing depth. “The business model prioritizes repeatability over richness,” says Dr. Elena Roselli, a cultural musicologist at New York University. “Songs are designed to be consumed like fast food.”

Not everyone agrees that simplicity is bad though. Many artists argue that repetition can strengthen emotional impact, and some genres purposefully strip down complexity to emphasize rhythm. For younger listeners, the criticism also sounds like generational bias.

Another topic is whether people nowadays listen to the rhythms of music or enjoy it for the lyrics.  According to the NSRC, rhythms and beats are getting more boring and repetitive, so it would only make sense that people nowadays listen to the lyrics more intently and spend less time focusing on the rhythms or tempo.

Whether this trend represents the decline or evolution in music depends on perspective. It’s clear that music today is shaped as much by algorithms and profit as by artistic ambition. As the landscape shifts, so does the debate over what makes music “good.”

Graphic by Philip Berkwit