A fascinating study: Have song lyrics change since the 1960s?

Yes. Yes, they have.

A site called Stat Significant just published a study on the evolution of song lyrics over the decades–well, centuries and millennia, actually. The researchers looked for signs that lyrics had morphed in tone, attitude, and construction. It’s a fascinating study and I encourage you to read the whole thing.

Here are some highlights:

• Song lyrics are getting more negative. Gangster rap and alt-metal are the most negative genres.
• Lyrics are becoming more complex. That’s not a surprise given the lyrical density of hip-hop and rap.
• Composers are becoming more repetitive with their use of words. European pop (which includes Depeche Mode and ABBA) have the highest incidence of repetition.

Let’s me throw in a few charts. More here.