Credit: Cricket Media, Inc
Music is losing the core of its purpose: empathy. According to researchers at Michigan State University, an analysis of pop song lyrics over the past 80 years found that mentions of family and friends have declined. The lack of emotional vulnerability in lyrics creates distance between artists and their listeners. This could be due to the growing lack of privacy in today’s society. Constant posting on social media and increasing parasocial relationships push artists in a reclusive bubble. The lack of privacy may prevent artists from feeling safe enough to share personal moments of their lives through music without fearing that their experiences will be scrutinized and criticized on social media.
The research indicates that words expressing both positive and negative emotions have similarly decreased over time. This means that not only are certain subjects becoming less common, but emotional language itself is also disappearing from pop music. Instead, artists sing about surface-level topics such as fame and money, distancing themselves from their listeners as a way to protect their privacy. However, this ultimately prevents fans from connecting with their vulnerability. Usually, less is more. In this case, however, the less emotion expressed in lyrics, the weaker the connection fans may feel toward the music. We risk losing the question, “How did it make you feel?” if popular music continues to rely on broad themes while lacking the personal details and emotional depth that allow listeners to empathize with artists.
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