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From the swinging rhythms of the 1950s to the autotuned hooks of today, pop music has undergone a remarkable transformation. But what exactly has changed, and how can we measure it? Researchers from Queen Mary University of London conducted the most comprehensive analysis to date of how pop melodies have evolved since 1950. Using a unique dataset of over 1,000 manually transcribed melodies from Billboard chart-toppers, they've uncovered patterns that suggest popular music becoming less complex and more repetitive over time.
The study, published in Scientific Reports, identifies two major “melodic revolutions” in pop music history: one in 1975 and another in 2000. These turning points mark significant shifts in the structure and complexity of hit melodies. Interestingly, these musical milestones don't perfectly align with the revolutions in harmony and timbre (tone color) identified by previous studies, suggesting that different aspects of music may evolve at different rates.
But what exactly changed during these revolutions? The researchers say that melodies have generally become simpler, both in terms of pitch and rhythm. Modern pop hits tend to use a smaller range of notes and simpler rhythmic patterns compared to their predecessors from the 1950s and 60s.
At the same time, the study reveals a dramatic increase in “note density” – the number of notes squeezed into each second of music. This means that while today's pop melodies might be simpler in structure, they're often delivered more rapidly, creating a sense of energy and urgency that wasn't as common in earlier decades.
These findings paint a picture of pop music that's evolving towards catchier, more immediately accessible tunes. It's as if songwriters are focusing on creating earworms – those maddeningly memorable snippets of melody that get stuck in your head – rather than crafting more intricate musical journeys.
Oh the times, they are a changin'
So why is this happening? Study authors offer several intriguing possibilities. One theory suggests that as other aspects of music production – like complex electronic beats and richly layered instrumentation – have become more sophisticated, melodies have had to simplify to maintain a balance. It's similar to how a chef might tone down the spices in a dish to let a particular flavor shine through.
Another explanation points to the changing landscape of music consumption. In an era of streaming and social media, where listeners can skip to the next song in seconds, there may be more pressure to create hooks that grab attention instantly. This could favor simpler, more repetitive melodies that are easy to remember and sing along to.
Relationships between different musical features have also become stronger in recent years. For example, in post-2000 pop hits, melodies with more notes per second tend to be less complex in terms of pitch variety. This suggests that modern pop songwriting may be following more rigid formulas than in the past.
Pop hits to reverse track eventually?
Interestingly, unlike some other aspects of fashion and culture that tend to cycle through trends, the evolution of pop melody seems to be largely unidirectional. The researchers found little evidence of “retro” trends in melody, where older styles make a comeback. This raises intriguing questions about whether we might see a true melodic revolution in the future, where these long-term trends suddenly reverse.
It's important to note that this study doesn't make value judgments about the quality of music over time. Simpler melodies aren't necessarily “worse” – they can be incredibly effective and emotionally powerful. What this research does provide is a fascinating window into how our musical tastes and the art of songwriting have evolved over seven decades.
Paper Summary
Methodology
The researchers used a dataset called the Billboard Melodic Music Dataset (BiMMuDa), which contains over 1,000 manually transcribed melodies from the top 5 songs of each year from 1950 to 2022. They calculated eight different features for each melody, covering aspects like pitch range, rhythmic complexity, and note density. These features were averaged by year to create time series data. The researchers then used statistical techniques called changepoint detection to identify significant shifts in these musical features over time. They also used various regression models to analyze relationships between different melodic characteristics and how they changed across different eras.
Results
The study identified two major melodic revolutions in pop music: one in 1975 and another in 2000. These revolutions were characterized by significant decreases in both pitch-related and rhythmic complexity. The analysis revealed a consistent trend of decreasing complexity and increasing note density in pop melodies over time, especially since 2000. The researchers also found that relationships between different melodic features became stronger in more recent songs, suggesting more formulaic songwriting approaches.
Limitations
The study has several limitations. First, it only analyzes the top 5 songs from each year, which may not be representative of all popular music. The labor-intensive process of manual transcription limited the sample size. Additionally, the study focuses solely on melody, not considering other important aspects of music like harmony, timbre, or lyrics. The researchers also note that their analysis can't determine causality – they can identify trends but not explain definitively why these changes are occurring.
Discussion and Takeaways
This study provides quantitative evidence for long-term trends in popular melody, challenging some existing narratives about music history while supporting others. The researchers speculate on potential causes for these trends, such as changes in music production technology, shifts in listening habits, and broader cultural factors. They emphasize that decreasing melodic complexity doesn't necessarily mean a decrease in overall musical complexity or quality.
The study opens up new avenues for research into the evolution of popular music and raises intriguing questions about the future of pop melody. The researchers suggest that expanding the dataset and combining it with analyses of other musical elements could provide even more comprehensive insights into the changing nature of popular music.
