The Simplification of Lyrics Over Time

Song lyrics have become simpler and more repetitive over the past five decades

More repetitive pop songs,

More negative emotions,

More use of the first-person,

Evidence of the decline

Of civilization or

The relentless perfection

Of commodification.

Blame it on relationships,

If you want to avoid those

Options—since relationships

Have all gone to techno-hell,

Every song’s a breakup song,

And nothing’s a recipe

For sheer negativity,

Obsessive repetition,

And vocabularies of

First-person simplicity

Like a failed relationship.

It’s evolutionary

Anyhow—audiences

Reward the simpler, sadder,

More repetitive lyrics,

Which tend to be bigger hits.

Here concludes analysis.