I’m the problem, it’s me: Turns out, pop lyrics are stuck in a loop

New research suggests a trend towards simpler, more repetitive lines - and towards lyrics focused increasingly on the self.

One of the enduring cliches in popular culture is the older music fan — usually, but not always, a middle-aged male — bemoaning the state of contemporary popular music. “Songs were so much better in my day,” he says.

Well, even the most well-worn cliche contains a tiny kernel of truth. New research suggests that, at least when it comes to lyrics, there is a trend towards simpler and more repetitive lines.

A team of European researchers analysed lyrics from