Your favorite music was written by literal retards

The Something Awful Forums > Archives > General Bullshit > Your favorite music was written by literal retards

Windows 98: Nov 13, 2005; HTTP 400: Bad post

The lyrics of recent No. 1 singles average at a third grade reading level

quote:

No one would ever dare to compare the writing prowess of artists like Macklemore, Nicki Minaj, and Katy Perry to Chaucer and Ginsberg, but a new study from Andrew Powell-Morse reveals just how dumbed down the lyrics are for songs currently dominating the Billboard charts.

Powell-Morse analyzed the reading levels for 225 songs that spent three or more weeks atop Billboard�s Pop, Country, Rock, and Hip-Hop song charts.

Whereas chart-toppers in 2005 read between a third and fourth grade level, a decade later that average is declining, and fast. In 2014, the reading level of a Billboard No. 1 single averaged between a second and third grade reading level, with the bar trending downward in five of the last 10 years.

10 years average logo The lyrics of recent No. 1 singles average at a third grade reading level
Of the four genres analyzed, country music came out with the highest average reading level (3.3), followed by pop (2.9), rock �n� roll (2.9), and R&B/hip-hop (2.6).

At an individual level, the data is even more fascinating. The average reading level of Eminem is a grade-and-a-half higher than Beyonc�, while Nickelback (!) tops Foo Fighters by nearly a number letter grade. In the world of pop music, superstars like Mariah Carey and Adele rank a full number grade higher than the likes of Lady Gaga and Ke$ha.

Of all 225 songs analyzed in the studio, the highest-scoring rock song was Red Hot Chili Peppers� �Dani California� with a reading level of 5.5. Meanwhile, Three Days Grace�s �The Good Life� is the �dumbest� with a reading level of 0.8.

http://consequenceofsound.net/2015/05/the-lyrics-of-recent-no-1-singles-average-at-a-third-grade-reading-level/

Here are some fun graphs for you:

With that being said, I can see why lyrics are typically dumbed down. They need to be accessible for the masses. Even though inbred fucks in Mississippi. But god drat with these projections in a few years nearly every song will just be Lil John yelling HHHHWHAT YEAHHHH

# ? May 20, 2015 01:03

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# ? Apr 26, 2024 14:21

Clochette: Aug 12, 2013

Not true, I only listen to J-pop and MIDIs from retro video games

# ? May 20, 2015 01:05

AnxietyMan1488: Apr 6, 2015; by Cowcaster

Windows 98 posted:

# ? May 20, 2015 01:05

get that OUT of my face: Feb 10, 2007

# ? May 20, 2015 01:06

killmeimmafailure: Apr 19, 2015; by Nyc_Tattoo

This isn't my favorite music

# ? May 20, 2015 01:07

Deadbeat Poetry: Mar 6, 2004; Sorry if my costume scared you

Y-Hat posted:

I wish fishy playground was a real song

# ? May 20, 2015 01:11

Coolie Ghost: Jan 16, 2013; sensible dissent dispenser

what happened in 2006

# ? May 20, 2015 01:17

Tricky D: Apr 1, 2005; I love um!

I was expecting this thread to be about Taylor Swift. In my mind, it still is.

# ? May 20, 2015 01:20

Dungeon Ecology: Feb 9, 2011

oh yeah I rememebr that time in 2010 when country music started referencing Proust

# ? May 20, 2015 01:20

NecroMonster: Jan 4, 2009

yes clearly the number of words in a song has a direct comparative relationship to how intelligent that song is

# ? May 20, 2015 01:22

Hobohemian: Sep 30, 2005; by XyloJW

Descendents "I like food" is written at a kindergarden reading level and I like that song.

# ? May 20, 2015 01:24

Tricky D: Apr 1, 2005; I love um!

Mariah Carey is the smartest music ever written.

# ? May 20, 2015 01:25

a bone to pick: Sep 14, 2011; by FactsAreUseless

quote:

oh yes clearly nickleback is easily the most intelligent rock band of our generation

# ? May 20, 2015 01:26

Hobohemian: Sep 30, 2005; by XyloJW

I wonder where Mos Def would rate on this scale.

# ? May 20, 2015 01:28

you irl: Jan 22, 2014

wow a one grade level reduction in 10 years that's nuts in 100 years it will be grade -7!!!!

# ? May 20, 2015 01:29

Funky See Funky Do: Aug 20, 2013; STILL TRYING HARD

What the hell happened to rock in 2006?

# ? May 20, 2015 01:29

FreshCutFries: Sep 15, 2007

no surprise that number one songs suck. I'm curious what DOOMs reading level is. He's the only rapper who can successfully use words like solar plexus

# ? May 20, 2015 01:30

you irl: Jan 22, 2014

there are songs with good clever wordplay and interesting themes and there are catchy but empty songs who gives a poo poo

# ? May 20, 2015 01:30

you irl: Jan 22, 2014

a song that makes you think isn't gonna get her panties wet let me tell you that

# ? May 20, 2015 01:31

a hole-y ghost: May 10, 2010

Analyzing the "reading grade level" of anything not turned in by a 4th grader as a book report.

# ? May 20, 2015 01:32

Cyberball 2072: Feb 17, 2014; by Lowtax

https://twitter.com/icp/status/600637274594783232

# ? May 20, 2015 01:32

a bone to pick: Sep 14, 2011; by FactsAreUseless

so country music is the most intelligent pop music in 2015?

# ? May 20, 2015 01:34

Jimbo Jaggins: Jul 19, 2013

Savings Coupon posted:

I wish fishy playground was a real song

it is? except octopuses

# ? May 20, 2015 01:34

Darkman Fanpage: Jul 4, 2012

how does word count = intelligence?

# ? May 20, 2015 01:35

Whirlwind Jones: Apr 13, 2013; by Lowtax

Darkman Fanpage posted:

how does word count = intelligence?

It doesn't. Learn how to read a simple loving graph you idiot lol.

# ? May 20, 2015 01:36

FreshCutFries: Sep 15, 2007

Darkman Fanpage posted:

how does word count = intelligence?

you dont know graphs

# ? May 20, 2015 01:36

OMG JC a Bomb!: Jul 13, 2004; We are the Invisible Spatula. We are the Grilluminati. We eat before and after dinner. We eat forever. And eventually... eventually we will lead them into the dining room.

at this point using the word "club" in your pop song should mean automatic banishment to tire fire island

# ? May 20, 2015 01:37

Death By Yogurt: Apr 3, 2007

yeah duh

# ? May 20, 2015 01:37

Nooner: Mar 26, 2011; AN A+ OPSTER (:

you irl posted:

a song that makes you think isn't gonna get her panties wet let me tell you that

# ? May 20, 2015 01:38

a bone to pick: Sep 14, 2011; by FactsAreUseless

Whirlwind Jones posted:

It doesn't. Learn how to read a simple loving graph you idiot lol.

haha yeah dude that graph is graphing the average word count PLUS "average grade level"..... Grade level of what? the words or the band members?

# ? May 20, 2015 01:39

HD DAD: Jan 13, 2010; Generic white guy.; Toilet Rascal

My fav music was made by a bunch of coke fiends messing around with synthesizers in 1983

Pretty good poo poo

# ? May 20, 2015 01:39

Fojar38: Sep 2, 2011; Sorry I meant to say I hope that the police use maximum force and kill or maim a bunch of innocent people, thus paving a way for a proletarian uprising and socialist utopia

also here's a stupid take
---------------------------->

my fave music was written by retards for retards

# ? May 20, 2015 01:40

ANIME IS BLOOD: Sep 4, 2008; by zen death robot

goddam where do I get a job rating the reading level of pop music for old people to gnash their teeth about

seems like a sweet gig

# ? May 20, 2015 01:40

opus111: Jul 6, 2014

music aimed at children caters for children: news at 11.

# ? May 20, 2015 01:40

Darkman Fanpage: Jul 4, 2012

no like graphs

# ? May 20, 2015 01:40

FreshCutFries: Sep 15, 2007

you irl posted:

a song that makes you think isn't gonna get her panties wet let me tell you that

also this just means your going after dumb women

# ? May 20, 2015 01:41

Top City Homo: Oct 15, 2014; Ramrod XTreme

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sB0VQj8qUso

why dont you think for yourself

human being society

# ? May 20, 2015 01:42

a bone to pick: Sep 14, 2011; by FactsAreUseless

opus111 posted:

music aimed at children caters for children: news at 11.

music aimed at children:

BOP THAT rear end ON THE FLOOR
SHAKE THOSE loving TITS YOU GODDAMN WHORE

# ? May 20, 2015 01:42

Fojar38: Sep 2, 2011; Sorry I meant to say I hope that the police use maximum force and kill or maim a bunch of innocent people, thus paving a way for a proletarian uprising and socialist utopia

also here's a stupid take
---------------------------->

a bone to pick posted:

music aimed at children:

BOP THAT rear end ON THE FLOOR
SHAKE THOSE loving TITS YOU GODDAMN WHORE

this but unironically

# ? May 20, 2015 01:43

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# ? Apr 26, 2024 14:21

a hole-y ghost: May 10, 2010

ANIME IS BLOOD posted:

goddam where do I get a job rating the reading level of pop music for old people to gnash their teeth about

seems like a sweet gig

Im pretty sure all of that was done by grad students for free.

# ? May 20, 2015 01:44

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