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Why are pop songs getting sadder than they used to be?
Aeon ^ | February 4, 2020 | Alberto Acerbi, and Charlotte Brand

Posted on 02/19/2020 12:27:56 PM PST by C19fan

Are popular songs today happier or sadder than they were 50 years ago? In recent years, the availability of large digital datasets online and the relative ease of processing them means that we can now give precise and informed answers to questions such as this. A straightforward way to measure the emotional content of a text is just to count how many emotion words are present. How many times are negative-emotion words – ‘pain’, ‘hate’ or ‘sorrow’ – used? How many times are words associated with positive emotions – ‘love’, ‘joy’ or ‘happy’ – used? As simple as it sounds, this method works pretty well, given certain conditions (eg, the longer the available text is, the better the estimate of mood). This is a possible technique for what is called ‘sentiment analysis’. Sentiment analysis is often applied to social media posts, or contemporary political messages, but it can also be applied to longer timescales, such as decades of newspaper articles or centuries of literary works.

(Excerpt) Read more at aeon.co ...


TOPICS: Music/Entertainment; Society
KEYWORDS: music; pop; songs
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To: kaktuskid
or did they eat the ship’s dog?

They were miners (not sailors), and the record company tried to spin the song as being about the mule. The Buoys themselves said, "Nope. Timothy was a miner."
61 posted on 02/19/2020 1:39:25 PM PST by Dr. Sivana (There is no salvation in politics)
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To: C19fan

They are just noticing that now?

Songs have been dreadful (for the most part) in the past ten years or so.

Every once in a while I turn on “new music” mix on Apple Music. I want to slash my wrists after the first two or three songs.


62 posted on 02/19/2020 1:40:03 PM PST by Vermont Lt
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To: Maceman

“You picked a fine time to leave me Lucille (You bitch! You slut! You whore!)”


63 posted on 02/19/2020 1:40:35 PM PST by dfwgator (Endut! Hoch Hech!)
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To: Dr. Sivana
Timothy (the Buoys)

It doesn't get any sadder than being trapped in a mine cave-in and then eating your co-worker.


64 posted on 02/19/2020 1:41:35 PM PST by Buckeye McFrog (Patrick Henry would have been an anti-vaxxer)
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To: 9YearLurker

And Horrible pop songs by female singerand boy groups.

They say sometimes it’s good to listen to sad songs.

Especially when you’re sad. It helps get the sadness out all at once.

That and a bottle of Jack Daniels :)


65 posted on 02/19/2020 1:41:41 PM PST by dp0622 (Radicals, racists Don't point finger at me I'm a small town white boy Just tryin' to makne ends meet)
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To: olesigh

Brutally sad Great song!!

Man is that guy missing his girlfriend!

Ah, he was better off in the end I’m sure.


66 posted on 02/19/2020 1:43:16 PM PST by dp0622 (Radicals, racists Don't point finger at me I'm a small town white boy Just tryin' to makne ends meet)
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To: dp0622

plenty of sad songs and happy ones too. Most dance hits are up n and joyful.


67 posted on 02/19/2020 1:45:02 PM PST by olesigh
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To: olesigh

https://www.upvenue.com/article/1469-top-40-songs-that-will-make-you-cry.html


68 posted on 02/19/2020 1:45:51 PM PST by olesigh
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To: C19fan

“We can fly” by the Cowsills was the happiest song ever written, was a hit in 1968


69 posted on 02/19/2020 1:47:11 PM PST by mjp ((pro-{God, reality, reason, egoism, individualism, natural rights, limited government, capitalism}))
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To: dp0622

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dRkbhTmB-ao


70 posted on 02/19/2020 1:47:16 PM PST by olesigh
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To: Texas Eagle

yes, just the same


71 posted on 02/19/2020 1:47:58 PM PST by higgmeister ( In the Shadow of The Big Chicken)
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To: olesigh

Disco! :) I missed the disco era but it seems like it was fun :)


72 posted on 02/19/2020 1:48:38 PM PST by dp0622 (Radicals, racists Don't point finger at me I'm a small town white boy Just tryin' to makne ends meet)
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To: olesigh

:)

Appropriate!


73 posted on 02/19/2020 1:49:35 PM PST by dp0622 (Radicals, racists Don't point finger at me I'm a small town white boy Just tryin' to makne ends meet)
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To: mjp

Haven’t heard that one, but “Into the Music” by Van Morrison is almost certainly the most joyful album ever.


74 posted on 02/19/2020 1:49:57 PM PST by Skooz (Gabba Gabba accept you we accept you one of us Gabba Gabba we accept you we accept you one of us)
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To: C19fan
Redirect:

This from "Kay Kyser the Ol' Professor of Swing"

THREE LITTLE FISHIES by Kay Kyser 1939

75 posted on 02/19/2020 1:52:41 PM PST by higgmeister ( In the Shadow of The Big Chicken)
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To: dp0622
What about that song called At Seventeen? Heavens to Betsy what a depressing song. I wonder how many girls committed suicide to that song.
76 posted on 02/19/2020 1:55:16 PM PST by Texas Eagle (If it wasn't for double-standards, Liberals would have no standards at all -- Texas Eagle)
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To: Paladin2

I don’t know if they are sadder, but they sure are sorrier.


77 posted on 02/19/2020 1:56:53 PM PST by slorunner
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To: C19fan
lemme do it again.

SPIKE JONES & CITY SLICKERS - COCKTAILS FOR TWO - 1945

78 posted on 02/19/2020 1:57:26 PM PST by higgmeister ( In the Shadow of The Big Chicken)
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To: Texas Eagle

You think I’d forget that one?

It’s third in my list on that post :)

What a Devastating song to listen to if you’re a depressed teenage girl that doesn’t fit in.


79 posted on 02/19/2020 1:59:17 PM PST by dp0622 (Radicals, racists Don't point finger at me I'm a small town white boy Just tryin' to makne ends meet)
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To: C19fan
Three's a charm and I rest my case.

MAIRZY DOATS by The Pied Pipers 1944

80 posted on 02/19/2020 2:00:21 PM PST by higgmeister ( In the Shadow of The Big Chicken)
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