Drawing listener attention in popular music: Testing five musical features arising from the theory of attention economy

Hubert Léveillé Gauvin
First Published March 1, 2017

Abstract

Technological changes in the last 30 years have influenced the way we consume music, not only granting immediate access to a much larger collection of songs than ever before, but also allowing us to instantly skip songs. This new reality can be explained in terms of attention economy, which posits that attention is the currency of the information age, since it is both scarce and valuable. The purpose of these two studies is to examine whether popular music compositional practices have changed in the last 30 years in a way that is consistent with attention economy principles.

In the first study, 303 U.S. top-10 singles from 1986 to 2015 were analyzed according to five parameters: number of words in title, main tempo, time before the voice enters, time before the title is mentioned, and self-focus in lyrical content. The results revealed that popular music has been changing in a way that favors attention grabbing, consistent with attention economy principles. In the second study, 60 popular songs from 2015 were paired with 60 less popular songs from the same artists.

The same parameters were evaluated. The data were not consistent with any of the hypotheses regarding the relationship between attention economy principles within a comparison of popular and less popular music.

https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/pdf/10.1177/1029864917698010

Music Evolution – Is Music Getting Worse?

I had already touched on the topic in the post about streaming and power . But since it deserves more attention, I'm going to go into more detail on the above question with this text to explain why the music is getting worse and worse. Because everything was better before... Yes, yes, shut the funk up, because the sentence used to be annoying. The only problem is: this time it's true.

Some time ago I found a Youtube video with a nice clickbait title. I clicked on it skeptically and expected again this nonsense of the Hartz IV-TV-Youtube generation á la "Top 10 of the stupidest things we pull out of thin air!" or "This man grew mushrooms out of his nose. After that he could fly." No joke, there is such a thing. But the likeable futzie in this video wisely starts with The Beatles as bait.

In general, Thoughty2 makes a very good impression. He explains scientifically and with examples that music is getting worse and worse. By the way, he kind of flirts with the viewer. Well played!

Everything has its two sides
After the video I finally had confirmation of my taste. I haven't listened to the charts in years. It's just a pity that one or the other gem or talented musician has definitely slipped through my fingers. There are also some really good pop songs out there. But contrary to what is suggested in the video, one has to say that Lady Gaga is extremely talented and one of the most talented composers of our time. But that's just the opinion of BOSSHOORE. Still, their music may fit into today's scheme.

table of contents

• The development of music
• Personal fundraiser
• Result for the development of the music
• 400+ songs from the same pen
• Study: Hubert Léveillé Gauvin
• The Attention Economy
• Less words, more repetitions
• Profit, money and prestige
• music for the sheep
• Does streaming make the music worse?
• Today's oversupply
• Conclusion
• videos

The development of music
I would like to use two studies to illustrate that (pop) music has gotten worse. One dates from 2012, the next from 2017. In both studies, measurement parameters are defined that can be used to compare the quality of the songs over the years. The study from 2012 took on the common music genres. Rock and pop music, metal, hip hop and electronic music.

The study from 2017 refers to the Stream generation and the almost endless supply of music available immediately and effortlessly at the push of a button and the associated impact on the music itself. Keyword attention span.

55 years of music development, 460,000+ songs analyzed
The Spanish National Research Council also took on the music development. They wanted to find out how (western) music developed over the years. Therefore, a team led by Joan Serrà examined over 460,000 songs from the last 55 years according to the following patterns and metrics:

Three analytical readings
1. Harmonic complexity
2. Timbre
3. Diversity of timbre

1. Harmonic Complexity
This means first of all the complexity of the piece. This does not refer to the number of instruments used, but to the variety of chords and melodies in order to create a harmonious, i.e. a euphonious, self-contained sound experience. In short, the more ingredients, the harder it is to match them.

2. Timbre
The richness and thus the quality of a tone can be described as timbre. The more overtones or harmonics a tone has, the higher the quality and richer it becomes - ( certainly only to a certain extent. Please don't put it on the gold scales ). This is explained more precisely and scientifically in the YouTube video by Stephan Mueller from the 11th minute.

3. Diversity of timbre
The variety and diversity of the timbres used. Imagine an extensive song with many instruments. The more and different instruments are used, the greater the diversity of the timbre. The sounds offer more variety.

Result for the development of the music
The scientists working with Joan Serrà found that the music did in fact become simpler. In the last 55 years, music has evolved towards simplified construction methods. Not only the variety in the composition steadily decreased. The variety of chords and melodies mentioned above steadily decreased. Due to the decreasing use of actual instruments and the increasing use of synthesizers, the variety of timbres has also decreased since the 1960s. The quality, richness and richness of the tones decreased and became homogenized.

All the same
The result of this study also explains the well-known feeling that the songs all sound the same. Of course, if the variety and "depth" is lost, the songs develop in the direction of monotony. Another reason for this nowadays may also be the fact that "a few" songs come from one and the same pen. The extremely mass-conformist and hard-working Karl Martin Sandberg, whose stage name is Max Martin, is responsible for…

One for all - over 400 songs from the same pen
Max Martin
In the last 25 years (1994-2018), according to Wikipedia, Max Martin has contributed to 414 songs as an author and/or producer. That's over 16 songs a year with over 24 #1 hits. Everyone here in Germany (and almost everywhere in the world) doesn't just know one of his songs, but a whole bunch ! Let's start at the top of the list. " Rednex - Wish You Were Here ", " Backstreet Boys - Quit Playing Games (With My Heart) ", " Britney Spears - ...Baby One More Time ", " Katy Perry - ET ", " Ariana Grande - Dangerous Woman "...How said, 414 songs, check them out for yourself! Here are the Wikipedia links to chart successes andauthor participations.

Lukasz Gottwald
Thoughty2's video talks about thousands of songs written by Max Martin. Is that true? I am sceptical. According to Thoughty2, another American producer and author joins the same ranks. Lukasz Gottwald, aka Dr. Luke, is involved in 160 pop songs. Including tracks for Kelly Clarksen, Backstreet Boys, Pink, Kelis, Jennifer Lopez, Britney Spears, etc. Dr. Luke's Wikipedia entry


Study: Hubert Léveillé Gauvin (March 1, 2017)
In this 2017 study, Hubert Léveillé Gauvin examined 303 US top 10 singles from 1986 to 2015 for the following five parameters. The aim was to highlight a possible connection between the oversupply of music from streaming services and music development. Does streaming make music “worse” and is music getting worse?

1. Number of words in the title
2. main tempo
3. The time before the voice kicks in
4. The time before the title is mentioned
5. The self-focus in the lyrical content

The Attention Economy
This study found that music from 1986-2015 evolved in ways that grabbed attention and are consistent with principles of attention economy. In short, the focus of creating music is to grab attention. However, to ensure that this property is not related to the success of such songs, less popular songs by the same artists were also analyzed. In a second study, 60 popular songs from 2015 (but only) were compared to 60 less popular songs by the same artists on the same parameters. It turns out that these less popular songs don't follow the principles of the attention economy.

Unfortunately, I am not allowed to read the complete content of this study, which is why I cannot exactly reproduce further results regarding the five criteria here. However, it can be guessed that all criteria have undergone a development to increase attention. So it can be guessed that 1. the number of words in the title decreased, 2. the tempo increased (as far as I know, by 8%) 3. the time before the voice starts from formerly an average of 30 seconds to now only 5 Seconds decreased, 4. The time before the title is mentioned became shorter and self-focus increased.

Less words, more repetitions
Another study was created by Andrew Powell-Morse. He analyzed 225 US chart-topping pop songs from 2005-2015 for their "lyrical intelligence" and, if you will, their readability index. Here, too, it turned out that both decreased. The number of words used in the analyzed Billboard songs has decreased over the years and repetitions of individual phrases have increased.

Pudding.com uses a compression algorithm to assign a value to the repetitions in songs. The more lyrical repetitions there are in a song, the more it can be compressed.



The readability index
The readability index shows how catchy a text is. The number of words used and the length of the sentence play a role. Let's get something out of it. In English one often reads the term "lyrical intelligence", for which I have not found any concrete content in German. Therefore, I would like to paraphrase the term here.

Lyrical Intelligence
A text is intelligently designed when it underlines its meaning through the skilful use of lyrical stylistic devices and emphasis and perhaps also allows multiple interpretations. Vocabulary and the number of different words used also play a role. So the vocabulary. A skilful combination of these means gives a text depth and meaning. As a concrete example, I recommend analyzing Eminem's Killshot . It underscores why Eminem calls himself a "Lyricist" rather than a rapper.


And the winner is
Daft Punk - "Around the World"
Around the world, around the world
Around the world, around the world
Around the world, around the world
Around the world, around the world
Around the world, around the world
Around the world, around the world
Around the world, around the world
Around the world, around the world
Around the world, around the world
Around the world, around the world
Around the world, around the world
Around the world, around the world
Compression rate 98%


Profit, money and prestige
One of the main reasons for the development of declining music today is certainly economic. A nice play on words. Accountants and corporations are profit-maximizing. It's "only" about sales and profits. Who sells the most and has the most media exposure?!

"Sometime in the mid '90s record companies started being run by accountants only[...]"
- Scott Ian, Anthrax


music for the sheep
The general public just doesn't take the time to find good music. Maybe she doesn't have them either. They hear what is being played in the media and thus get used to certain sounds. Familiar things are easier to access because you already know them. Something new, on the other hand, takes time to establish itself. For the extensive announcement and the breakthrough of a new act, the Youtuber speaks of a budget of around 500,000 - 3,000,000 dollars. A risky investment for profit-maximizing companies. That's why you stay on the safe side and already offer familiar things. Key word: It all sounds the same. So if you don't conform to the norm, it tends to be more difficult to be commercially successful.

"I make Rap for the sheppards and not for the sheep"
- RA The Rugged Man


Does streaming make the music worse?
Why is it said that streaming music is ruining the quality of today's music? I'll say it's because of today's oversupply.

The mentality used to be different. There was a limited supply of radio stations and music itself. People, including radio hosts, took their time to listen to songs. So the quality prevailed. Because the small nuances can only be heard by repeated listening. You went to record stores and bought a maxi, maybe even the album. You could hear that for weeks. However, you only bought one or two. Who had more gravel, maybe three. But that's it! You didn't buy 50 or 100 albums at once. thousands? The offer was limited and people were willing to force themselves to listen to every single song on an album.

After all, the album cost money and you only had this one disc in your CD or record player. Who felt like traipsing to the CD player every three minutes? So the music grew in one and the senses were sharpened for good music.

"...and that's why crappy pop music rules the world today"
- Scott Ian


Today's oversupply
With the internet and huge amounts of data storage these days, people have the ability to access billions of songs at the same time. That is exactly the selling point of music streaming services such as Deezer, Spotify and Co. In connection with the average attention span of around 5-7 seconds, which has fallen due to the flood of information, you click away what you don’t like right away. (Song intros went from 30 seconds to just 5 seconds now). The singing starts earlier, the songs are recorded louder (loudness) and the chorus starts earlier and repeats itself more often. By the way, that's also one of the reasons why such template songs wear out quickly. It follows: the music gets worse. It is no longer handwork, but mass-produced for the sheep.

Conclusion
Yes, the music is getting worse. The Internet, the oversupply and the resulting need for attracting attention in the capitalist world are to blame. Only good music used to sell. Anyone who had no musical talent at the time could not assert himself. Today, such music is a niche and has to be searched for in a time-consuming manner. Really good songs with compositional depth and "lyrical intelligence" have to grow. But once the listener has cleared this hurdle, one enjoys better music. Because they definitely exist. Rarely in the charts. To say anything else would be incorrect. Talented composers are unlikely to achieve huge commercial success.

Source / German: www.bosshoore.de/musikentwicklung-wird-die-musik-immer-schlechter/

 

Really, When was this?

 

It sold quite well before YouTube was founded in 2005.


The introduction of the iPhone in 2007 by Apple led to an upheaval in the cell phone market and
smartphones gained significant market share. Today, most cell phones sold are smartphones.

With Internet access perma nently with them, this triggered a change in Internet usage behavior, especially with social
networks such as Facebook, and enabled new forms of communication via services such as WhatsApp and Instagram.

However, these possibilities of permanent use can also lead to smartphone addiction and change users' social behavior.

 

Last edited: Feb 26, 2022

Too much information for modern people. Short tweets, short messages, short songs, short thoughts, short memory. I watch young people switch from one song to another in their playlists in like 5-10 seconds without particularly listening to anything. Every band wants to sound the same to make money, even older rock\metal groups like 30 seconds to mars, The Rasmus, Daughtry, Skillet, Asking Alexandria, Adelitas Way, Within Temptation etc. etc. that I used to listen in my youth begin to sound like electronic or pop or both. It's getting harder and harder to find really good and fresh music. IMHO

 

No, I meant that people have always bought garbage music. And they can often not be able to tell the difference between it and other things they may listen to.

 

Does music sell? And ofc music is getting worse and worse. Streaming services like Spotify etc is killing it. Seems like people think they are something as soon as they get the music on Spotify. Like they signed a deal with a major record label or something. Quality in song writing is just terrible. Time spam that people are listening to the songs getting shorter and shorter for the two same reasons. They havnt invested anything to be able to hear it and as there is no quality mark, good music drowns in the owerwhelming flood of streams.

Some things are getting better when it comes to production and new thinking. There are some really good music created in this world and alot of talent. Sadly alot will never be heard since what today is labeled and accepted is just the same over and over again. Its refreshing to hear basic artist like Adele where the music and skills shines. The world goes to shit and so does the music..

 

Good analysis @clone now let's shed some light on why that is:

I think you're talking about the people or the Dumb Sheep. It is exactly the people that the big capitalists want, people who are followers of orders and do not criticize the system and are willing consumers.

There is a huge entertainment industry or distraction industry that ensures that some do not even live your life. They take over the opinions of others and are often insecure. and copies of others. Turn off the TV and don't read their news.

In short, the young people of today are the reflection of the society in which they grew up. If there is only douchebag and rap announced and you yourself have no plan how to use his brain come out that also only douchebags.

Where should the good taste come from?

At that time I went a lot to music clubs and visited many concerts. I listened as a teenager to various radio stations where music was discussed and there was a lot of new music and bands and styles that you did not know. My family had a lot of different music on the record shelf. My friends also listened to different music.

When I was 18 I bought a guitar and 20 years later a synthesizer and in 1998 my first PC.

 

All creative mediums are slowly being choked to death by woke ideology, where everything has to pass through a mandatory list of check boxes, and if you fail to tick every box then you are going to get cancelled.

 

Last edited: Feb 26, 2022

For me what's unquestionable bad are the consequences of oversupply two cell clicks away. That makes people switch to another song without listening half of it. Has been commented before.
It has even happened to me. To a lesser degree but being an old fuck, I can't imagine with young people.
I think we can all agree with that.

 

Last edited: Feb 27, 2022

Welp,

vs
Duck Sauce - Barbra Streisand (Official Video) - YouTube

Barbra Streisand
Woo woo woo woo woo woo woo
Woo woo woo woo woo woo woo woo
Woo woo woo woo woo woo woo woo
Woo woo woo woo woo
Barbra Streisand
Woo woo woo woo woo woo woo
Woo woo woo woo woo woo woo
Woo woo woo woo woo woo woo
Woo woo woo woo woo woo
Barbra Streisand
Woo woo woo woo woo woo woo
Woo woo woo woo woo woo woo
Woo woo woo woo woo woo woo
Woo woo woo woo woo woo woo
Woo woo woo woo woo woo woo
Woo woo woo woo woo woo woo
Woo woo woo woo woo woo woo
Woo woo woo woo woo woo woo
Barbra Streisand
Woo woo woo woo woo woo woo
Woo woo woo woo woo woo woo
Woo woo woo woo woo woo woo
Woo woo woo woo woo woo woo
Barbra Streisand
Woo woo woo woo woo woo woo
Woo woo woo woo woo woo woo
Woo woo woo woo woo woo woo
Woo woo woo woo woo woo woo
Barbra Streisand
Woo woo woo woo woo woo woo
Woo woo woo woo woo woo woo
Woo woo woo woo woo woo woo
Woo woo woo woo woo woo woo
Barbra Streisand
Woo woo woo woo woo woo woo
Woo woo woo woo woo woo woo
Woo woo woo woo woo woo woo
Woo woo woo woo woo woo woo

 

As music in general is such a big part of my life and ever was,it is sometimes hard for me to comprehend, that there are people music plays no role in their life.
but even harder to comprehend is the fact, that there is a big mass music plays a big role for them, but what they listen is such a silly crap!

 

What your crappy taste in music says about you

Just because the days of thinking of music as a way of life are over doesn't mean your playlist says nothing about you.


The techno guy who has so much fun

You love techno, you listen to it all the time, preferably at open airs or in dark clubs. And man, how it fulfills you to dance to techno. To better express this fulfillment, you close your eyes while stomping (dancing), take a glitter shower beforehand, pop in some tabs if you like, and pick out accessories like an umbrella, a feather boa, deer antlers, or even a stuffed animal so that the expressive dance doesn't sink into the floor in such a monotonous way.

But your groundbreaking weekend experience isn't really complete until the photos of it are posted on Facebook. The partying itself is only half the battle. People wonder what a mystery person you are, and wonder how much fun one person can have anyway. You have so many friends that no one knows, that too can be seen on your Facebook profile.

Everything is beautifully decorated with hearts and declarations of love from people you've only been friends with on Facebook since yesterday. Every now and then you post a YouTube link of an unknown techno track that shows exactly how much you know about the music genre. Any other genre of music stinks in comparison, you're not even friends with people who listen to that kind of stuff. Why should they? They don't understand you - just like you probably do yourself.


The all-knowing commentator

You know so much about music, you're considered a walking music encyclopedia in your circle of friends. But that's mainly because your friends primarily listen to format radio and are already impressed when you know who Carl Cox or The Maccabees are. Luckily for you, there's Facebook, YouTube and the like, and you can maintain your position as a walking encyclopedia for your ego online.

Your job is to write a monologue on any music-related topic that someone even slightly touches on, explaining in detail the music, the artist's biography and the genre's origins. An important point, moreover, is that you put down almost everything and mention very small details "and key dates a la !"In the interview he gave in the NME the other day, ..." or "This isn't new,

it was already on the C-side of the unreleased limited edition from 1996." You also don't care at all if anyone asked you or if anyone cares. The only thing that matters is that you know.


Dubstep

You listen to music for one reason only: so you can go to concerts and really party. Preferably without any lyrics at all, if you listen to songs with lyrics, then only so you can bawl along at the shows. You constantly listen to them from front to back until you know the lyrics flawlessly. If it happens that you don't have enough time until the concert, which you naturally treat like a party, you look up the lyrics online if necessary.

It can also happen quickly that you run out of time, after all you have to buy neon accessories before the concerts so that you don't get lost in the crowd of other Atzen. And then it finally arrives, the moment when the drop comes. Hands in the air and wait for an unbearably long time for any other person. But you like to wait.

When you show your favorite music to other people, you like to punctuate that wait with a frequented "Wait, wait, wait!". It's coming soon. Wait!" And when your friends actually get around to waiting, because they seem to really like you, you yell "Awesome, right? Awesome already? Right? Awesome!" It's a good thing you have friends at all.


The old school hip-hopper

All rappers who came out after 2000 are scum to you. It doesn't matter at all if they're good or even doing old school hip hop. Hip hop was only good then, only real then. Nowadays everyone is just crying, fake and part of a marketing scheme. You think it's okay that hip hop is having a resurgence right now, but you want nothing to do with it.

Instead, you'll listen to the same old rap albums forever and ever that you already know by heart from beginning to end. If you eventually get sick of that, there's no way you're going to approach new hip-hop. The truth is, you're afraid you'll like it and it will overturn your whole philosophy of life. You'd rather listen to rock or jazz - but if you do, then only the old stuff.

The die-hard, uncritical rap fan

You live for hip hop, and for any kind of hip hop. German or American, gangstarap or student rap, good or bad, it doesn't matter at all. The first rule is: any kind of music is bad - only HipHop is good, even the worst HipHop. And that's exactly why you consume all the hip hop media the market has to offer.

Since everything is celebrated, no matter if the lyrics are dull, the beats are cheap or the skills are mediocre, you don't know it any other way and maybe you don't understand that there are differences in quality even in the best music genre in the world. Because let me tell you, there are differences and you don't betray hip hop and get shot to the moon just because you don't celebrate that one new rapper.

 

lol who said those were the parameters of "good music " ? what is good music ?

really ? god I hate this pseudo scientific bullshit

 

Music only gets 'worse' for the person whose musical taste is frozen at a certain time, or in a certain genre. Although I would say that musicians are perhaps able to appreciate new music for what it is, as opposed to academics who have to analyse everything so they can convince themselves that they understand it. That's one reason why 'music journalists' often obsess over lyrics - because they cannot comment on the actual music. I love it when they ask an artist to explain their lyrics and they get the response 'fucked if I know!'

 

Last edited: Feb 26, 2022

This is utter bullshit:

 

These threads are just like the DAW war threads they pop up and every couple of months.

Of course everything is getting worse from food,to cars, to drivers, to music, to you name it and especially pastries. In a search spanning 1/2 the effing globe I can not find Napoleons, Eclairs or Mille-feuilles that taste as good as they used to because of sloppiness of bakers and the inferior ingredients. The worst bit is that while they are now tasteless caricatures of the former pastries in my mind, these bakers have the temerity to make them smaller as well.

Back on topic, every old codger has been saying new music is worse than old music since some younger hooligan picked a couple of rocks differently than him and banged them together in a different way.

It comes and it goes.

Get off my lawn!

 

Society is a scam for 4500 years.
We are now at the end of the game ... and it was about time.

I'm totally bored by society and fake-everything.
Whatever ppl say : NO world "before" is NOT going to come back.

We live the final fall of society.

Welcome to True And Real Universal Humanity !

 

OP: You must be kidding! Hahaha what nonsense.
'Diversity of timbre!' Hahahaha

It's all very simple: The internet has given just about everyone access to just about everything.
That means more shit gets through to anyone who goes out there and looks for it, since the total amount of music available has increased exponentially.
People are no longer dependent on radio stations, record companies and TV to find music.
That's it, end of discussion.

 

As Plainview kindly pointed out... can you define "good music", please?
And while you're at it can you also define "bad music"?

 

Yes