Hyper-pop beats.
Lyrics that sing your worries and woes away.
A conglomeration of blissful distractions from the weary world around you.
The music of the early 2000s cherished these values, and more recent music is heading towards the same path. The term “recession pop,” defined by musicologist Joe Bennet, is a term to describe “a particular body of work, which I would broadly describe as super cheerful dance floor bangers that came out sometime between 2008 and 2011.”
From 2007 to 2009, a global economic recession occurred, with millions losing their jobs and even more living in financial crises. With the bleak conditions of the world, people turned to positive lyrics that distracted them from reality. The lyrics of The Black Eyed Peas’ “Party Rock Anthem” or Pit Bull’s “Time of Our Lives” preached to party your worries away and just have fun. Music, in any era, acts as a reflection of the culture it is written around. With this in mind, these hyper-pop beats are what signified the world’s recession in the early 2000s.
Charli XCX’s Brat, an album that evoked the nostalgic-esque house music we all craved, was the catalyst for the resurgence of recession pop, paired with Chappell Roan’s synth-pop and Sabrina Carpenter’s Short n’ Sweet. More recently, Lady Gaga, whose older music greatly impacted the recession pop in the early 2000s, released “Abracadabra,” returning to her iconic music style and looks.
Although music is a prevalent indicator of the state of the nation, fashion can also point to recession indicators. Pieces like skirt hemlines, heel heights, or higher cosmetic sales can point to an economic recession. With all of the recent hits in music today, it’s safe to say that a united front of upbeat, high-energy music surrounds the music scene at the moment.
Ironically, we are not in a recession. The economy is in a current period of growth, with a 2.3% increase in Gross Domestic Product, which measures the U.S.’s overall economic activity. Also, the U.S. unemployment rate is in a state of decline, having decreased to 4% from last year’s 4.1%. Overall, the economy is doing well, so it’s interesting that these recession indicators are prevalent in pop culture.
Kyla Scanlon, a financial content creator, coined the term “vibecession” to describe this phenomenon. Scanlon defines the term as “a period of temporary vibe decline where economic data such as trade and industrial activity are relatively okayish.” With the impact the recent election has had on the overall population, many are panicked and worried about what the future may hold. Even though the economy isn’t necessarily the reason why the nation is using music as a distraction, it is apparent the nation needs a pick-me-up.
An analysis of pop culture in any period mirrors the state of the world. From civil rights efforts to a small break in reality, music acts as a way for people to say what they’re feeling and for others to relate to the lyrics. The global recession of the early 2000s created an immeasurable effect on pop culture, and we are seeing a similar sentiment today.