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By Khaleda Rahman
National Correspondent
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Popular music has grown increasingly negative over the past six decades, with moral vices appearing in song lyrics more frequently than virtues, according to a new study.
Researchers at Queen Mary University of London’s Centre for Digital Music analyzed more than 380,000 English-language songs released between 1960 and 2023.
Their findings, published in the journal Scientific Reports this week, found a rise in lyrics associated with moral vices, such as harm, cheating and degradation alongside increased amounts of negative sentiment, anger and disgust.
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At the same time, the researchers found a decline in lyrics associated with moral virtues, such as care and decency.
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"This shift, which extends into the 2020s and varies across artist genders, highlights that vice-oriented and emotionally charged expressions have become increasingly prominent in mainstream lyrics," the researchers wrote.
The study’s authors say the shifts occur alongside broader societal changes in values and identity and reflect how music can serve as a "cultural barometer for evolving moral norms."
How The Study Was Conducted
The researchers used artificial intelligence and linguistic analysis to track how different moral themes have appeared in song lyrics over time.
They examined songs from two major data sets: more than 377,000 from the WASABI music database from 1960 to 2010 and 5,500 tracks that appeared on Billboard year-end charts between 1960 and 2023.
The study also found notable differences across musical genres, with some styles more likely to emphasize themes of care and social connection, while others leaned toward conflict, rebellion and darker narratives.
For example, lyrics expressing harm and degradation were best predicted within Metal music.
Researchers also found that song lyrics by female artists were more likely to express themes such as care and loyalty, while those by male or mixed-gender acts more frequently reflected negative or conflict-driven themes.
What The Researchers Say
Dr. Vjosa Preniqi, the study’s lead author, said the study found "a gradual shift away from language associated with virtues such as care and decency, toward themes that reflect conflict, harm and other moral concerns."
Preniqi said the patterns "are dependent on various factors, such as genre and shock-factor, but they provide a fascinating window into changing cultural values and emotional expression."
Preniqi added: "Music is much more than entertainment. It is one of the ways societies tell stories about themselves. By analyzing song lyrics across several decades, we can begin to see how emotional expression and moral narratives evolve over time."
Dr. Charalampos Saitis, assistant professor of digital music processing at Queen Mary University of London and another of the study’s authors, said popular music "provides a unique lens through which to explore cultural change."
Analyzing lyrics "at scale allows us to identify patterns that would otherwise remain invisible," Saitis said.
"Music both reflects and shapes the world around us. Understanding how moral narratives evolve in lyrics can help us better understand wider changes in culture, identity and collective values around important social issues."
Contact Newsweek editors on this story: John Fitzpatrick and Tony Phillips
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