Average Reading Level of Popular Modern Music Lyrics

[Ben]

Interestingly, Country has the highest grade level. Not surprisingly, hip-hop has the lowest. I didn't do any searching, but it would be interesting to see how this has changed over the long term (like the last few hundred years).

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

[230RN]

There is a few  good thinking's in the comment parts.

[wmenorr67]

I read the story earlier and I thought there was mention that it hasn't gotten any better over time.

[HeroHog]

Lets just say that it's been pretty bad in some genres since before the 70's. A favorite song of mine is by "Bloodrock," The Texas based band that did "D.O.A." on the album Bloodrock 2. The song is "Fancy Space Odyssey" with lyrics like: "Livin' in a hoedown, just the blues and lowdown. The turnpike of time, in our every mind." "Tryin' to reach some rock engrossed in a silver Boston" "Dancin' in the strobe light, QT for another fight! Kill! Kill!" "I'm watching the world, that's watching us all." "Sally's on the cushion, squeezing like a push-on. All the kids are knocked out, on artifical rock-out."

[BlueStarLizzard]

*shrug* I'm betting once you get away from chart topping stuff, country and rock even out some and rap starts slipping down some grade levels.

However, pop is a lost cause.

[HeroHog]

Modern "country"

[Perd Hapley]

*shrug* I'm betting once you get away from chart topping stuff, country and rock even out some and rap starts slipping down some grade levels.

However, pop is a lost cause.

Is there any distinction left between "country" and pop?

[Regolith]

Is there any distinction left between "country" and pop?

From what I can tell, modern country is where the failed pop stars go to try and distinguish themselves. It's pop's bush league.

[Perd Hapley]

From what I can tell, modern country is where the failed pop stars go to try and distinguish themselves. It's pop's bush league.

Taylor Swift would beg to differ, but I still think you're on to something.

[Regolith]

Taylor Swift would beg to differ, but I still think you're on to something.

Some good MLB baseball players came out of the bush leagues too.  Perhaps I should have said "wannabe pop stars who haven't yet figured out how to distinguish themselves in mainstream pop", but that's a bit of a mouthfull...