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Plain English with Derek Thompson

The Science of How Music Hits Have Changed in the Last 60 Years

Plain English with Derek Thompson

The Ringer

News, News Commentary

4.7 • 2.1K Ratings

🗓️ 24 February 2023

⏱️ 52 minutes

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

How does technology shape art? Why has songwriting become more of a visual skill in the 21st century? Why are today's hit songs shorter than songs from any period since the Beatles? What happened to the guitar solo intro—and the classic rock genre in general? How did rap and hip-hop take over the charts? Derek welcomes the musician, writer, and data analyst Chris Dalla Riva to discuss the subtle and not-so-subtle ways that music hits have changed since the 1960s. If you have questions, observations, or ideas for future episodes, email us at PlainEnglish@Spotify.com. You can find us on TikTok at www.tiktok.com/@plainenglish_ Host: Derek Thompson Guest: Chris Dalla Riva Producer: Devon Manze Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Transcript

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0:00.0

When you're lost in the darkness, look for the pod, specifically the Prestige TV podcast on the Ringer podcast network

0:06.8

Where we're breaking down every new episode of HBO's The Last of Us on Sunday nights grab your battery and join van lathe in a

0:13.0

Charles Holmes for an instant reaction to the latest episode then head back to the QZ on Tuesdays for a deep dive with Joanna Robinson and Malorie Ruben from

0:20.6

Character arcs to video game adaptation choices story themes to needle drops will parse every inch of this

0:25.8

quarter-seps coded universe watch out for mouth tendrils and follow along and spotify or wherever you get your podcast

0:35.4

This episode is for Cee, fine Ike. It's back to school season and you and your child might be feeling a bit anxious

0:42.6

As a parent, you're the best team mate for your mini-me and together you can use sport to help overcome anxiety

0:49.2

Try something new as a family and celebrate even the little wins you achieve on the journey

0:54.2

Create long-lasting memories that will take your kids from class to court and beyond

0:59.7

Go to Nike.com forward slash kids to get school ready

1:23.6

There's a whole range of strings and things called strings and things including cheese strings yollies and cheese shapes

1:30.0

Find them all in the cheese and yoghurtyle

1:32.2

Strays and things

1:34.2

Today the science of how music kits have changed in the last 60 years

1:39.6

Starting with an old favorite

1:41.6

Losing my religion by REM was released in 1991 off the album out of time

1:53.7

It's bigger and you you are not me

1:58.7

As you can tell from the first few seconds of the song

2:01.6

It sounds very little like most of today's biggest hits

2:05.6

And this episode is all about why music sounds the way it does in this century

2:09.8

So why even begin with losing my religion

2:13.6

Well the answer comes down to that year it was released

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