Lyrics of successful songs in the United States have become simpler and more negative over recent decades, according to a ...

When comparing today’s hit tunes with the top 40 of past decades, strong opinions are never in short supply. Every generation seems to lament its successor’s musical tastes and listening habits.

Over the past 50 years the lyrics of popular songs in the USA have become simpler, more negative, and contain more stress-related words, according to an analysis published in Scientific Reports.