By Racheli Jian, Senior Arts & Culture Editor and Layout Editor
The entertainment industry has long been an escape from the pains of everyday life. During the Great Depression, The Wizard of Oz provided its audience with an escape from the economic struggles of life as they traveled with Dorothy to a fantastical land. The 70’s saw economic downfall, political scandal, and war all contrasted against the rise of Disco, a genre of music which embraced a feel-good and upbeat style. More recently, during the Great Recession (2007-2009) a specific type of pop music emerged. Artists like Katy Perry, Kesha, and Lady Gaga all released albums which encouraged dancing, partying, and overall having a good time. This is not surprising based on trends from the past surrounding escapist media. People don’t want to focus on their financial woes, they want to feel like they’re having a good time no matter what their troubles are.
While this type of music may have been popular in the early 2000’s, in recent years, party music has taken a back seat. With Billie Eilish’s debut album in 2019, Taylor Swift’s back-to-back album releases in 2020 and 2021, and Olivia Rodrigo’s debut album in 2021, pop music became sad and angsty. This change in pop music occurred as Gen-Z matured and began to raise awareness around mental health. However, in 2023 and peaking this past summer, pop music has developed a more energized sound, circling back to the party and dance themes that early 2000’s was all about. Artists like Charli XCX, Chappel Roan, and Sabrina Carpenter all channeled this resurgence this summer with their album releases.
While Charli XCX was the last to release new music out of the trio and her album brat perfectly demonstrates this type of music that is making a comeback. Her song “Club classics,” is accompanied by a heavily produced backing track and high reverb. She sings the lyrics “Yeah, I’m gonna dance all night, that’s right / All night, never gonna stop ’til the morning light.” These lyrics are exactly what recession pop is about: partying and dancing until you can’t anymore.
Another nod to the early 2000’s is her song “Von dutch,” named after a fashion brand that reached its prime in those years. Throughout this song and the entirety of the album, Charli XCX evokes a feeling of nostalgia for those listening while still putting her own spin on the genre.
While Charli focused more on the party pop aspect of the style through her lyrics, music, and attitude, Carpenter channeled this energy through her personality. Carpenter’s lyrics are less reminiscent of the party culture and are more in tune with recent pop music. Her two singles “Please Please Please” and “Espresso” are both about love problems and less about clubbing. However, lyrics like “If you wanna go and be stupid / Don’t do it in front of me” from “Please Please Please” recall a feeling of lightheartedness that is central to this type of music. Partying might not be as integral to Sabrina’s music, but the devil-may-care attitude is still alive and well in her sound. Another song that showcases this is “Taste,” which is the first song on her recent album Short n’ Sweet. It opens with the lyrics “Oh, I leave quite an impression / Five feet to be exact,” displaying her sense of humor and care-free personality.
Chappell Roan stands out as a mix between these two artists. She has party hits like “Super Graphic Ultra Modern Girl” which has dance pop lyrics like “At every party we’re the party.” Roan also has less “party” songs like “Good Luck, Babe!” which incorporate the music style of the genre with a synth and electric guitar in the background. However, her song which most encapsulates this genre is “HOT TO GO!” which is sung like an anthem. It has a party energy and dance moves to go with it in a YMCA-style.
The return of this type of music is both fun and revolutionizes recent pop, but it begs the question: does its rise mean we’re in a recession? Simply put, no. The US economy has been doing well, as growth is high, unemployment is low, and wages are growing. However, for most young people, it doesn’t feel like that is so. The wealth may be increasing, but principally for the older generation. People who have already had experience and time to invest are gaining, while the younger generation does not have the tools to make such a leap. In the early 2000’s the whole economy took a hit, but now, those of the young generation are the ones being affected.
While all three of these artists have their own take on this new era of pop music, they are all bringing back “fun” music. Artists like Kesha, Katy Perry, and Lady Gaga might have been constrained to their early 2000’s hits, but this trio is making room for another round of partying.
Photo Caption: Party pop music is making a modern-day comeback
Photo Credit: Unsplash