United Kingdom "top 5" pop music lyrics
The present research conducted a computerised analysis of the content of all lyrics from the United Kingdom’s weekly top 5 singles sales charts (Study 1, 1962–2011), and considered their macroeconomic correlates (Study 2, 1960–2011). Study 1 showed that coverage of interpersonal relationships consis...
| Main Authors: | , , , |
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| Format: | Journal Article |
| Published: |
Sage Publications Ltd.
2017
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| Online Access: | http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11937/56681 |
| _version_ | 1848759913009905664 |
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| author | North, Adrian Krause, Amanda Kane, Robert Sheridan, Lorraine |
| author_facet | North, Adrian Krause, Amanda Kane, Robert Sheridan, Lorraine |
| author_sort | North, Adrian |
| building | Curtin Institutional Repository |
| collection | Online Access |
| description | The present research conducted a computerised analysis of the content of all lyrics from the United Kingdom’s weekly top 5 singles sales charts (Study 1, 1962–2011), and considered their macroeconomic correlates (Study 2, 1960–2011). Study 1 showed that coverage of interpersonal relationships consistently reflected a self-centred and unsophisticated approach; coverage of violence featured predominantly anti-authoritarian denial rather than overt depictions; and more recent lyrics were more stimulating. Study 2 showed no evidence that variations in lyrical optimism predicted future variations in economic optimism and subsequently Gross Domestic Product; but, consistent with the environmental security hypothesis, economic turbulence (defined as volatility in the closing price of the London Stock Exchange) was associated with the later popularity of lyrics concerning certainty and succour. These findings are discussed in terms of the advantages and limitations of computerised coding of lyrics. |
| first_indexed | 2025-11-14T10:07:26Z |
| format | Journal Article |
| id | curtin-20.500.11937-56681 |
| institution | Curtin University Malaysia |
| institution_category | Local University |
| last_indexed | 2025-11-14T10:07:26Z |
| publishDate | 2017 |
| publisher | Sage Publications Ltd. |
| recordtype | eprints |
| repository_type | Digital Repository |
| spelling | curtin-20.500.11937-566812018-08-13T23:42:39Z United Kingdom "top 5" pop music lyrics North, Adrian Krause, Amanda Kane, Robert Sheridan, Lorraine The present research conducted a computerised analysis of the content of all lyrics from the United Kingdom’s weekly top 5 singles sales charts (Study 1, 1962–2011), and considered their macroeconomic correlates (Study 2, 1960–2011). Study 1 showed that coverage of interpersonal relationships consistently reflected a self-centred and unsophisticated approach; coverage of violence featured predominantly anti-authoritarian denial rather than overt depictions; and more recent lyrics were more stimulating. Study 2 showed no evidence that variations in lyrical optimism predicted future variations in economic optimism and subsequently Gross Domestic Product; but, consistent with the environmental security hypothesis, economic turbulence (defined as volatility in the closing price of the London Stock Exchange) was associated with the later popularity of lyrics concerning certainty and succour. These findings are discussed in terms of the advantages and limitations of computerised coding of lyrics. 2017 Journal Article http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11937/56681 10.1177/0305735617720161 Sage Publications Ltd. fulltext |
| spellingShingle | North, Adrian Krause, Amanda Kane, Robert Sheridan, Lorraine United Kingdom "top 5" pop music lyrics |
| title | United Kingdom "top 5" pop music lyrics |
| title_full | United Kingdom "top 5" pop music lyrics |
| title_fullStr | United Kingdom "top 5" pop music lyrics |
| title_full_unstemmed | United Kingdom "top 5" pop music lyrics |
| title_short | United Kingdom "top 5" pop music lyrics |
| title_sort | united kingdom "top 5" pop music lyrics |
| url | http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11937/56681 |