Recession Pop: Past and Present
Graphic by Isa Delgado
Nothing quite compares to the feeling of late 2000s pop music blaring from the speakers of your family minivan while your younger self hums and dances along in the backseat. Katy Perry, Pitbull, Rihanna, Kesha, Lady Gaga and the Black Eyed Peas are only a few notable artists millions adored for their high-energy pop music.
Superficially, nostalgia may paint these musical memories solely as a fun, energetic, party-anthem era. Still, there was a much deeper need, desire and catalyst for this era of music we call “recession pop.”
The 2008 global financial crisis led to intense panic and uncertainty in global economic stability. In numerous countries, stagflation (a blend of stagnation and inflation) took course, characterized by significant increases in housing, grocery and oil prices as employment rates plummeted simultaneously.
Billions felt the impact of the global financial crisis and sought out momentary escapes from the weight of daily life. Music worked in tandem as an outlet and reflection of life as Pitbull and Neyo told us “This is the last twenty dollars I got, but I’m going to have a good time ballin’ tonight” and Will.i.am told us he had a feeling “that tonight’s gonna be a good night.”
It is not uncommon for people to seek out upbeat, feel-good music during economic downturns. Swing and jazz took rise during the Great Depression in the 1920s, and disco was popularized in the 1970s when economic stagnation and increasing inflation hit the Western world.
The return of recession pop
As another 50 years have passed and new economic and political tension heightens, recession pop has seemingly had its revival. Charli XCX, Chappell Roan, Lady Gaga, Tate Mcrae, Kesha, Troy Sivan and even Addison Rae are some of the new and reemerging faces in this new era of music.
The records produced by these artists are often fast-dynamic and lively. In Chappell Roan’s case, the dynamic auto engineering, gang vocals, and her own captivating vocal range nearly mask her innate story-telling lyricism. Roan’s debut album “The Rise and Fall of a Midwest Princess” voices the experiences of growing into oneself as a queer individual and finding community in new cities.
Roan creates an opportunity to share the stories of being a queer individual through frequent use of direct lyricism, something others may find challenging in today's heightened sociopolitical climate. However, her bold, energetic production of her records allows an audience to appreciate her art for its multiple values; its bright storytelling and animated danceability.
People are designed to gravitate towards what brings them comfort. Music and the arts have an ability to not only express one's own experience, but that of millions. When one's environment is thrust into uncertainty, finding a space that provides stability, understanding or an escape can be essential.
Recession pop binds it all together; blending the human experience, self-expression, creativity and escapism. In times when everything else seems to be working to divide us, music stands as a unifying tool, transcending barriers to remind us of our shared experiences and community.