Photo: Wenn
The lyrics to hit singles over the past 10 years have been analysed in a new study which finds No.1 singles averaging at a Year 4, Key Stage 2 reading level.
The likes of Beyonce, Kanye West, Foo Fighters, Eminem are the subject of the study carried out by Andrew Powell-Morse which reveal the descreasing intelligence levels in songwriting over the past decade. Morse analysed 225 songs which spent more than 3 weeks in America's Billboard charts in the genres of Pop, Rock, Country and Hip-Hop.
Artists in the 2005 era were shown to be producing lyrics of a 3rd grade (Year 4) reading level, whilst in 2014 it has dropped to 2nd Grade (Year 3). Check out the decline of lyrical intelligence throughout the last decade in the chart below:
Country music came out on top as the most intelligent genre scoring a 3.3, with Pop (2.9), Rock (2.9) and Hip-Hop (2.6) following behind.
In terms of smartest rock songs, Red Hot Chili Peppers' 'Dani California' came out top scoring a 5.5 with the likes of Katy Perry's 'Wide Awake' and Maroon 5's 'Moves Like Jagger' falling to the bottom of worst scoring songs overall. You can take a look at the full study and more charts at Seatsmart.
Listen to the smartest rock song of the past decade below:
Eminem came in as the top-scoring artist in the Hip-Hop genre, whilst Nickleback topped the Rock genre, Mariah Carey came out the best in Pop.You can take a look at the full study and more charts at Seatsmart.
