Today’s pop music and soppy ballads are all about falling in love, out of love and everything in between, right? Er, wrong, according to new research. When The Beatles released their hit ‘All You Need is Love’ in 1967, it topped the charts in nine countries – but almost half a century later, music is said to be about “desperation”, “ambition” and “pain.”
Whaaaaat? We hear you cry! Some of the best hits about love, break-ups and matters of the heart, aren’t they? According to the new study, a team of researchers from North Caroline State University analysed the words of every US chart-topping hit on the Billboard Hot 100 over the past 50 years found that the word “love” is less likely to be used than ever before. 
The tracks ranged from Abba’s ‘Fernando’, which hit number one in 1976, to ‘Empire State of Mind’ by Jay-Z and Alicia Keys, which reached the top spot in 2009. The researchers then used computer programmes analyse the songs’ lyrics and identify key topics. The 12 key themes – and related terms that popped up were: loss, desire, aspiration, break-up, pain, inspiration, nostalgia, rebellion, jadedness, desperation, escapism and confusion.
And you can forget about romance; in recent years song lyrics have more focused more on ambition and individualism not love and romance. Apparently we’re all about getting ahead and being different, it seems. What? How in hell do you bawl your eyes out after a break-up without a love song?
In the 1960s, romance and rebellion were two common themes, with songs about relationships featuring alongside rebellion and the anti-war movement. The grittier 1970s saw songs still featuring love but with more nostalgia about lost love and bitter break-ups. By the 1980s, love was still the most commonly used word but other themes had emerged, including escapism, loss and inspiration. In the 1990s, love was no longer the most used word, with the rise of rap and R’n’B music. By the 2000s, love didn’t even feature in the top eight most used words, which now included baby, girl and man. 
We don’t know about you but we’ll still be singing along to ‘You’ve Lost That Lovin’ Feeling’ by the Righteous Brothers. Try and stop us!
Does this study sadden you? Where is the love?
The Black Eyed Peas might well ask…
