I wrote this list not to condemn, shame or censor, but to objectively point out that a moral and vibrational decline is actually happening. It's also a way of analyzing the state of the collective consciousness since art is usually a reflection of reality. In making this list I remained as objective as possible with the intent to illuminate and agitate so those that wish to can make necessary changes.
My baseline for morality and positive/negative charge is based on the somewhat unspoken yet well known spectrums that humanity as agreed upon as to what is right and what is wrong, what is good and what is bad. That said, I acknowledge that bad things can make people feel good, and vice versa. But is that healthy? That's another issue, which is why, for the sake of this list, I am not taking into account the individual experience one may have, but rather the objective vibration of each song based on the absolute center of our agreed upon spectrums of positive and negative.
As humans, we go through both positive and negative experiences. Sometimes we do indulge in lower frequencies like sex and drugs, or make bad decisions like staying in a toxic relationship, seeking revenge or committing violence. It can actually be helpful to process those experiences if that there's a song that we can relate to surrounding that topic. That's typically what "red" songs did up until the 2000s. But when the song becomes the spark of lower indulgences and not the processor or extinguisher, that can lead to a host of negative outcomes like both individual and collective instability and unrest.
I believe we are witnessing and living a modern version of the fall of Rome. In Rome's unprecedented success, they got lazy and greedy. They rested upon their laurels and over indulged. Those weakened areas turned into cracks in the foundation of their society. As their guard was low and priorities misguided, Rome was overthrown and crumbled into antiquity. Does that not sound similar to the state of our culture today? We're indulging in pleasures like sex, junk food, mindless entertainment while squabbling with each other, rejecting spirit/metaphysical, nature, civil and clear communication, healthy interpersonal relationships, and other foundational qualities of a thriving society.
The expression is how it's being said. Is it said with kindness, understanding and compassion? Or is it said with malice, disdain, ego or aggression?
The intention is the why of the message or expression. Is it meant to heal, empower or create? Or hurt, harm, minimize or destroy?
What about cursing/swearing? I think it's important to note that while a valid measure of its own, cursing/swearing does not influence the classifications on this list. It's clear that there is an increase of cursing along with the increase of negatively charged songs, and I believe excessive cursing causes damage of its own, (by the very nature of the word "curse",) but, cursing is not taking into account for this list.
About The Rubric
I am trying to illustrate the decline of positively charged energy in mainstream music, and to do that, it made sense to adopt a dualistic approach. Personally, like most of us, I operate within the gray areas of life. Rarely are things cut and dry. Most everyone and every thing is a combination of light and dark - not one extreme entirely. But in this case, it's the fairest way to prove my point.
I put a lot of time and critical thought into how to label these songs. In the original post, I started out with three categories; positive, negative and neutral. I wanted to have the neutral classification as a place to drop songs that don't objectively fall into positive or negative. Songs that are entertaining but don't send a message. However, the truth is, when it comes to energy and emotions, there's only up and down. No two energetic frequencies are the same, so no two songs are exactly the same. That said, songs that fall somewhere in the middle will be considered green in this case.
Make Your Own Decision
Being labeled red doesn't mean a song isn't good. All that exists is valid and even some red songs are masterpieces. Negatively charged songs are absolutely healthy for a well balanced society, but how much negativity and toxicity is too much? I prepared this list to ask:
- Is this what we collectively want as our benchmark in pop culture?
- Are the lower frequencies and negative emotions what we want to experience the most?
- What do we want to be the most prominent vibration running through the mainstream psyche?
- How much negativity, ego, indulgence and complacency is too much?
My premise is that if someone spends the majority of their listening time on "red" songs, it's energetic fact that they'll match those vibrations, which will likely lead them on a downward spiral, eventually hitting rock bottom. Continual listening may cause them to remain there, sputtering about, and not knowing what's happening or how to get out of it. (It's just music after all, right?)
On the flip side, I believe if one spends the majority of their time listening to green and exceptionally green songs, there's a great chance they will spiral up - and there is no positive version of rock bottom, you're just exponentially rising.
It's worth it to point out that this assumption of pop music trending down into negative and darker areas is backed up by science. It's also been reported on by one of my favorite Substacks, StatSignifigant, here.
I'll leave it to you to make your own decision. Here's the list:
1960
A song about life from a blatantly positive perspective that wraps up as a love song.
A gentle song asking his lover to not cheat on or leave him.
A song about realizing the way you're being treated and ending the relationship.
Cultural appropriation aside, this song employs a beautiful and vivid metaphor to describe a forbidden love, something not seen these days.
Age issues aside, this song tackles the deep emotions of losing someone in a car accident - something that was a growing phenomenon at the time.
A song from the perspective of someone that has made mistakes and hurt their lover, and yearns for forgiveness.
A good old fashioned love song from The King.
A sugary pop bop about a man that can fix a broken heart.
You could read into it as overbearing and controlling, but I think it's just a metaphor for love and attraction.
A good, old fashioned dance song with no sexual innuendo to be found! If people want to take it there, that's on them. In this list, I'm only taking lyrics at face-value or obvious metaphors.
1961
A light hearted yet descriptive song about yearning for someone you miss or want to be with.
Gentle unrequited love song.
An emotional, hopeful and spiritually charged song. Racial issues aside, the timing of the song with the murder of an NAACP member gives it a social justice overtone.
A breakup song about unrequited love. At least they did it with class and respect back then.
Another breakup song. Interesting watching this trend unfold.
Yet another breakup song about a love triangle.
A contemporary song for the high school dance or sock hop.
The first instrumental on the list. Imagine that, an instrumental going #1!
Alas, another breakup song!
A hopeful, spiritually infused song about making a home with a committed partner.
1962
Another song about longing for love. Yet, back then, we still had the utmost respect for the person we're longing for. We didn't shame or belittle them because they were causing us pain. not to mention the poetic imagery vs. today's sterile narratives.
Another song about longing for love. A heartbreakingly tender breakup song.
Just a fun, carefree dance song about a mashed potato.
A beautifully written song with a respectful sentiment of a relationship that ended but hoping for the best to both parties. Keyword here is respectful. Not much of that in songs of the same topic these days.
Since there are no lyrics, this one's not so cut and dry. If I'm being as critically objective as I am for every other song, after doing some research on it's cultural use/understanding, it's clear that it conjures up sexual ideas in the listener. At the time and until the song left the mainstream awareness, everyone knew what the song was suggesting and used for.
Why: Sexualization
A song about wanting someone to be their lover.
A wildly popular and ubiquitous dance song to this day.
A song about hearing the music and being drawn to it.
The first time a song has been in the top ten more than once!
A song about committing to a partner that's going off to war. I'm not endorsing war, but I don't see this kind of deep commitment very often in popular music today.
1963
A feel-good party song without the sex and substance abuse! Not one single sexual or drug innuendo, even though that was certainly going on at the time with the listeners. Imagine that. Surfs up, dude!
A standard breakup song.
Another standard breakup song.
A flirty song about a crush.
A sensual breakup song.
A love song about wanting to get married. Subjectively, I want to label this neutral or negative because it encourages getting married right after high school which I think is part of the systematic enslavement of society, but objectively there's nothing wrong with it.
A feel-good soul-jazz song.
A breakup song. The difference between this time and now is that when people broke up - even if they didn't want it - they accepted it, grieved, and at least tried to move on. Nowadays, it's all blame and insults out the door. No respect.
A song about a man defending his woman from a unwanted advances from another man.
Though the song was written about a political issue, it's a reflective breakup/lost-love song, and in Japanese!
1964
A lighthearted love song that depicts a deep attraction without making it sexual.
A song comforting a friend that his partner still loves him even though he made a mistake.
Subtle objectification of woman aside, a harmless and fun jazz song.
Interesting that we're seeing some subtle objectification of woman starting all the way back here. Aside from one single line about treating her right, the song is all about him and what he wants, not what she wants.
Why: Objectification and harassment.
Part of me wants to find a way to make this about "getting around" sexually but it's just not coming through the lyrics. A fun song about being popular in many towns.
A song about being in love and wanting everyone else to experience the same joy. That's my kind of love song. Interpersonal and communal love all in one!
A proclamation of love and commitment.
A bittersweet love song.
A heart wrenching song about losing a loved one in a car accident. Car accidents were an epidemic of sorts in these times, so it makes sense as to why there were songs about them, and also why there aren't songs about them anymore.
Pearl Jam covered this song in 1999 and it became a smash hit again.
A warm song about losing love.
1965
A tongue-in-cheek dance song with, from what I can tell, no under or overtones beyond the funny idea of a bison wanting to learn to dance.
A classic R&B/soul bop that everyone knows and loves.
The first song I've come across on this list to address the holes in the "perfection" of modern society.
A song about wanting someone you don't have.
A poetic and wildly popular (to this day) breakup song.
A song about making yourself feel better by visiting the culturally exciting part of the city.
A song about asking for help in a time of need; seeing the benefit of community, companionship or comradery rather than trying to do it all on your own.
Classic young love song.
Religious politics aside, a song about healing your woes through a higher power / spirituality.
A poetic and warm proclamation of love.
1966
A generally happy song. Interesting that most songs nowadays critical rather than praiseful of LA.
A breakup song. The first appearance of the theme of revenge. If you read into the history of this song there are more facts that support the message, expression and intention of the song.
Why: Revenge
A song about finding a way to heal from a lost love.
A song describing a involuntarily-short-term love affair.
A song about deep commitment and support in a relationship.
A song about leaving someone who doesn't respect you.
Longing for love that will never be.
A song about the first time two lovers meet.
An incredibly empowering song talking about "kicks" not being the answer to your problems. "Kicks" are vices or indulgences of any kind, e.g. sex, drugs or mindlessly consuming media.
While again I don't endorse war, it's a patriotic, poignant and unifying song.
1967
This one's a bit shaky if you read into it, as I always do, but besides it being a grown man having sex with a young girl, it's a heartfelt message. A truly loving, divine masculine man, is good for a woman, as long as it's legally and morally appropriate. (Same if the gender roles were reversed.) That's what I believe this song is about. It's certainly not recounting sexual abuse or unwanted advances.
A song about dropping everything and returning to your lover.
One of the most poetically deep songs so far. A song about a teenage suicide and the weight on the supposed girlfriend he left behind. A great example of a discussing a sad topic in a positive, healing way.
A song about someone living a carefree, hippie lifestyle.
A smash hit to this day. A wildly positive and uplifting song. Popularized again in the 2000s by Shrek.
A song about sex without saying anything explicit.
A "stupid" love song.
A song about being in a romantic relationship with the right person.
A love song about going through life with your partner.
A tender love song. I will argue in later years that love songs that focus on the physical will start to become negative for society, and I will acknowledge that the title and some of the lyrics insinuate physical appearance, but the overall tone is much deeper and more heartfelt than later songs I will assign as negative.
Physical attraction is an important part of a relationship, but as we will see as the years go by, it begins to take over in an unhealthy way.
1968
One of the most iconic, uplifting and uniting anthems in recorded music history. A song about loosening up the "tough guy" and letting love in.
Your standard yet beautifully poetic breakup song.
Another hugely popular song about death of a loved one. We don't have many of these anymore, certainly not in the top 10.
An introspective song and somewhat of a commentary on the state of the world.
A song about humanity; about the loving and respecting others, not just romantic partners or blood family. The hippie movement is poking it's head into the mainstream.
Probably (definitely) about sex but poetic and passionate.
A song about having a crush and not knowing if they feel the same.
Instrumental.
The song's inclusion in The Graduate gave it the pop-culture meaning, but the song is not 100% about extramarital affairs. Even if it was, it's not glorifying that, as it often done today. The song is about the state of the nation at that time.
A fun R&B/soul dance song.
1969
Slightly sensual but still portraying the woman of your dreams with the utmost respect.
A unapologetically spiritually charged song. These are the kinds of songs that activate higher consciousness.
A song about unrequited love.
A song about alcohol, prostitution and/or casual sex and drugs.
Why: Sex and drugs.
A anthem of self-empowerment and acceptance of others not like you.
An interesting take on the love song.
A song about the most-fun season!
An honest and vulnerable song about losing faith in love.
A song about inequality of respect in a relationship. Possibly the first appearance of a song talking about loving someone that isn't good for them.
A poetic love song.
1970
A song about helping a friend or lover in need.
A song with beautiful imagery about a crush.
A fantastic example of healthy boundaries and not staying in a toxic relationship. Possible commentary of the beginning of the decline of values and morality in the USA.
A fun and lighthearted song about the natural ups and downs of emotion.
Do I have to say anything? Where are the songs rallying against war in today's top 5?
A proclamation of a love that endures anything.
A song about commitment and support.
A song about "getting the girl" but no signs of disrespect or harassment.
Philosophy in a pop song. Imagine that. I tear up just thinking about the time when this song was on the heart and mind of the mainstream.
A crushing breakup song.
1971
A song celebrating the world we live in/on and wishing joy upon all humans an animals.
Maggie May: A song about knowing a lover is bad for you and wanting to get away.
Reason To Believe: One of my core musical memories and the resolution of Maggie May; an introspective and hopeful breakup song.
It's Too Late: A gentle breakup song.
I Feel The Earth Move: An earth-shaking anthem of love.
An encouraging an hopeful song about finding love after being mistreated by a lover.
Cultural issues aside, a political song roasting the US for its treatment of the Native Americans.
Backstory: He wrote the song after his car was snowed in by a blizzard and he was taken in by a small group of Cherokee Indians. (He was not stealing their identity for a bit or trying to speak for them, but rather reciting what he probably learned from his time with them.)
Acknowledging temptation but not giving in to it.
Another one that I don't need to say anything about, but, it's a song about and being in awe and reverence of nature. How rare is that these days?
A song about falling in love with someone you've seen but never officially met.
An adorable and imaginative song about an apartment building love affair.
1972
A love song about a relationship whose "joy would fill the earth." Sounds similar to the #1 of the previous year.
A deeply introspective song questioning God, faith and love.
A song that has stood the test of time. A song about the state of the country at that time.
A classic breakup song.
A fun and bubbly song.
A bit surprised by these lyrics. A song about... forcing someone to love them?
Why: Revenge and force. Could go as far as to say it conjures up SA.
A world famous classic about friendship and support.
A song about not being ready for commitment. He's honest and trying to protect the woman's feelings.
A song about a crush. Possible sex or drug innuendo but not blatant enough to warrant a red label.
Now that is a song about commitment, (at least to a child,) and not giving up on a relationship too soon. That's not to say one should stay forever if it's not working, but the sentiment of the song is what counts here.
1973
A song about hoping for a sign of love and taking accountability to earn that love again.
A story about the baddest guy in town. Just telling a story, so no harm done. Now if the song were glorifying this bad person, that would be a red label.
A foundation of popular music culture.
A love song about sex. It is possible to discuss sex in a healthy way; without being explicit, extreme or sensational.
A heartfelt love song.
Specific religion aside, it's a song about a higher power and wanting to live a better life. Awesome.
A classic rock and roll dance song.
Not sure what to say about this song. Even with the "bad guy" lyric, it's harmless.
A wonderful example of exposing a jerk without seeking revenge.
Seems like a heartfelt song about the joy and pain of a one-night-stand. If not, then it's still a loving breakup song.
1974
A warm and heartfelt breakup song.
A tearful song about the death of a girl or woman from multiple perspectives.
An instrumental of love.
A fun and sensual love song.
When dancing wasn't twerking.
A classic dance song.
A mostly instrumental song about my hometown!
A silly song about a streaker. See, we can talk about nudity without being sexual.
Taken from American Songwriter:
"The song is a celebration of youth culture and how transcendent it can be to watch a popular band, no matter how bizarre they may seem to others, do their thing on stage."
A song paying respect to "one hell of a woman."
1975
A poetic and warm love song.
Dreaming about living a bigger, richer life and/or being a celebrity.
Wow, Philly really was a place to be! An anthem about living a free life.
A tender breakup song.
A song about never getting the chance to love the person you really wanted to.
A story that unfolds over the course of the song, ending up being a
A song that empowers the listener. Can we get some of this in today's music, please?
A somewhat cryptic yet poetic song about fame.
A simple, pretty love song.
There's quite a bit going on here. Some sexual undertone, but overall a song about finding the right person to love.
1976
A "silly" love song about love being a nice thing to be in.
A bubbly love song.
A dance song about a woman who dances well. There's a hint of objectification creeping in here.
A groovy classic about an amazing night with a lover.
A 70s smash hit about music!
A sad song about facing reality and ending a relationship that just can't work.
"A huggin' and kissin' fiend." I bet those wouldn't be the verbs used if the song was written today.
The title says it all!
An empowering love song.
You might not know that you know it, but you do.
1977
A song about love-based sex and losing one's virginity to a loving and respectful partner.
Andy Gibb is a master of conveying deep passion without sexual innuendo.
This song is on of the "best" of the year!
A love song from the depths of her soul.
A song about the hurt of infidelity.
Longing for your lover to return and missing the love they gave.
An incredibly powerful love song.
I can't tell if the song is about a real person that's a dream, or an actual dream/fantasy. Either way, a great song.
A song tackling the real and relatable feeling of a love triangle.
A dance song on the surface with some light sexual innuendo.
1978
A respectful, deeply passionate love song.
A song about nightlife.
A lovely love song.
The epitome of the disco age.
Sensual and sultry but not overtly sexual.
The Gibbs just keep on Gibbing. What a class act.
Asking for forgiveness after realizing you've done wrong by your partner.
A song about "the overpowering nature of love." (ref)
Get up and boogie!
Proclaiming your love even though the relationship or time together may be over. Great respect of women here.
1979
A lustful song. Heading into the 80s, we're starting to lose the passion and focus on the sex, yet still not explicit in lyric like we are today.
While the song is about prostitution or the sugar daddy lifestyle, it's not glorying it.
A disco-pop dance song.
Sexualization starts creeping into the mainstream.
Rejoicing because you're back together!
A woman's empowerment anthem about kicking him out of your life if he ain't good to you.
I know many are going to grumble, but this gets a red. The song is obviously about looking for casual sex.
Religious undertones aside, this is a wonderfully empowering song for young men. Something like this is awful needed right now.
A song about love and sex.
A solemn song about a foreseen breakup.
1980
A song about casual sex, yet poetic and subtle.
A song about abuse in boarding schools and larger overtones of how schooling affects society in general.
A magical song about the magic of love.
The king of pop flexes his solo chops.
A song about sexual acts without saying said sexual acts.
It's about being cool and relaxes when your heart is beating in the name of love.
A positively encouraging song about the greater love.
A ditty that everyone knows.
A song about how things change but they also stay the same.
A deeply moving ballad about cycles of love and loss.
1981
Sexually charged but with a foundation of female empowerment.
Well, it's a song about endless love of course!
A respectful and loving love song.
A song about taking the time to intentionally enjoy the person that you are with.
The feeling of wanting something that someone else has.
It's a celebration! Nothing like this on the radio these days.
A cute and heartfelt love song.
A song laying respect to nature's natural cleanser.
A song that's ended up both breaking the facade of the 9-5 but also strengthened it through the Law of Attraction.
It's the only thing he knows how to do.
1982
Attempts to be satirical but it's a song blatantly about casual sex. That's two years in a row that a sexually charged song is #1 of the year.
Why: Blatant casual sex
Thankfully this empowering anthem came in at #2. Goes to show the spiritual "battle" between light and dark seeping into pop culture.
A classic ode to rock.
A song about bridging the racial divide.
Sex sex sex.
Why: Sexualization and objectification, especially since the narrator refers to being a young age.
A song about unrequited love.
A classic tale of the youth of the USA.
The truth about love.
Teetering into sexualization but not enough to get a red.
A song about atoning for your shortcomings and misgivings.
1983
Despite it's contemporary assignment of being stalker-y, a deeply passionate and introspective breakup song about wanting to protect one's ex-lover.
The king of pop strikes again. The song is about casual sex and fatherless children, but it's so poetic you don't really know unless you try.
What a feeling this song brings to the listener.
A song about the land down under, mate!
This song hits many topics, mainly about exposing the toxicity and danger of the macho-man attitude, the rising prevalence of gangs, and the desire for overall peace and avoiding violence at all costs. Michael is the king of exceptionally positive pop music.
A heart-wrenching love/breakup song.
When the tables turn and the woman is the one calling the shots, in this case, to the detriment of the man.
A gentle love song.
Remember when dancing was a positive expression of self & spirit and not a precursor to sex?
A smooth and sexy song, yet a dismal topic about not being able to trust anyone.
1984
A song about a failing relationship. This one's deeper than I expected – I had to do some research. As much as I thought I would be labeling it red, it seems overwhelmingly positive in intention. Look up the meaning behind "doves crying," separate from the song.
I hate to do it but this gets a red. It's about not being able to trust your emotions and going for casual sex because you've been hurt and now have a fear of true love and commitment.
Why: Indulging in casual sex
Trying to convince your lover that you're fully vested in them but they aren't there yet.
Cut loose!!
A stratospheric heartbreak song.
A happy go lucky glam rock song.
A song about wondering where your destined-to-be lover is.
A prog-rock breakup anthem.
A song about something totally out there! I love songs about "something else."
If you don't treat me right, expect karma to take care of you later.
1985
An introspective song about feeling guilty about cheating or somehow hurting a partner.
I was expecting to give this a red but after deliberating for a bit, it's actually not because it's a positive expression of love through sex.
A song about not wanting to miss the last moment.
It's all in the title.
A feel good song about love and commitment.
About the disorientation that can come with love.
This song is more and more applicable to the times we're living in. This song says so much about where society was heading and is firmly planted now. It's about self interest above all else, even if that self-interest is misguided.
The song actually has a deep meaning touching on capitalism and the us vs. them attitude developing in the workplace/society.
A song about love and connection.
The meaning of this song is cloudy, and it's better that way. But it's likely about taking a chance on the narrator.
1986
A song about genuine, reliable, platonic friendship! Imagine that.
An empowering and enlightening song about commitment and support.
An teenage/first love heartbreak anthem.
A song about making it through the pain of a breakup onto the other side where a new you is waiting.
A song about making it work through the struggles.
A bubbly pop/dance anthem about the joy and anticipation of a budding love.
A song about both the growing party/club scene and the despair of the narrator watching their partner take part, despite the narrator not wanting to.
I'm going to venture a guess to say this is a song was inspired by interpersonal conflict but it's wrapped in a story of war/rivalry for the movie Rocky IV.
A deeply introspective and reflective song about life and possibly death.
An aggressive love song.
1987
A song about "something else" as I like to say. Just a fun, out-there topic.
A gut wrenchingly uplifting song about a crush.
A song alluding to sex but keeping it above bar.
I want another song like this in today's music.
A song about an enduring relationship.
A song about rolling with the punches of life.
A song about proudly going through life alone (or at least for a period of time after a breakup.)
A socially conscious song about racism. I would have added a final lyric that says "that's the way it is... but the way can change."
A song about glitz and glamour, crime, and the law that surrounds it all.
Living life through faith and with the support of another by your side.
1988
A song about carefully discerning whether someone is good for you; not staying just because the sex is good; and having faith that the right person will come along.
Intense and sexually charged, yet not explicit.
Determined to win the affection of a partner.
Maybe the most famous song about commitment, and that ain't a Rick-roll!
A deeply poetic song about childhood memories and being reminded and them by a lover.
A song about missing a love once had.
Heaven is a place on Earth when you have a great love.
A good ole' breakup song.
Unrequited love strikes again.
A song about making it through the tough times in life.
1989
A solemn yet heartfelt and vulnerable breakup song. The singer even respects his ex's happiness with someone else. Try and find that sentiment these days.
Lots going on here. Interesting that he talks about ego trips not being his thing, when the song is one big ego trip. Also, all of this "I do what I want" coming from a domestic abuser. This is a peek into what's to come in the next few decades.
Why: Glorifying objectification of woman and money because "I can."
A beautiful classic rock song about the naturality of taking the good with the bad.
Asking for commitment!
It's all in the title.
A song between girlfriends, telling the other that her man isn't good for her.
Deep, moving, classic.
Despite their catastrophic end, it's a great song!
An medley cover of two uplifting, classic hits.
A touching song about a strong relationship.
1990
A self-empowerment anthem and one of my personal favorite songs of all time.
Mourning a lost love.
You're the best! Nothing compares to you.
To my surprise, nothing jumps out as truly toxic. It's just an aggressive way of saying to be careful while dating.
Quite an empowering anthem, actually. Idolizing and glorifying grace and style over sex and material.
A song about things going well -quite amazingly actually - in a relationship.
Profound messages on the state of society.
Healthy relationship rules to live by.
No surprise that Billy Idol is creeping into debauchery territory. Still, that's part of life and it's not overtly explicit.
Declaration of strength through imagery of violence, but still respectable.
1991
A passionate love song of faith and commitment.
1991 coming in strong with the sex-focused lyrics.
Why: Sex-focused
A classic 90s club hit!
A standard pop love song.
Asking for a second chance.
There's more than meets the sonic eye in this song. This one is the only bright green so far that's a tad subjective.
A beautiful way of asking for commitment or acknowledgement.
A young love song.
A song about a deep and long-lasting love.
A nice love song bop.
1992
A gut wrenchingly poignant song about the hurts-to-accept ending of a relationship.
May be single handedly responsibly for the mainstreaming of sexualization and the objectification of women.
Cute kids doing a cute rap. Leaning towards "fightin' words" but still reserved enough.
A song about finally choosing the right partner.
Sex is important, but it isn't everything.
A heartbreaking song about the loss of a loved one.
A song about not being fooled by an ex who wants you back.
A song about drug addiction and lonely city living.
A warm bubblegum R&B love song.
A song about not wanting this relationship to end and searching for what can be done to save it.
1993
No explanation necessary.
A rowdy sports anthem.
A beautiful rendition of a classic love song.
Showcasing the pros and cons of love.
Depictions of raunchy sex. I'll even fly you around the world to have sex with you.
Talking about love from a passionate perspective.
Choosing someone that's actually good for you instead of just good for your body.
Wishing for a better lover to come around.
Rap party song about sex.
An autobiographical song about living in the ghetto, watching police activity or brutality, being targeted by the police, and not snitching on friends.
1994
A song about overcoming and leaving a narcissistic relationship.
A passionate love song about commitment.
About sex but with love.
An epic love ballad.
A song about the true heroes of love.
A song about the confusion of a crumbling relationship.
Being crushed by the potential loss of a love.
A song about the depth and strength of real love.
A story about a woman who wants to trap and use men.
She's telling them that if they're gonna leave, just do it and leave me with my dignity.
1995
A song expressing the oppression of the black community in the USA.
This song is about not getting in over your head and getting into bad situations, especially just for sex or the hope of love.
Almost Shakespearean in it's tragedy of two lovers cheating on each other.
Why: Condoning infidelity.
Incredibly poetic love song with stellar metaphoric imagery.
A song about trying again.
A dance song loosely about casual sex but mostly about dreaming of a lover to be.
Strangely similar to the previous song's topic.
If I had to guess, this song has a deeper meaning about Madge and her life of fame, but on the surface it's a breakup song.
This gets a bright green because it's discussing a mental health topic rarely touched upon in popular music - needing space!
A party song that hits all the party topics without indulging too much or being explicit.
1996
A song that's straight up about sex and infidelity, but hidden in a foreign language dance song. Is this a turning point in accepting "dirty" lyrics and topics? I love everything about the famous remix version. The production, the vocals, the groove, everything. I even won a Macarena dance contest at my summer camp.
Alas, it's disappointing that the message in the lyrics is so raunchy and promiscuous. And to think, I and millions of others were ignorantly singing along to the lyrics. Little did we know... I'm not even saying to "cancel" the song – it's not that bad because it was an outlier in its time. It just may have set precedent for future songs that are much more lyrically depraved (see 1998).
Why: Sex and infidelity
A bittersweet song about the loss of a loved one.
A soft rock anthem of love.
A song about remorse for not doing or saying what was necessary to keep a love intact.
The ultimate "if you love it let it go" song.
It's in the title. If you can't give me a good reason to stay, I'm gone.
Quite a conscious song touching on existentialism, the AIDS epidemic and murder.
A sticky pop anthem about love.
Leaning into visually explicit lyrics here. Also touches on knowing this isn't right but doing it anyway.
A breakup song.
1997
The world pays tribute to the loss of a global icon of peace and hope. If we hadn't lost Diana, the #1 would still have been a genuine, heartfelt song.
A soft love song.
A beautiful dedication to a lost comrade.
A heart wrenching heartbreak song.
I didn't know for sure before I read the lyrics, but this ended up being red.
Why: Sex, drugs, violence, ego
An exceptionally positive ballad of self-empowerment.
Are we doin' this love thing or what?
The Mack is back!
A song asking how life will go on after a breakup.
Good rules to apply to a romantic relationship.
I'm throwing this in here because of it's massive cultural significance. and profound and philosophical lyrics.
1998
The first lyric is "I wonder if she could tell I'm hard right now." What did I tell you about Macarena setting precedent for explicitly sexual references in popular music? The descent begins again.
Why: sex
A song about two women fighting and verbally attack each other over a man.
Why: Us vs. them attitude and drama
A deeply passionate love song.
A soft pop song about enduring love.
In the top 10 again!
A heartfelt song about a lover or loved one who passed.
An overwhelmingly positive love song. I rarely consider love songs exceptionally positive but this one gets it.
Another one in the charts again!
Not explicit but it's only about having sex and where and when and how we can do it.
Why: sex
A song about generations and whether we are going to make the same mistakes they did.
1999
A energetic self-empowerment anthem about triumph after an unwanted breakup. Not to mention the groundbreaking and most iconic use of autotune in a pop song.
We don't mess with people that aren't a positive influence.
A loving love song about love.
Facing and feeling the heartbreak of betrayal.
A stark tale of the regret from leaving someone she maybe shouldn't have.
A lovely alt-pop soft-rock song about love.
It has sexual overtones while not explicit or graphic. Actually, she even says "maybe not tonight," indicating that sex isn't the immediate goal.
A song about a dysfunctional relationship.
Even after heartbreak, there's always someone that break through your wall and love you right again.
A song about that crazy woman!
2000
An uplifting and heavenly love ballad.
Because you're so smooth. A song about giving your all to a lover.
About the Latinx experience in the USA. Also touches on social and economic issues.
Classic R&B love song with a focus on the love vs. sex.
Incredibly deep, poetic and introspective lyrics about being a bit wayward and not quite seeing what's right in front of you.
A song discussing the possibility of a lover cheating.
A deep, deep love song. Savage Garden is right behind Michael Jackson for exceptionally positive lyrics.
An anthemic country-crossover love song.
A song about being self-aware of your faults.
A song from the perspective of the first lover.
2001
A head-over-heels deep-in-love "will you love me too" song.
A song about being jerked around in a relationship.
If I did it for "Too Close," I have to do it for Janet. It pains me to label this song red, but getting people to sing "got a nice package alright, guess I'm gonna have to ride it tonight" is encouraging people to have casual sex.
Why: Glorifying casual sex, sexualization.
A song describing a woman leaving her town and her lover to try and find a bigger and better life, but returning and the narrator asking if it was actually better.
Aggressive and explicit, but the overall message is about making a commitment to follow true love and stop playing around with others.
Missing your lover.
This song does a good job of walking the line between confidence and an ego trip.
A song about being grateful.
Wondering if you'll ever see that person or meet the right person again.
The song is a female empowerment anthem, but it's only skin deep because it's 90% about money and material objects. Green for now but you better believe it's red in certain ways.
2002
Maybe the first song with nihilistic and sarcasm-infused lyrics that simply laments and complains with no resolution or respect for either party involved. Also, mentions of alcohol as a way to cope. This received a neutral rating on my initial list but in the context of this list, it's still green. But you better believe I want it to be red.
Asking and wondering why your partner is treating you badly.
Singing about taking off all our clothes couldn't possibly be detrimental to the psyche of listeners, especially children (like myself as the time.)
Why: Flagrant sexualization and objectification.
While this song get a green, it was here that the collective cultural and societal shift to the worship of physical and material became crystal clear.
A love song about following, well.. wherever you will go.
Going any distance to just see you.
At the same time materialism is on the rise, anger in mainstream is poking its head out too. A nihilistic song about nothing mattering.
An homage to the Tina Turner song from a decade ago? Another song about bypassing love and doing it just for the sex. Literally attempts to redefine love at the end of the first verse.
Why: Casual sex.
A song denouncing the physical & material and saying there's more to it than that.
A breakup/heartbreak song. Anger and confusion manifest.
2003
A dramatic dip into the hedonistic normalcy to come. A song about partying in the club. "I'm into havin' sex, I ain't into makin' love." Sets the tone for the future – to this day.
Why: Commodification of sex and dismissal of true connection.
A song using a car/driving metaphor for sex.
Why: Glorifying sex, drugs and alcohol.
A song about the way women dance and having sex until the early morning.
Why: Objectification of woman and sexualization of dancing.
A song about a love so great it makes you crazy.
A song about cherishing the times we have together.
A healthy way to expressing mental health issues.
A song about that girl right there and what she does with her hips right there.
Why: Objectification of women.
A song about dealing with the end of a young love.
A deeply introspective and reflective song about making good or bad decisions.
A gothic yet positive take on being supported and awakened by a trusted friend or partner.
2004
A song recounting or premonition of a night at the club.
Why: Ego trip and casual sex.
A song about accepting and grieving the end of a relationship.
A love song about not having anything if you don't have your partner.
This song is about saying "no" when a toxic ex keeps trying to get back with you.
A song about a danceable beat and dancing in the club. Tasteful enough lyrics with limited sexualization.
A moving anthem about acknowledging faults and mistakes and offering to do better.
A song about not wanting to know about cheating. Personally, I think the sets precedent for cheating to be ok as long as it's kept secret, but this notion is toxic. Still, it gets a green.
The song itself is about casual sex, but the way it's presented doesn't elicit a red label.
This was a bit tough. The song is sexual in nature and even references what seems to be a very young woman but the lyrics tell a story of not giving it up just for the money. Yet, all she wants is sexy and independence in a man. Not much deeper than the money...
A song describing what they do at the club.
Why: Violence, materialism, toxic masculinity, ego trip.
2005
A warm, sensual breakup song.
A song about fighting another (probably girl) and being the winner. This leans heavily on ego, violence and us vs. them, but does escape the red label.
A sweet and sensual R&B love song.
A celebratory power pop anthem about being free from a toxic relationship.
A far cry from "The Twist" but still a harmless dance song.
An oddball of a song that actually isn't that bad in the overall message. It's about women that take advantage of wealthy men.
A song about isolation and loneliness.
A candy shop metaphor for sex.
Why: Sexualization
A song about wanting someone other than the one you're with. While sexually explicit in a few lines, the overall song is about not making hasty decisions.
A song describing the torment of a breakup.
2006
The song is about making it through a bad day.
Another song about sexualized dance.
Why: Sexualization
It's in the title... and was a close call but, its green, because it doesn't fully dip into anything toxic or explicit.
A beautiful love song about love at first sight but knowing it will never happen.
We've strayed away from the more subtle and ethereal essence of the songs about dancing in the 70s and 80s. It's clearly focused on the physical body and full of innuendo. Not enough to deem red but it's close.
An empowering pop anthem about writing your own life story.
After reading the lyrics, I'm going crazy to determine what the song is about! Many ideas but all introspective.
A song about not getting caught with weapons or drugs by the cops.
Why: Crime, drunk driving, sex, drugs, violence, us vs. them.
Clearly sexually charged, but the song is just talking about being sexy, not actually telling of anything sexually explicit.
A song about talking about what it would take to have sex. Sidenote: We're entering into an era of female empowerment by way of teasing the man. We'll see how this backfires into today's cancel-culture world.
2007
A song scorning an ex lover in the aftermath of a breakup.
Why: A clear dip into what has become the dominant attitude in today's music, incorporating sarcasm with belittling an opposing party. This is now called "bad bitch" attitude. Here we're also taking the compassion out of breaking up and igniting the "me vs. you" and "I have value and you're worthless" trend that's thriving today.
Offering your support and comfort to another and being there for them in the hard times.
Recounting the dynamics of a somewhat dysfunctional relationships.
An introspective song about being strong on your own.
Using alcohol to get a girl to have sex with you.
Why: Sex and substance abuse.
A song about getting back at a cheating lover. An eye for an eye.
Why: Revenge.
A beautiful sentiment about a long distance relationship.
We all know what the real lyric is.
Why: Blatant sexualization.
Exceptionally poetic for the time period - a song about being caught between the good and bad traits of a lover.
A song saying if you don't have money you're not valid. If the song focused more on not letting broke men take advantage of you, as the final verse touches on, it would be a different story.
Why: Ego-trip and worship of material.
2008
A song about watching and encouraging women to dance provocatively.
Why: Materialism, objectifying women and sexualized dancing.
This one is difficult to label. It's about toxic relationships, but hard to tell if it's glorifying them or promoting complacency or overcoming past abuses. Because it gets the listener to think and doesn't wholly decide for them, it's a green.
A song about finding your true love and sticking to it amidst onlookers trying to poke holes in it's truth.
Another sexually explicit song. I have a tough time with this because I love this era of Wayne. The Carter III is my favorite rap album ever, and it's objectively one of the greatest post-classic rap era albums ever. But, the pop-single is not lyrically healthy for the psyche.
Why: Hypersexual lyrics.
A song about not going back to someone that's cut you too deep to make amends.
A song describing their love as being as important as the air they breathe.
Calling out a lover and saying she won't idolize them like they expect or want to be.
A song about wanting to have sex in the club and using alcohol to make it easier. A disturbing and common tactic found in many negatively charged songs is when they masquerade as higher consciousness when they use lyrics like "sexually, mentally, physically, emotionally" in an attempt to make this seem a whole lot more wholesome than it is. Even using the term "making love" is misleading. You're not making love to someone if it's casual sex.
Why: Substance use and sex.
A young love song about being in love.
In 2008 I had my first real boyfriend and this was our song. It's a cute and uplifting bubblegum love song. (No pun intended with the bubble gum. IYKYK.)
2009
A tirade on why we're better than everyone else. An ego-trip disguised by cutting edge production.
Why: Ego and us vs. them mentality.
A song about playing the field and dating. This is a great example of poetry delivering a sexually charged message without being explicit. I'm going to be lenient and go with the fact that most of the world had no idea of the extremely explicit lyric during the height of the song's popularity.
A rousing club anthem about the club.
I gotta feeling that this song's a celebratory anthem about having a good night out partying. This song may have been novelty when it came out, but the "party every day" mentality slowly became a norm over the next decade.
A cute and honest young love song.
A song about oral sex, gawking at and fondling women.
Why: Hypersexualization and objectification of women.
A warm and heartfelt song about love and commitment.
A song from the perspective of the one that got away.
A song describing the pain of a turbulent breakup.
People are going to be mad about this one but this is a clear case of sarcasm-laced insults and revenge-speak. The song is about wishing misfortune on someone. Again, this was a novel idea when it came out, but it's become all too common these days.
Why: Revenge and ill-wishes.
2010
A song about partying, casual sex and getting blackout drunk.
Why: Glorified debauchery.
A song about being lonely and calling your ex. I wanted to make this red so bad but it doesn't glorify or endorse the actions it's recounting and as long as those actions don't become a habit (which the song does not indicate) this is just an expression of pain and guilt.
A fun portrayal of a good relationship.
A pop anthem about California girls.
Why: Sexualization and materialism.
A song about gawking at a woman dancing.
Why: Sexualizing women and confusing sexual attraction with love.
This song discusses the truth behind the music industry and the dark side of success.
A song about a dysfunctional relationship.
Why: Violence, glorifying toxic, dysfunctional relationships. Even though the narrator knows he's doing wrong and somewhat wishes to change it, the song does not resolve in a positive way. Same with Rihanna's character - she knows it's wrong but she stays in the relationship.
A song about taking the good with the bad in a relationship.
An all-out club anthem about the club!
When you know you're a toxic person but you don't even care, and you're even proud of it.
Why: Glorifying narcissism and disrespect.
2011
While not sexual (thankfully), it's a breakup song filled with disdain for the opposing party, something becoming more common now than ever before in popular music. Not enough to make it red, but it leans that way.
Debauchery manifest. A song about partying.
Why: Everything. Sexualization, misogyny, materialism, substance abuse
An empowering anthem that builds up the listener's self esteem.
A trippy take on a song about a crush or a lover.
A high-powered club anthem about seizing the night because "we might not get tomorrow."
An imaginative song about an imbalanced relationship.
No need to explain. When I heard this on the radio I knew we were heading into uncharted moral territory.
Why: Glorifying aggressive verbal abuse and an us vs. them mindset.
A song describing the type of guy Nicki likes and the type of girl she is.
Why: Casual violence, glorifying drug dealing, materialism. (How many little girls are singing along to a song that references dealing cocaine in the first verse?) The song did not need those explicit terms to be a hit.
Bordering on an ego trip and little reference to real love but a modern love song nonetheless.
Not much love to be found here either. Is this what the "crush song" is turning into?
2012
A deeply honest but harsh breakup song.
Maybe the world's most popular digital-age crush song.
A song documenting the nightlife lifestyle of the modern age and going through it with friends or partners.
A want-you-back breakup song.
A poetic pop song about nothing in particular, which makes it great because it can be about almost anything.
A song about being together with someone you like or love. The mentions of alcohol are subtle messages of substance abuse and certainly were not needed but it's not quite enough to deem it red.
An empower power-pop anthem.
A song about finding love through the darkness of life.
A song about careless living masquerading as empowerment and freedom.
Why: Endorsing alcohol use, casual sex, careless money habits.
A fun loving song about a girl that's beautiful just the way they are. I love the references to "no makeup" because that is the only beauty agenda we should be pushing.
2013
A materialistic song about buying thrift clothes and glorifying/normalizing being broke. (Likely due to an oppressive economic system, but the song doesn't discuss that.) Thrifting isn't bad, neither is this song, and it's just entertainment so it's green, but it paves the way for what is now acceptable to talk about in popular music.
A song of sexual innuendo. The song would be green if it weren't for TI's rap.
Why: Objectifying women, materialism, sexualization.
An anthemic observation of the changing times.
A sign of the coming slide into debauchery via EDM and party lifestyle creeping from the fringes into the mainstream.
A pump-up song about greatness and chasing dreams. It's not quite enough to be exceptional but it's up there.
A beautiful modern love song.
A song pondering the complications of a relationship.
A song acknowledging what the narrator could have done better in a past relationship.
A feel-good song for driving down the highway. Mentions of alcohol and sex are standard at this point, but not enough to warrant a red.
Katy Perry had some of the most empowering pop music of our time - some of the most materialistic/sexualized as well - but this is a song about strength and belief in one's self.
2014
Objectively this gets a positive but personally I think it's neutral. It's always felt like the ultimate "ignorance is bliss" ditty. This is the best we can do these days for a positive, uplifting song?
This song is a bit of an ego trip warning a future lover that once they're with you, "there's no going back."
A beautiful love song about loving someone with their imperfections and all.
A song about being the best at life.
Why: Ego trip, materialism, irreverence, nihilism.
A song proclaiming there are more important things in life than money.
A song about sex and money.
Why: Hyper sexualization, materialism, objectification of women.
This is an interesting song because it's at the crossroads of dissent and self empowerment. The narrator wants to marry a girl but her father says no, but the narrator says he's going to marry her anyway. We don't know anything about the narrator, so it's up for personal interpretation, but if he were to say "I'm a bad boy and I'm gonna do what I want to your daughter." this would be red. But because we don't know, it's green.
A song about that bass. A shame that they had to work sex into a song that's attempting to be empowering. Saying that "mama" says guys like a bigger butt is not sweet and is notempowerment.
It seems that the song resolves to say, "You're no good for me," and that leaving is the right thing to do.
A now classic song about knowing this isn't love but not knowing how to let go.
2015
An egotistical, materialistic party song.
A beautiful acknowledgement of love.
It's been a while since we've had a top 10 song about death. Good vibes here. Especially because it's talking about male/male compassion and friendship.
A song about the girl that rides with the homies in the trap.
Why: Objectification of women, sexualization, materialism, ego trip.
Could it be? An ode to the classic bubble gum love song? I think so! I genuinely like this song.
Another song warning a potential lover about the narrator's ways. This leans into "narcissistic anthem" territory. I'll leave it alone for now but even Taylor isn't safe from my label maker.
A good old fashioned, fun-loving, all-ages dance song.
A song about being right for each other. But I have to ask: earned what? His sex? His love? What exactly did she earn? Subjectively this is red because it has misogyny, power and control all over it, but because it's deeply set behind the intention of the lyrics, objectively it's green.
Ah yes, the true essence of The Weeknd comes out. A song about an intoxicated booty call. This is one of the most dangerous songs of the decade. How many people these days are actually living the life of "When I'm fed up that's the real me"? Millions.
Why: Glorifying casual sex and substance abuse.
2016
A song that says "you should go and f yourself." (Everyone knows this is the real lyric.) Well done, society.
Why: Verbal abuse, retaliation.
A song asking for forgiveness.
A song about connecting with a lover one more time before you leave. The lyrics are tame enough I suppose.
A song about trying to work out problems in a relationship.
An introspective song about the artist's journey and commentary on moving from childhood to adulthood in this modern world.
The song's title refers to a colorway of a BMW X6 (according to the artist.)
Why: Materialism, violence, drugs, objectifying women.
Reflecting on a past relationship and attempting to apologize to an ex-lover but to no avail.
A song calling out for a lover in times of need.
A fun-filled and uplifting song about love and dancing.
A song about an ex-lover or fling that wasn't the healthiest choice but you're engaging with them again in an attempt to cling to the past. The kicker is in the first line "I was doing just fine before I met you."
Why: Complacency, glorifying casual sex.
2017
It's nice to think this song is innocent but the story is driven by alcohol and sexual attraction.
Why: Sex and substance use.
I'm basing this on the translated lyrics.) This is a lust-filled song about desire.
A song proclaiming love and commitment but doing it through materialism and sex.
Why: Materialism and sex.
A raw but true beef-with-everyone track on the surface but with societal commentary and a personal mantra underneath.
A song about finding what you've been looking for. A tale of not needing super powers or heroic might to love and be loved.
A braggadocious ego-trip and example of what has become a normal occurrence in popular music.
Why: Ego-trip, violence, drugs, materialism.
A song about an ex-lover or fling that wasn't the healthiest choice but you're engaging with them again in an attempt to cling to the past.
Why: Complacency, glorifying casual sex.
A song obsessing over the body of a woman and comparing it to a winding back road. Nice.
Why: Objectification of women, glorifying a relationship based on sex.
A reclamation of one's power and value.
This song has the bones of an anthem about overcoming adversity and reaching one's goals but it descends into an ego-trip and materialistic worship. The song is training the masses that unfettered materialism and sex is what it means to "make it" in today's world.
Why: Heavy ego trip, materialism, objectification of women.
2018
From my analysis of the lyrics this seems to be an ego-trip pity party for a rap superstar.
A true love song with no sexual over or undertones.
I actually quite enjoy this song. It's about exploring a potential partner and letting the relationship take a natural course.
A song about meeting someone in a foreign city and having a casual encounter. If it weren't for the lyrics in the rap, it would be green.
Why: Objectification of women, sexualization, materialism.
The first line says it all. A braggadocious anthem recounting an extreme version of the rock star lifestyle.
Why: Glorification of substances, objectification of women, sexualization, us vs. them, ego trip, violence.
A song about having lots of money and fame.
Why: Materialism, objectification of women, sexualization, ego trip.
A song about nothing but everything below.
Why: Materialism, objectification of men, us vs. them, ego trip.
An uplifting anthem about relationships needing effort from both parties to make it work.
I was hoping that by some miracle this wouldn't be red, but the song is about nothing but sex and materialism.
Why: Objectification of women, sexualization, materialism, confusing sex and materialism with love.
A light hearted song about being right for each other. (Even though both sides admit they have toxic qualities and the relationship has deep issues. This is the complacency that has settled in to our culture.)
2019
It could be extrapolated that the song is about taking your fancy car to Rodeo drive and shopping until you run out of money or energy. A song that mentions cheating, substance use, materialism and an "I'm better than you" ego trip all in the span of less than two minutes.
Why: Infidelity, substance use, materialism, ego trip.
This song is about a relationship that isn't going well. There is one blatant sexual reference but I can't bring myself to label it red, though it probably should be.
Reflecting on someone that took advantage of your love and attention.
This song probably unleashed the flood of "villain era" sentiment and made being bad and not giving a F trendy.
Why: Glorifying disrespect, cheating.
Every Post Malone song from this era is about the same thing.
Why: Ego-trip, objectification of women, materialism, substance use.
A truly introspective and thoughtful song pondering the realities of a relationship and what's best for both parties. The narrator puts his soon to be ex partner first, knowing that leaving is the best thing, even if it will hurt. BRA-VO!
A song that brags about being able to buy whatever you want.
Why: Materialism and ego-trip masquerading as self-esteem, sexualization.
A song that asks to discuss and identify where a relationship is going.
This song doesn't have a topic other than...
Why: Sexualization, materialism, ego-trip, substance use, us vs. them, violence.
This song may seem innocent, and it could have been, but it talks about going back to a bad habit, often because you were under the influence of a substance.
Why: Glorifying substance use and unhealthy/co-dependent relationships.
2020
A song about being so messed up mentally or overstimulated by our modern world that you need someone to have sex with to feel better. I want to make this red but objectively it's not quite there.
A song bordering on complacency and discussing a bad relationship. There is no resolve, but it's not quite glorifying anything.
A song about the following.
Why: Sexualization, objectification of women, glorifying violence & crime.
A song about not giving in when a less-then-savory lover comes around again.
No comment.
Why: Extreme violence.
It's been a while since we had a good old fashioned love song! I can see why Harry stuck out during this time.
An ego-trip about having a "good" and "better" life than others.
Why: Ego-trip and materialism.
Quite the sentimental track about memories. Don't know why they had to include a reference to alcohol but that's mainstream culture for you these days.
A truly uplifting and meaningful message about having a relationship that has a solid foundation, instead of one built on sex or materialism.
Been a while since we've had a good old break up song here, too!
2021
A dance song that could easily be distilled into being about casual sex. Objectively I don't think I can mark this negative but it teeters on the brink of mindless hypnotism.
Two lovers discussing how they hurt each other and how hard it is to move on. I can't quite pin this down to being red but it carries a complacent and self-sabotaging attitude.
A song about being so messed up mentally or overstimulated by our modern world that you need someone to have sex with to feel better. I want to make this red but objectively it's not quite there.
A song about avoiding emotions and only looking for sex in a relationship.
Why: Glorifying emotional avoidance and casual sex.
This song laments over an ex that treated them poorly. It's a self empowerment anthem built on sarcasm and eye for an eye mentality.
Why: Normalizing extreme sarcasm.
This is where it gets sticky. Only a small fraction of people will understand why this is red. It's because this song combines 1) taking your anger out on someone through 2) passive aggressive sarcasm, which is not mature or healthy and is essentially retaliation. It glorifies taking the low road of stooping to their level and complaining and blaming, not rising above it. She doesn't mean "good for you," she means "f you." This is an example of double speak, which is a plague on modern communication and society.
A song about wanting more kisses and "corny," "gushy," intimacy, but it doesn't actually amount to that by the end. Also, kissing with tongue, as verbalized in the song, is a sexual act.
Why: Confusing sex with love, hyper sexualization.
Now we're reaching saturation. This song is about "love" (i.e. the lyric "coming from the heart",) but it's not about love, it's about physical attraction and sex.
Why: Substance use, sexualization.
A warm yet bittersweet teenage breakup song. Feels like we haven't had one of these since the turn of the century or earlier.
A song about nothing but below.
Why: Drug abuse and HYPER sexualization. I mean HYPER.
The one line about "ain't living right" does nothing to balance the glorification of the rest of the content of the song.
A song talking about the women in the singers' lives.
2022
A creative and alternative song about a breakup.
A cryptic yet artistic song about a relationship and/or life post-pandemic.
The narrator is asking his lover to stay even though he knows he's toxic and will never change. Nice. A textbook narcissist's anthem.
Why: Glorifying substance abuse, toxic relationships and narcissism.
A song about compassion, grace and understanding.
I guess you could call this a modern love song since it's above love but that love is heavily based on physical qualities and actions.
A song about nothing but below.
Why: Ego-trip, materialism, sexualization.
Pornography in song form.
Why: Hyper sexualization, ego-trip.
A song about missing someone.
A song about promising revenge on a traitor.
Why: Revenge, violence.
A introspective song pondering thoughts about oneself. Hard to pin down an exact topic, which makes it great!
2023
A song about drinking hard liquor which unveiled a toxic relationship but deciding to stay anyway.
Why: Alcohol abuse, glorifying toxic relationships.
A self-empowerment song about treating yourself better than you ex did.
A song about killing your ex.
Why: Extreme violence.
A song proclaiming you are the problem. The first lyric describes it all.
Why: Deflection of responsibility, nihilism, not caring that you damage others.
A song about cheating. The song actually resolves on the last line and says to not come back if you're going to cheat.
A modern song about a crush. Heavily focused on the physical, but somewhat harmless in lyric, at least from what I could perceive.
A modern song about not wanting to breakup.
We all know this song.
An aggressive and distorted way of proclaiming of commitment.
A song about not much.
Conclusion
The fact that many songs are red these days is a signal that society is unhappy and/or operating from a lower frequency. It's my goal to use music to raise that frequency.