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Pop songs are getting WAY shorter

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bmw
Posts: 7749
Joined: Sun Dec 05, 2004 1:02 am

Pop songs are getting WAY shorter

Unread post by bmw »

I pretty much quit paying attention to current music in the past few years, but out of curiosity today I took a look at the Top 40 chart, and as looked songs up on youtube - one thing jumped out at me right away - the short length of a lot of the songs. Here's just the Top 10:

1 - Tate McRae - Greedy - 2:35
2 - Doja Cat - Paint the Town Red - 3:52
3 - Paul Russell - Lil Boo Thang - 1:55
4 - Miley Cyrus - Used to be Young - 3:09
5 - Billie Eilish - What was I made for - 3:41
6 - Taylor Swift - Is it Over Now - 3:50
7 - Dua Lipa - Houdini - 3:07
8 - Jack Harlow - Lovin on Me - 2:18
9 - Olivia Rodrigo - Get him back - 3:32
10 - Tyla - Water - 3:22

That's an average of 3:08 with no song at or over 4 minutes. Wasn't all that long ago that 3:30 was typical with a lot of songs at 4 or 4 and a half minutes. Is this just an attention span thing with today's generation?
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Ben Zonia
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Re: Pop songs are getting WAY shorter

Unread post by Ben Zonia »

It's about time they went back to 1970 track lengths. Anything much more than 3:00 is usually superfluous intros and outtros from outtakes. There are a few exceptions.
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Mega Hertz
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Location: Brighton

Re: Pop songs are getting WAY shorter

Unread post by Mega Hertz »

I mean, this is the way it was back in the 50s and 60s. Single driven market, 2 to 3 minutes (sometimes 3 minutes was pushing it), having the hook at the start of the song, nothing Little Richard and the Beatles didn't do 60 years ago.
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audiophile
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Re: Pop songs are getting WAY shorter

Unread post by audiophile »

It's to make more money. Song royalties on the internet are paid by the song x number of listeners.
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ChrisWL1980
Posts: 893
Joined: Wed Nov 06, 2019 2:36 am

Re: Pop songs are getting WAY shorter

Unread post by ChrisWL1980 »

At this rate, American Top 40 could easily go back to being a three-hour show, as it was before 1978. One less hour of Ryan Seacrap might actually be a good thing.
ral315
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Joined: Fri Apr 16, 2021 10:46 pm

Re: Pop songs are getting WAY shorter

Unread post by ral315 »

If you're gonna have a hit, you gotta make it fit. So they cut it down to 3:05.
Mega Hertz
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Re: Pop songs are getting WAY shorter

Unread post by Mega Hertz »

ral315 wrote: Fri Dec 15, 2023 6:48 pm If you're gonna have a hit, you gotta make it fit. So they cut it down to 3:05.
Excellent reference.
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TC Talks
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Joined: Wed Oct 26, 2005 2:41 am

Re: Pop songs are getting WAY shorter

Unread post by TC Talks »

In my third year as a dj, I learned the Inagada Devita trick. Hands down the best song to drop a deuce. And every radio edit rock song was 2:45 - 3:30.

Maybe this is Biden's fault.
For Kristian Trumpers are not serving our Lord Christ, but their own appetites. By smooth talk and flattery they deceive the minds of naive people.
-Romans 16:18

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Mega Hertz
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Joined: Fri Jun 15, 2012 10:09 pm
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Re: Pop songs are getting WAY shorter

Unread post by Mega Hertz »

TC Talks wrote: Sat Dec 16, 2023 9:33 am In my third year as a dj, I learned the Inagada Devita trick. Hands down the best song to drop a deuce. And every radio edit rock song was 2:45 - 3:30.

Maybe this is Biden's fault.
SONGS WERE LONGER WHEN TRUMP WAS PRESIDENT!!!11!! FACTS WOKE THE LEFT LGBTQ× SN0WFLEAK!!!
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