EPISODE 152

In 2019 guitar made a comeback in the top 10. According to analysis from Hit Songs Deconstructed, about a third of all songs featured the electric guitar, a nearly 10% jump from the year before. In 2020 this trend isn’t stopping. Recent releases by Halsey, 5 Seconds of Summer and Joji all prominently feature electric guitars tones. They reference 90s nu-metal, grunge and metal genres. More than a nostalgic nod, these songs draw from an era that was self-consciously “alternative” to convey disaffection, frustration and longing.

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Listen to our conversation about MIA’s “Paper Planes” and Drake’s “God’s Plan” with Sam Sanders on NPR’s It’s Been A Minute

SONGS DISCUSSED

Khalid, Normani - Love Lies

Juice WRLD - Lucid Dreams

Halsey -  Without Me

Joji - Slow Dancing In The Dark

Joji - Run

Metallica - Enter Sandman

Santo & Jonny - Sleep Walk

Chuck Berry - Johnny B. Goode

Buddy Holly - That’ll Be The Day

LCD Soundsystem - Losing My Edge

5 Seconds Of Summer - No Shame

Nirvana - Come As You Are

Halsey - Experiment On Me

Rage Against The Machine - Bulls On Parade

Limp Bizkit - Break Stuff