Recession pop

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Recession Pop
Stylistic origins
Cultural originsLate 2000s to early 2010s, United States and United Kingdom
Other topics

Recession pop is an informally defined style of music predominantly associated with dance-pop and electropop, that emerged during the Great Recession in the United States in the late 2000s to early 2010s.

The term was coined to describe a wave of up-tempo, catchy, repetitive, feel-good pop music characterized by fast BPMs, high-energy production and catchy melodies, that was produced in the wake of the 2008 global financial crisis, with lyrics centered around embracing hedonism, youthfulness, freedom, and constant partying in the midst of an economic recession.[2][3] It often blends elements of electronic dance music, synth-pop and electropop with dance-pop. The genre is seen as reflective of a broader cultural trend during economic downturns, where art serves both as a critique of the times and a coping mechanism.[4]

Notable artists include Britney Spears, Lady Gaga, Taylor Swift, Beyoncé, Katy Perry, Madonna, Miley Cyrus, Black Eyed Peas, LMFAO, Kesha, Dua Lipa, Pitbull, Lana Del Rey, David Guetta, Ariana Grande, Flo Rida, and Christina Aguilera.

Background

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The term "recession pop" first gained prominence during the Great Recession and 2008 financial crash, a global financial crisis that significantly impacted economies worldwide. As individuals and communities grappled with unemployment, housing instability, and financial insecurity, popular music began to reflect these changes. Artists crafted songs characterized by a danceable sound and an emphasis on nightlife and partying, providing a sense of escapism, while others focused on themes of survival, frustration, sadness, and hope, often wrapped in an optimistic message[5].

Music journalists noted the popularity of dance tracks, particularly those with narratives about clubbing and feeling positive during hard times, in pop music in the early 2010s being seen as a response to the 2007–2008 financial crisis or 2012 phenomenon, with the colloquial term "recession pop" used to define the popular songs of this decade.[6]

The Guardian stated that times of economic downturn or global recessions were categorized by an influx of upbeat, fun and happy dance-pop music: "[...] when Pitbull and Kesha were massive – whenever there’s a recession, people party way more. If anyone wants to play a fun song, it’s usually from 2008."[7] Additionally, Vice described recession pop songs as "meant to be screamed along to, danced to, used as a soundtrack to a chaotic night out. To be a recession banger means to offer your listeners a place of escape within your music, turning every party into an extravagant, maximalist club experience even if you’re broke."[8]

Some music critics argue that the genre reflects popular culture, music, and art during times of economic downturns drawing parallels between the Great Depression and the rise of swing and big band music in the 1920s-30s.[9]

History and characteristics

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2008–2021: Origins and the Great Recession

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Lady Gaga performing during the Fame Ball Tour in March 2009.

A precursor to the term in hip-hop was The Recession (2008), an album from rapper Jeezy that referenced the Great Recession in the United States. It became a political message in support for the 2008 presidential campaign for Barack Obama.[10]

The term "recession pop" first appeared in a 2009 Irish Independent article on the effects of an economic downturn in Ireland on popular music. The article featured an interview with singer Lady Gaga, who agreed with the article's observations.[11] The Fame (2008) was credited for its synth-pop songfulness satirizing the Great Recession,[12] citing: "Poker Face" inspired by gambling,[13] with "LoveGame" receiving sexual attention at a nightclub,[14] and "Just Dance" as a joyous-themed song appealing people going through tough times in their life.[15]

The term was once used again in a 2012 Pitchfork article highlighting various singers and producers who left or had been dropped from their record labels, deeming them as independent musicians who were set to enter the mainstream media.[16]

Notable examples of recession pop songs include "I Gotta Feeling" (2009) by the Black Eyed Peas and "Teenage Dream" (2010) by Katy Perry.[17][18][19] The rise of recession pop is argued to be the response of the musical industry to the decreased state of general consumer spending wrought by the Great Recession. Record labels translated parallelly to cable networks in this era, with music channels such as MTV branding this new sound directly to consumers inflicted by economic hardship. This hence gave rise to a new generation of performers typified with high energy compositions and showmanship. Through this phenomenon, prominent artists during this era grew to stardom through chart-topping anthems considered as major contributors to recession pop such as Lady Gaga, Kesha, and Katy Perry.[20][3]

"Recession pop" gained widespread recognition in 2024 after going viral on TikTok. In July 2024, interest in "recession pop" peaked, with Google searches reaching an all-time high.[21]

2022–present: Reemergence and evolution

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Vice outlined the term "recession banger" in a 2022 article by connecting viral dances and catchy lyricism from electronic dance music (EDM), which was derived from dance-pop in the late 1980s, and embraced dubstep in the early 2000s. The article applied the term to the album Renaissance (2022) by singer Beyoncé, which was inspired by the Ballroom scene and clubbing culture during the economic downturns in the 1970s.[22] Canadian singer Carly Rae Jepsen endeavored to recreate the informal term in her 2022 song "The Loneliest Time" but was criticized by student newspaper the Brown Daily Herald by imperfecting "to replicate the club elements of 2010s pop music" for the album of the same name.[23]

Charli XCX performing during the Brat Tour in November 2024.

The commercial success of The Rise and Fall of a Midwest Princess (2023) and Brat (2024) marked career breakthroughs for singers Chappell Roan and Charli XCX.[24] This made recession pop gain widespread recognition as retrospective nostalgia in 2024 through the social media platform TikTok. CNBC reported how the term provided a sense of optimism and escapism as the Great Recession took unemployment and inflation surging globally in 2008, notably in the United States and most Western countries.[21] Katy Perry's 2024 single "Woman's World",[25][26] Kesha and T-Pain's 2025 single "Yippee-Ki-Yay",[27][28] and Lady Gaga's 2025 single "Abracadabra" have been described as recession pop.[29][30]

References

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  1. ^ Routledge, Ashleigh (October 7, 2022). "Recession Pop Takeover: As inflation rates and discussions of a recession heighten, the music scene is already seeing a rise of upbeat pop". The Harbinger. Retrieved June 26, 2025.
  2. ^ Gibbs, Audrey. "What is recession pop? Why Kesha's new single heralds return of late-2000s jams". USA TODAY. Retrieved 2025-06-23.
  3. ^ a b Miyashita, Nina (September 11, 2024). "What exactly is "recession pop"?". Vogue Australia. News Corp Australia. Retrieved September 29, 2024.
  4. ^ "Towards a Theory of Recession Pop". hot knife. Retrieved 2025-06-25.
  5. ^ msuclass (2023-07-06). "Recession Pop: Dancing Through The Pain - The Current". thecurrentmsu.com. Retrieved 2025-06-25.
  6. ^ Slater, Bailey. "Dance Music Saves Us From The Exhausting Business Of 21st-Century Living". www.refinery29.com. Retrieved 2025-06-25.
  7. ^ Williams, Zoe (2024-07-16). "Brat summer: is the long era of clean living finally over?". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 2025-06-25.
  8. ^ Jackson, Gita (2022-08-04). "Beyoncé's 'Renaissance' Has Brought Back the Recession Banger". VICE. Retrieved 2025-06-25.
  9. ^ "Why is recession pop so damn good? | Ensemble Magazine". www.ensemblemagazine.co.nz. Retrieved 2025-06-25.
  10. ^ "Obama hip-hop: From mixtapes to mainstream". National Public Radio. November 7, 2008. Retrieved April 28, 2025.
  11. ^ "Recession pop". Irish Independent. Mediahuis Ireland. March 5, 2009. Retrieved April 28, 2025.
  12. ^ Casino, Katrina (September 27, 2009). "U.S. goes 'Gaga' over pop stars". Eagle Online. Archived from the original on September 6, 2020. Retrieved March 23, 2025.
  13. ^ McKay, Hollie (May 22, 2009). "Lady Gaga opens up about her preference for boys that look like girls". Fox News Channel. Archived from the original on May 24, 2009. Retrieved April 28, 2009.
  14. ^ Scaggs, Austin (February 19, 2009). "Lady Gaga worships queen and refuses to wear pants". Rolling Stone. Penske Media Corporation. Archived from the original on February 2, 2013. Retrieved January 7, 2018.
  15. ^ Melia, Daniel (April 15, 2009). "Lady Gaga: "Just Dance" took 10 minutes to write". Gigwise. Retrieved November 29, 2024.
  16. ^ Battan, Carrie (October 31, 2012). "A small pop". Pitchfork. Condé Nast. Archived from the original on October 31, 2018. Retrieved December 12, 2024.
  17. ^ Lee, Ryanna (February 23, 2025). "Recession pop is back: Three recession pop songs to check out in 2025". Her Campus. Archived from the original on April 26, 2025. Retrieved March 3, 2025.
  18. ^ Lloyd, Kitty (August 23, 2024). "Why is recession pop so damn good?". Ensemble. Retrieved April 18, 2025.
  19. ^ Wang, Steffanee; Renshaw, David (April 16, 2025). "The 10 essential songs of recession pop". The Fader. Retrieved 2025-06-23.
  20. ^ Capraro, Julia (April 1, 2025). "The 'recession pop' revival is a nostalgia myth". The Suffolk Journal. Archived from the original on April 2, 2025. Retrieved April 8, 2025.
  21. ^ a b Dickler, Jessica; Solá, Ana Teresa (July 21, 2024). "'Recession pop' is in: Why so many listeners are returning to music from darker economic times". CNBC. Archived from the original on January 26, 2025. Retrieved January 28, 2025.
  22. ^ Jackson, Gita (August 4, 2022). "Beyoncé's Renaissance has brought back the recession banger". Vice. Vice Media. Retrieved April 23, 2025.
  23. ^ Nadirashvili, Alex (October 24, 2024). "Carly Rae Jepsen's The Loneliest Time delivers soulless tunes dependent on nostalgia". The Brown Daily Herald. Archived from the original on March 2, 2024. Retrieved March 13, 2025.
  24. ^ Bennett, Olivia J. (July 16, 2024). "Recession pop is making a comeback". Dazed. Archived from the original on July 17, 2024. Retrieved December 24, 2024.
  25. ^ Hill, Jonquilyn (2025-06-11). "Can pop music actually predict a recession?". Vox. Retrieved 2025-06-23.
  26. ^ "Katy Perry: every single ranked in order of greatness". NME. July 18, 2024. Archived from the original on August 4, 2024. Retrieved August 13, 2024.
  27. ^ Balao, Neia (2025-03-28). "What is 'recession pop' — and why is it making a comeback? New music from Kesha, Lady Gaga signals return to 'escapist pop bangers.'". Yahoo Entertainment. Retrieved 2025-06-23.
  28. ^ Ramsey, Michael (Apr 3, 2025). "Coincidence? Recession-era artists releasing new music". NewsNation. Retrieved 2025-06-23.
  29. ^ DiNardo, Georgina (2025-04-08). "What is 'recession pop'? Why people are reaching for music from the mid-2000s". Today. Retrieved 2025-06-23.
  30. ^ Donaldson, Clare (2025-02-12). "Lady Gaga's 'Abracadabra' Heralds the Return of Recession Pop". The Daily Beast. Retrieved 2025-06-23.

Further reading

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