Prices might be soaring in 2025, but this unfortunate economic downturn has brought the revival of a classic genre: recession pop.
Recession pop, characterized as high-BPM, electronic "dance-pop," emerged during the Great Recession and focuses on themes such as partying and living life to the fullest. Some paragons of the genre include Pitbull, Lady Gaga and the Black Eyed Peas.
But for how adored the genre was, recession pop was fleeting — only lasting until the early 2010s.
Now, artists like Charli xcx (and the never-ending renaissance of Mr. Worldwide) are headlining recession pop's revival, and this fresh 2020s rendition has been embraced with overall positive fanfare.
"No, I'll never go home / Don't sleep, don't eat / Just do it on repeat"
"For the past couple of years, the main trendy pop music was really mellow and sad. I was in my 'Bags' by Clairo era," said Sarah Maisha, a sophomore studying computer science. "But sometimes I don't want to listen to 'Bags. ' I want to listen to... that old 2014 radio music that you would hear in the car."
Esther Robinson, a junior studying business, said recession pop still serves as a method of escapism when times get tough — an echoed sentiment of the original movement.
"(Recession pop) came out of a need to not focus on real life when it really became popular in 2008," Robinson said. "But even now, there are definitely things in general, not even connected to the economy, that you just kind of want to get away from in music."
Nevertheless, the economy still plays a big role in recession pop — it's in the name.
"Music has always represented the economic status of our country. For instance, electronic music always gets popular during times of recessions," said Maxine Hernandez, a sophomore studying photography, alluding to the rise of house and techno in the '80s.
This trend still persists. Lady Gaga dropped a new recession pop anthem, "Abracadabra" on Feb. 3, just as egg prices continued to rise up to $4.95 a dozen.
“Let's make the most of the night / Like we're gonna die young”
While the economy is important when examining the rise of recession pop, nostalgia is a heavy factor as well. Though "Abracadabra" came out in a time of rising consumer costs, Robinson found the song's appeal lies in its nostalgia.
"It totally reminds me of when I was like seven or eight, and I was listening to old Lady Gaga," Robinson said. "It's just so fun."
Recession pop was founded on principles of escapism — going out and partying your problems away was encouraged. To some, using music as a form of escapism raises some eyebrows.
"I wanna take you away, let's escape into the music / DJ, let it play"
Maisha notes that using too much music to escape can be problematic since listeners run the risk of growing unaware of what's going on in the real world.
Robinson doesn't take an issue with using music as a temporary, sweet escape. Moderation makes the magic in recession pop. The primary motif in the genre is having the night of their lives, nothing long-term.
Paradoxically, the rise of recession pop — a genre founded on going to the club and dancing your woes away — has been countered by a generational shift where Gen Z doesn't out as much as their predecessors.
"I feel stressed out, I wanna let it go / Let's go way out, spaced out, and losing all control"
Maisha said a lack of third spaces is a potential reason for this change in clubbing culture. Money could also have a part to play. Recession pop makes for some great songs, but being in a recession means funds get tight. However, many agree COVID-19 has thrown a wrench in the social scene.
"People do live a little more vicariously through music," said Hernandez. "COVID-19 really changed a lot of people's perceptions about going out and what it means to socialize. I feel like not everyone has fully come back from that era."
The legacy of social distancing and quarantining persists for many, but it's still possible to find a middle ground.
"Even if we're not going out and partying, it's still fun to listen to it," Robinson said. "Even with yourself, with your friends, having listening parties has become a really big thing. So even if it's not going out, it can still bring the joy to you."
"I wanna scream and shout / And let it all out."
For all the noise and speculation surrounding the return of recession pop, fans say it's great to see pop be energetic again. Music mirrors current affairs; there's invariably going to be ups and downs. With all the turmoil suffocating the country, it's refreshing for many that music continues to keep the people's hopes up.
In the pursuit of a better world, maybe it's necessary to keep on dancing until that utopian paradise idealized in recession pop manifests into reality.
Edited by Andrew Dirst, Sophia Braccio and Natalia Jarrett.
Reach the reporter at stroeste@asu.edu and follow @samtroester on X.
Like The State Press on Facebook and follow @statepress on X.
Sam is a sophomore studying political science with a minor in business. This is his first semester with The State Press.
