Don't Like - Buzzword Lyrics

Language is tricky because it’s always evolving but its base largely remains the same. For every new word or turn of phrase, there’s an ocean of words that have existed for far longer. When it comes to lyrics, this can present a problem of using a word or phrase that’s popular right now but might be gone tomorrow. I’m not talking about using regional slang like “Hyphy” but about using buzzword words that percolate in culture. For instance, about midway through his smash hit “24K Magic,” Bruno Mars drops a “#Blessed.” The song came out in 2016 so it isn’t surprising that he’d use a popular saying of that time, but it also indelibly makes the song feel very 2016. Doesn’t that feel like the last time you heard someone say, tweet, or comment “#Blessed?” It’s too bad because the song would otherwise have greater staying power beyond proms and weddings. Bruno isn’t the only one making this mistake these days. The problem is widespread. Take Dua Lipa’s “Illusion” which starts with a reference to “red flags.” While that may be a way we talk about problematic behaviors right now, it’s also a term that’s starting to feel overused. So who knows how much longer it’ll still be around—and remember that when “#blessed” was omnipresent it didn’t feel like it was going anywhere. Here’s another example from an album that came out today. Taylor Swift has a lyric from her new album that goes, “I don’t cater to all these vipers dressed in empath’s clothing.” This is supposed to be one of the better lyrics off the album, but imagine trying to explain to someone in 10-20 years that there was a moment when the word “empath” was part of online discourse about how self-identifying as an empath was actually a toxic behavior in and of itself. That’s precisely the problem with this kind of lyricism in pop music right now. Yes, it connects with its audience of this very moment but it renders the music inextricably linked to that moment in the most boring way, which is particularly bad if the (ostensible) goal of good art is to be timeless.