Anti-Telos Choruses in Recent Pop

Drew Nobile • University of Oregon • [email protected] SMT 2019 • Columbus, OH

Some post-2010 pop songs with anti-telos choruses (bold = discussed in presentation)

Climax Artist Song Year Notes elsewhere?

Zedd, Maren “Pull me closer” in prechorus; chorus has vocals only Second half of The Middle 2018 Morris, & Grey with lots of empty space chorus is climactic

Chorus talks about being “so far away,” but anti-telos Halsey Without Me 2018 underscores the loneliness of distance

Less of a buildup in prechorus, but deﬁnite pull-back Selena Gomez Back to You 2018 Pop drop at chorus

Second half of Zara Larsson Ruin My Life 2018 Chorus asks for intimacy with sparse accompaniment chorus is climactic

Zedd & Elley Duhé Happy Now 2018 Pop drop

Prechorus builds to a climactic event; chorus snaps to Look What You Taylor Swift 2017 aftermath (“look what you made me do”), skipping Made Me Do the event

High-pitched breathy singing in chorus after Final chorus is Taylor Swift …Ready For It? 2017 aggressive, rapped verse and prechorus climactic

Anti-telos accompanies nervous question to unfaithful Second half of Charlie Puth How Long 2017 lover: “How long has this been going on?” chorus is climactic

Zedd & Alessia Stay 2017 Chorus has vocals only with lots of empty space Pop drop Cara

Low energy makes it initially unclear which section is Final chorus is Taylor Swift Delicate 2017 chorus climactic

Half-time chorus simulates lights dimming to set a Second half of Bruno Mars That’s What I Like 2016 (sexual) mood chorus is climactic

The Chainsmokers Closer 2016 “Baby pull me closer” in chorus as beat drops out Pop drop

Ariana Grande Side to Side 2016

Whispered chorus after belted prechorus brings singer Final chorus is Ariana Grande Problem 2014 right up to our ear climactic

I Knew You Were Taylor Swift 2012 Pop drop Trouble

Justin Bieber Beauty and a Beat 2012 Pop drop

Verse and prechorus are a sexual proposition; anti- Britney Spears 3 2011 telos teases addressee into accepting

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