Tough Times, Meaningful Music, Mature Performers: Popular
ARTICLE 155 Tough times, meaningful music, Psychology of Music Psychology of Music mature performers: popular Copyright © 2009 Society for Education, Music and Psychology Research Billboard songs and performer vol 37(2): 155–179 [0305-7356 (200904 ) 37:2; 155–179] preferences across social and 10.1177/0305735608094512 economic conditions in the USA http://pom.sagepub.com TERRY F. PETTIJOHN II COASTAL CAROLINA UNIVERSITY , U S A DONALD F. SACCO, JR MIAMI UNIVERISTY , U S A ABSTRACT The Billboard number 1 songs for each year from 1955 to 2003 were investigated across changes in US social and economic conditions. Study 1 investigated song characteristics and ratings and found that when social and economic times were relatively threatening, songs that were longer in duration, more meaningful in content, more comforting, more romantic, and slower were most popular. Study 2 explored popular performer facial feature characteristics and found that performers with more mature facial features, including smaller eyes, thinner faces, and larger chins, were popular during relatively threatening social and economic conditions. These facial feature preferences were more pronounced with the onset of music television in the 1980s. Results of the two studies are explained within the context of the Environmental Security Hypothesis. KEYWORDS : Billboard charts, music preferences, Environmental Security Hypothesis, facial features, performer characteristics Tough times demand tough talk, demand tough hearts, demand tough songs. (Neil Peart and Pye Dubois of the band Rush, ‘Force Ten’, 1987) Whether driving in the car, performing household chores, shopping at the grocery store, exercising at the gym, eating dinner at a restaurant, or waiting in a doctor’s office, music is present.
[Show full text]