Jazz reached peak complexity in the 1950s – the era of Miles Davis, John Coltrane, Charlie Parker and Thelonious Monk – before steadily becoming simpler from the 1960s onward.
Complexity of classical music increased and decreased at various points before 1900. Compositions in the genre have become noticeably simpler during the 20th century.
The researchers point to some technological and cultural factors which may be at play in this shift from more complex to simpler music.
“Platforms like Spotify and YouTube not only offer listeners personalised recommendations but also act as hubs for discovering and promoting new artists, effectively functioning as the ‘new radio’ of the digital age,” they write.
“However, this interconnected landscape is not without its drawbacks. Previous studies have suggested that content circulating in fast, interconnected and algorithmically curated environments is subject to simplification processes, as seen in the case of song lyrics and social media comments. This raises an important question: is a similar trend occurring in the musical landscape?”
https://connectsci.au/news/news-parent/9259/Think-pop-music-is-basic-Even-classical-and-jazz
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