The Roots of "Recession Pop"

[@st3458]

One thing about recession pop is it had all of us as kids and teens imagining we was in the most wild crazy party or club and now that I’m of age to go to parties and clubs I was very disappointed with the music choices like I’m trynna rage to edm not vibe to some rap music

[@irisalexander]

LITERALLY THIS😭 i stopped going out bc the same dried up tracks play from the second i walk into the bar/club.

[@tylerhackner9731]

I turned 21 this past year (2023) and it kinda made me a little sad that there wasn’t music for people our age to club to, but ours doesn’t really do that in comparison to past generations. My moms 20s were mostly the 1990s (23-29) and hers had a lot of house music

[@naomi.cannibal]

Yeah in a weird way I’m glad I was a child when that music came out bc it really was a confidence booster/ fun to fantasize w friends w

[@augustproductions4914]

I have a friend who's about 8 years older than me and he says that clubbing in the 2010s was a VIBE.

[@T_kats]

Rap and Hip Hop has always had presence in club culture. I’d argue that it become way less danceable.

[@joselynehrn]

I had my club era in 2011-2012 and I do have to say the vibes were immaculate. We as a society do not give Pitbull enough credit for carrying us into the 2010s!!

[@naomi.cannibal]

We don’t!!

[@theloneliestloveliesttime]

LMFAO too. Party Rock Anthem was THAT GIRL and so was Sexy and I Know It.

[@BellesView]

He sure did!

[@dancerbabe02]

LITERALLY, when business casual with the kitten heel was all the rage in the clubs!

[@TheEpicProjects300K]

Still does. Pitbull is always a hit at the parties I play at

[@PARADOXsquared]

THIS IS WHY THE CLUBS DON'T HIT ANYMORE!! The place I went for NYE did an early 2000s theme for the party and it's the most fun I've had dancing at a club in yearsss

[@muunprince1992]

What I noticed during the recession pop nowadays (2020's) is how heavily gravitates to nostalgic sounds and imagery especially the whole 2000's/Y2K style resurgence think of Good 4 U by Olivia Rodrigo or Super Shy by New Jeans. A lot of songs as well use samples from old songs sounds more obvious without it being too experimental. Compared to the late 2000's- early 2010's its mostly just about partying all night long and being silly.

[@naomi.cannibal]

I agree!! I also wonder especially for the pandemic if people started to look backwards just bc not as much “new” content was coming out, and even if it was it was hard to promote/ perform. And people inside just turned back to things that made them happy while in lockdown, and the trend caught on and so on and so forth and now we’re in this nostalgia cycle. Can’t remember if we were already headed in that direction in 2019 and it got worse or what

[@tylerhackner9731]

@@naomi.cannibalI noticed this as well. As well as the 80s synthwave sounds of The Weeknd, and nu disco of dua lipa.

[@EpicGabby24]

​@naomi.cannibal I belive that is the main correlation to why nostalgia-core is full fledged!

[@fergieseyebrows]

​@@naomi.cannibalI've felt a burden from all of the nostalgia for a while now. if you pay attention, the late and mid 2010s were all about the 90s and 80s. we've just changed into being nostalgic for the 2000s now but it's the same thing. i kind of have been hating these nostalgia trends for a while now because of it.

[@danielzhou2972]

@@fergieseyebrowsbut your username is literally Fergie so clearly you have nostalgia too

[@nathanielplacide4119]

black eyed peas The END was peak recession music, love it till this day.

[@naomi.cannibal]

saaame!! still play that album all the time I love it

[@nathanielplacide4119]

@@naomi.cannibal that's real matter of fact I'll play it today 😂

[@BellesView]

Imma Be, Rock that Body, Boom Boom, and Meet Me Halfway had me in a chokehold.

[@nathanielplacide4119]

@@BellesView It just gave so much energy, I I'm listening to it now, showdown now generation, one tribe. Talk about positive music!

[@BellesView]

@@nathanielplacide4119 Absolutely!

[@luwkyny1036]

Honestly Beyoncé and Dua Lipa's albums made me happy about the fact that pop is slowly changing again. Like this whole melancholy pop thing was never my thing and I missed the actually fun pop 😩

[@thedeepdarkwebb]

So thankful this was during my high school years (2007-2011). It was a precarious time, but man we had so many fun pop songs. There was a sense of optimism and escapism that these songs have.

[@BellesView]

It was a great time in music. It kept me sane!

[@bastetowl3258]

the future seemed so bright when obama had just become president unlike now...

[@emilypeterson1133]

I was in college and boy what it was a time to be alive! Music prior was awesome too. I feel like between 2015-2022 music hasn't been great. I feel like were going back in the upswing now in 2023.

[@anthonygiovannixx]

@@emilypeterson1133 2024*

[@phillipjoseph]

my college years were 07-11---I literally burned Gimme More on a CD to get the DJ to play it in a bar that Halloween weekend.

[@bastetowl3258]

yeah, we haven't really left troubled economic times since 2008. wages have been stagnating for a while but cost of living is much higher than before: housing, energy bills, food, etc. i agree with you that now we're going to go into disassociation from real life completely in music instead of just escaping to the club. reality isn't improving much, so people are looking for more extreme forms of escapism

[@jasminealce834]

I LOVE recession pop. It kinda defines my entire music taste as a whole. My favorite artists are Britney Spears, Nelly Furtado, Lady Gaga, and Rihanna, I love electro-Pop, so I’m basically designed to enjoy this type of music. Yeah, I guess it can be cheesy (the early 2010’s with LMFAO) but it’s just so fun and brings me so much joy that no other era has. It helps with my autism, and it just brings a smile to me whenever I feel like things are hopeless. I always run to this era of music faster than any other era.

[@naomi.cannibal]

I’m the same way, almost feel like a dif person when it’s on lol

[@razu_gif]

count me in i always come back this era of EDM type pop music with heavy lead samples used

[@ahmarindungu9010]

Honestly, with this new pop I’m not feeling escapism, it’s not taking me anywhere. I think a lot of the production is mundane and makes me feel nothing. Now hyper pop had me going crazy 😩✨

[@naomi.cannibal]

it’s like hyperpop hits all my dopamine receptors at the same time lmao

[@1940semochild]

@@naomi.cannibalWhat is a hyperpop example? I have not heard of that before

[@caoimhe.b06]

@@1940semochilda lot of charli xcx songs are hyperpop or just pure pop bliss. i’d recommend pop2 by charli that’s really my escapism album right now

[@1940semochild]

@@caoimhe.b06 thanks!

[@vincentbatten4686]

Hyperpop reminds me of how our modern societal and economic conventions are toxic and dysphoric.

[@maiapowell9800]

I like calling pop music of the early 2010's ( 2010-2012) "Doomsday pop". Since there was concern that the world would end in 2012.

[@JasirGressmann]

That perfectly captures “Till the World Ends” by Britney. We were still escaping from the recession in the clubs but hey, the world might end soon so let’s party till the world ends.

[@RihannaChristina]

omg that’s true! that was a thing. i never believed it tho

[@doggo2995]

Yeah but the electro pop trend started around 06 and stayed till 2015.

[@citrus_sweet]

Dude, same. There was so many weird underlying messages that the world was ending in a lot of pop songs around that time.

[@jymy111]

@@doggo2995 I think it died by the end of 2013

[@irisalexander]

god i never realized how much this type of music shaped my interests even though i was 6-14 at its "peak". they just don't make the classics like this anymore

[@victorfematt7191]

I loved this video! I definitely noticed the shift from "Recession Pop" music starting in 2013, especially late 2013 when Lorde hit #1 with Royals and Lady Gaga struggled to have a #1 hit like she did from 2009-2011.

[@m3dm491]

And every pop girl started rapping 😂

[@TrulyJuju123]

I noticed that's when music slowed down. Lana del Rey and Lourde were played everywhere. Soft lofi type beats started coming in. It was a drastic change

[@japes7]

2013 was so sad for me who was a teen during 2004 to 2009. That horrible music, I had to move away from pop and started listening to electro house, big bass electro stuff that was way more intense (like Martin Garrix)

[@Louis-kw6yk]

yess, then this other new era lasted from 2013 till 2016 and then 2016-2018 had a diff vibes too idk

[@gabemcguire2463]

@@japes7 I just realized this is what I was doing at the time too. I really got into EDM in middle school to try and get more of that 2009-2013 feeling. It also explains why I love Hyperpop now.

[@pablolinares2801]

Gaga, Katy, Britney, Beyoncé, Kesha, Black Eyed Peas, Rihanna, 2009-2011 it was just perfect

[@arcie3716]

Recession pop for the late 00’s and early 10’s felt so fun. Cheap colorful clothes, and fun music honestly was such a fun experience.

[@unusuallyeric]

i was in high school from 2009-2013 and ofc i didn't know too much about the recession but i knew i loved the music at this time and it's so nostalgic to listen to now! i have multiple playlists on Spotify filled with recession pop

[@naomi.cannibal]

Right most of my playlists still have music from then

[@roxymacdonald8349]

I was in my first year of university when the recession hit in 2008. Nobody knew where we were going to go or what our lives would look like after college, so we spent most of our free time during those years partying and living for the moment. I came from a low-income background while most of my friends were middle class, but back then, due to the economy, it felt like we were all in the same place together. The club was our refuge from the uncertainty of the world outside.

[@adontecook810]

It’s also worth noting that this was noting that the influence of Madonna was heavily evident during this era and the dominance of women was in full swing and hasn’t changed since

[@tayafey209]

Exactly!!!

[@rimeleleu4634]

as a european i feel like club culture is still big here even tho we're also allowing ourselves to escape from the pressure of conforming and going cause its cool. but you can definitely feel the thirst for new content as every club ive been to is still playing A LOT of early 2010s songs

[@Jayjay_07]

I live in a mid sized town in germany and the clubs are basically dead (except for techno) but whenever there is a 2010s themed party, everyone is going :)

[@m3dm491]

Allow me to disagree. Club culture is dying. And it’s not a new thing. Clubs are closing, getting smaller, more expensive etc… people are going to cafés instead. I lived in France and Belgium. People don’t dance anymore on nowadays music. But as you said there is still places that play 2010s music but not necessarily the typical recession pop music… but who do you find there ? Us who are already or about to enter in their 30s.

[@stardust6870]

I must be among the disagreers. I basically live between two European countries and the club culture is dead in both of them. Also, the music they play nowadays just doesn't drive the vibe and makes you feel overly nostalgic or sad.

[@BillieShouseFrazier]

I feel like House is really gonna take over and disco pop. Beyoncé and Dua lipa already have made the lane so mainstream and I’m very happy about it.

[@RihannaChristina]

Azealia Banks slayed that genre in 2012. ‘1991’ ‘212’ ‘Liquorice’ & ‘Esta Noche’ for example. She really was ahead of the rest

[@guilhermepradonascimentora1367]

Katy perry doing dance in 2013 and 2017 with Walking on air and Swish swish...

[@kalmanta1824]

Renaissance was insane, love the whole album.

[@meghansullivan6812]

I’m so good w that 😩😩

[@johnathanlewis3155]

Azealia Banks gets no credit which is sad.

[@krisismav]

its so funny that you considered The END album futuristic bc as someone in high school, that was not the case. that "im 3008, youre 2000 and late" line coming out in 2009 was just too good to take the album seriously 🤣

[@naomi.cannibal]

I was moreso talking about to concept/ production, that line was corny to my 5th grade behind too 😭

[@felicityb93]

I was in my freshmen year, I think, when that album came, and you were considered cringe (although I don't think we called it cringe back then) if you were caught listening to it. The BEP were for old people, as far as we were concerned.

[@leagajos7898]

@@felicityb93 Weird, in Italy they were very popular between us kids LMAO, we were like 11-12 years old, bopping to their songs.

[@Pinkladyisv]

@@felicityb93Im probably the same age as you so I find this interesting because the group was definitely super popular at my school. They weren’t considered ground breaking but definitely were a popular group.

[@jthecharter]

I was in 4th grade when The END was huge, it felt like we were living in the future

[@yassercastillo2607]

The disco from the 2020's in kinda mellow. I want something that makes me get up.

[@jasonkunene4760]

I’m from Eswatini, 🇸🇿 African country engulfed by South Africa🇿🇦 I’ve seen lots of videos of Tayla talking about our club culture and she’s right. 😂we dance y’all like circles of people and just dancingggggggg. Amapiano sets from like 6 pm to 6 a.m just sweating 😂it’s a whole vibe. (Hip Hop and R&B sets mixed with Amapiano ofc) Growing up I used to imagine myself wanting to party in the US but lately everyone is saying it’s trash😭and all my faves from when I was ten years old I.e Rihanna aren’t making music 🏃🏾‍♂️🏃🏾‍♂️so it’s sad.

[@naomi.cannibal]

ima have to come visit and get down w yall!!

[@RJ_0805]

I don’t think the new era of recession pop will be led by one genre in particular but more of a fusion. Artists are already doing it to some degree just in different ways. Unlike past eras of recession pop I think it will be more of a mixed bag, and it’s mostly due to our access and capability to discover new sounds and genres thanks to the internet. But I will say that house music will be at the core of the music because artists are using a lot of its subgenres. It just won’t be pure!

[@leilaistired]

oh the nostalgia that i got while watching this because this era of music is a huge part of my childhood throughout elementary school & i always go back to listening to these throwbacks while also discovering new or underrated artists & songs that i've never heard of before 🥺✨💗 thank you so much for talking about this era of music, this is a very well put together video & you've explained everything so well ❤💙💜

[@tylerhackner9731]

This era was also my elementary school years (2007-2013)

[@illicitveniceb]

same 😭 i was born in 2003 and this music raised me. i’m so sad people don’t make fun music like this anymore.

[@rigobertobarron5792]

​@@tylerhackner9731🤜🏽🤛🏽

[@tylerhackner9731]

It’s interesting my mom was a child of the 70s (stagflation, etc) and disco 🕺 was the escapism music from the troubles of the world, much in the same way, I, as a child of the late 00s/early 10s was for the electropop era

[@naomi.cannibal]

Yesss so were my parents!! Now that I’m thinking about it maybe they liked that music not only bc it’s fun but bc it feels familiar, kind of like how we’re able to feel about some songs now. I remember me and my mom bonding over Gaga so much back then lmao

[@tylerhackner9731]

@@naomi.cannibalabsolutely! We bonded over Gaga and Beyoncé, and even say, Natasha bedingfield, etc I think it was the last era of music my mom knows about without having to show her. Like, now, id have to show her stuff like Dua lipa, The Weeknd, and Chloe x Halle.

[@nicolesherman8974]

When I saw the title of your video, I just know it’s going to be about late 2000s pop music lmao

[@naomi.cannibal]

and such a beautiful era it was lol

[@phillipjoseph]

Before the pop revolution in the late 2000s there was a very anti-pop (but still very pop) movement similar to the anti-disco movements in the 80s. It's crazy how music--sh*t history is so cyclical

[@tylerhackner9731]

The late 2000s/early 2010s were hard economic times but they had such incredible acts and fun music to escape from the troubles of life. For me tho, those were my childhood years (my elementary school years were literally 2007-2013), my most fun years, I didn’t have a care in the world lol As much as I enjoyed 2020-2021’s music and even 2022 (future nostalgia, after hours, renaissance, etc), basically during the Covid era when I came of age, and as much artists have their own vision of what taking past eras of pop and melding it into their own sound is like, to me, NOTHING will compare to the iconic eras of Gaga, Beyoncé, Katy Perry, etc in their respective primes. Sorry I wrote an whole ass essay lol

[@naomi.cannibal]

I agree, there’s always something special about that period of music, esp bc we were kids so you didn’t really know the drama, the scandals, who hated what, you were just enjoying the pop

[@tylerhackner9731]

@@naomi.cannibalabsolutely haha. It’s like with my mom, she didn’t care about watergate and stagflation or whatever, she just enjoyed the bee gees

[@longlivebeans]

I mean if current events are any indicator, we’re headed for a lot more than a recession lol.

[@naomi.cannibal]

you can say that again

[@subarux4054]

Well damnn..... 😅

[@Kevin-rg3yc]

I think the current recession pop music era is rooted in nostalgia from the 2000s and early 2010s you see this with artists like Olivia Roderigo, Tate McRae, Doja cat, etc I think this is rooted in the case where Gen z are experiencing the first years of adulthood at the same time of the economic aftermath of covid 19 and I can see that this type of nostalgia effecting us into wanting to go back into the times where things were simple and easy free aka our childhood and adolescent years. The music genre I believe that will dominate the recession pop era will be more niche/underground/global genres like Latin urbano, alternative rock, club hip hop (jersey club, drum and bass), afrobeat, country music etc given it’s connected to the rise of niche social media culture becoming more prominent and recreating the way popular music should previously be looked and heard at that

[@bastetowl3258]

olivia's music is more influence by the 90s riot grrrl and grunge scene than early 2000s. maybe her more ballady songs are 2000s idk

[@t.l.4652]

I'm from Argentina and we listen to a lot of reggeaton and cumbia in clubs, I cannot imagine how dull they must be without it

[@lizchesley6028]

Oddly enough on the American west coast, I’ve noticed a rise in cumbia bands recently.

[@JaredtheRabbit]

I was a child when this music was popular (between ther ages of 7-8 and 11-12), yet I still find the pop music of the Recession to be incredibly nostalgic.

[@zlatassx]

2009-2012 club vibes were top notch. We danced our hearts out.

[@aduraedosa]

I’m a black girl from London. I can’t really speak on clubs because I don’t go to them per se. However, I would say the biggest thing now in terms of nightlife for young black people and other pocs is collectives. These are groups of people that organise club nights around specific genres or vibes more generally. I say club nights but these events aren’t always hosted in a club. They might be in a concert venue or a food court, warehouses, could even be block parties; but the main thing is people come to dance and listen to music. A really big one I went to last year was held in a theme park, literally everyone black person I knew, home friends, uni friends and celebs were there. I find there’s a collective for almost every vibe, music genre and scene. So what happens is people follow the collectives to whatever venue they’ll be at, these venues are in London generally. However, as the collectives get bigger they tend to head abroad or to different cities. I think this approach helps overcome over policing of black clubs cos the collectives are never really based in one place, and then there’s always somewhere where you can find your people or hear music you enjoy. I think it’s innovative approach to reviving nightlife. The only problem I have with them is the exclusivity and fixed nature of them. Events are planned in advance and collectives usually have one or two a month, which you have to buy a ticket for in advance. There’s nothing impromptu about them, like if you lacked, you lacked. Usually they have more events depending on the season or holidays so like Valentine’s Day, bank holidays when a lot of people are off work, summer, Halloween and new years. So because of that there’s a lot of hype around each event cos there’s a limited number of tickets available, and do,r really big collectives start charging a lot of their tickets, or make you jump through hoops for early access.

[@gabrielnunes5200]

I feel like here in Brasil club culture is very vivid. Especially among the 20's and 30's. I live in São Paulo, a big Big city and of course that does impact and we have a lot of clubs. But I feel that in general, our nation is a very festive one entirely.

[@DrewRueDoo]

2007-2011 pop was prime, peak pop.

[@vic.k.y_b]

It's always a joy to get an upload notification from Naomi! I've lived in Japan for a few years due to my job. The club scene here depends on the city and the region. Tokyo has a lot of foreigners and outside influences in their clubs. I didn't enjoy it that much. My two favorites are the Kansai and Okinawa club scenes. For Kansai, Osaka always has a party. If you're in Kyoto Prefecture, leave Kyoto City for smaller, more intimate clubs. Fukuchiyama, Miyazu, and Kyotango have more by-invite clubs, and they feel much safer than European or American clubs. Okinawa is something else, much more friendlier. If you look up the artist Awich, she has some great videos and songs representing their club scene.

[@naomi.cannibal]

Ahh thanks for this perspective! I’ll have to check her out

[@TolaniBarnosmusic]

I knew there had to be a name for this. The flashy aesthetic, the club, I’m so excited for this

[@maxzytaruk8558]

Naomi! You're basically a historian at this point, you dive deep in your vids. Respect!!!!

[@naomi.cannibal]

I ammmm thank you so much 🫶🏾

[@K3NNYMMM]

In the UK atm the moment i feel the trend is for a more faster paced style think of drum & bass, jungle, techno, euro trance and uk house music is pretty much always in the charts here we love it! (maybe not everyone haha)

[@TheSkinnyZ]

There was an actual anti disco movement?! Imagine being that bitter… 😂

[@felicityb93]

It was the racism, dahling~ If you look up pictures of the disco demolition movement, you'll notice v quickly that it's a v white movement. That ain't a coincidence!!

[@bperez8656]

Against the culture Not the music

[@fcplop98]

@@felicityb93 very white & hyper masculine. I know for sure it was also due to homophobia as well.

[@viktorberzinsky4781]

A lot of disco is just terrible and sounds obnoxious...Unfortunately many people disliked it for the wrong reasons.

[@mastersnet18]

@@felicityb93um what?? White people LOVED disco! It was more rock vs disco. Stop making everything about race.

[@justdancetube2562]

so i just figured out "recession pop" is my fav genre

[@dearamari]

Oh to be in elementary and middle school again 😭

[@lonniegabbie]

Im not from the UK but I have noticed that a lot of electronic and dance is still big over there when I look at the charting songs from there. The song Prada by Raye and Casso is big there and it’s built for the club.

[@aduraedosa]

Club culture is huge here, I don’t think it will really die

[@amorrobel90]

Recession Pop has helped me get through the tough times like the economic recession and the Coronavirus pandemic. it really helps me with my mental and physical health a lot.

[@bobi7152]

A lot of Europe was in technical recession/stagnation in 2023, so recession has really been on the forefront for a lot of listeners

[@jovary9681]

I miss this era of pop glad I grew up with it 😢 hope it makes a comeback

[@sparrow_posts_stuff]

always an amazing day when naomi uploads (im about to go to bed)

[@naomi.cannibal]

lol good night bestie!!

[@sparrow_posts_stuff]

@@naomi.cannibal keep up the good work omg

[@nikfiendluvr666]

God I hope you mention Jay Sean's Down where Lil Wayne utters the genius lyrics "and honestly, I'm down like the economy"

[@naomi.cannibal]

the way I said “awww f*ck” after reading this bc that would’ve been tooo perfect

[@nikfiendluvr666]

@@naomi.cannibal Lol. I think about the lyrical genius of Lil Wayne all the time so that particular line is always on my mind. Had to google real quick "hold up what year did this song come out again" when I heard it again for the first time as an adult. Too funny.

[@charliefern270]

This was great. One small correction: “The Time (Dirty Bit)” was actually on the follow-up to The E.N.D., The Beginning. That album is still an example of recssion pop though.

[@tylerhackner9731]

Two of my favorite things: history and pop music in this video lol

[@TheMaleLewinsky013]

I’m so happy u mentioned 2 of my favs Bree Runway and Doechii. They r so amazing and underrated

[@Izzy-bh4ic]

I love studying pop as a portrait of the cultural zeitgeist, I think it's the best artform to reflect us in the moment. This video was super well put together, its clear you really know what you're talking about. Will definitely check out your other videos.

[@dean.mcmxcvi]

Thank you for your consistent tone and speaking volume when you record your vids ❤ I can leave your channel on for my dogs and I don’t have to worry about the speakers randomly popping every 2 and a half mins cause you’re never yelling 😂😅 also love ur content of course ❤ we listen to it at different times lol

[@FlavioNoNavio]

Everything about this video is so perfect. I love the way you explain everything so well here, took the words right from my thoughts. In these recent years I've been catching myself thinking a lot about this 2008-2012 era of pop music where all the songs were just about partying like there's no tomorrow... "Recession pop" is just an EXCELLENT way to describe it. And I might say that Kesha was pretty much the QUEEN of it!

[@FlavioNoNavio]

Oh and also WHO REMEMBERS WHEN EVERYONE THOUGHT THE WORLD WAS GONNA END IN 2012???? That definitely fueled a BUNCH of immaculate pop anthems from that time, like "Till The World Ends" by Britney.

[@bestb9110]

I want people to re-experience or experience recession pop and I wanna start a wave for those type of artists. I want to be a pop/rap girl that actually has a place of impact when I leave. I'm already dedicating my life to it already, I'm just not experienced enough release music 🤷🏾‍♀️

[@butterfly22432]

i can see recession pop making a peak/high comeback especially with how terrible the job market is rn and the mass layoffs going on..

[@valentine6790]

I just woke up! Thank you for this :) Also the disco hate back then is kinda wild, disco is amazing!

[@nabe___99]

Clubs in Brazil (at least the ones I go to wich are underground or lgbt clubs) play brazilian funk, 2000s pop music, brazilian pop, hyperpop and other electronic genres and remixes

[@merefinl6914]

being in middle school and early high school for this era was so funny. i cant imagine a middle school dance without party rock anthem

[@CCaleighC]

As someone who's lived in a German university town and now lives in Switzerland - club culture is totally dying here. You still have cafes and shops that blast club music while you're shopping but the club itself??? Not it. I think there's a general awareness that mainstream pop music is made for TikTok soundbites now, and with the accessibility of music being at an all-time high, nobody really wants to go out to dance to generic music. That being said, the university parties are FULL when it's a themed night (whether that theme is around a group OR a type of music). So like, while themed parties and to some extend clubs in niches (genre clubs etc.) are still popular, the 'going out to clubs' vibe is really trickling out here.

[@startlestarfish]

Here in Latin America they mostly play reggaeton in clubs so for me especially my version of recession pop are the reggaeton songs from my childhood from like 2007-2010. And funny enough I wasn’t that big of a fan of reggaeton until 2020-2021 cause I just wanted to be out and my life in general to be fun again.

[@naomi.cannibal]

Same, I found reggaeton a couple years ago once it got more mainstream over here and I really enjoy it!

[@sjocks8179]

The topics you choose to discuss are always things I’ve been wondering about but wasn’t sure there would be much info on the matter. Thank you!

[@PS1CloudStrife]

recession pop 🤝 indie sleaze i wonder if we look back on the current years as fondly as we will 2007-2012

[@serenity6831]

Recession pop is such a good name for this era 😂

[@mellyallison]

TLDR: I feel like the “all we have is each other in this moment” message in the 2010s has turned into “all I have is myself” This video is so thought provoking, thank you for sharing your knowledge bc I’ve never thought about it this way! It seems like a lot of the pop now is focused on the singular vs the collective, like most lyrics are “you” or “me” centered, I didn’t even think about this until you mentioned how every song from the recession pop era is so focused on the “we” What I’ve noticed so far in the 2020s is this obsession with hyper-individuality and isolating yourself from everyone else, focusing on the ego/self to promote confidence (Persuasive by Doechii, Alien Superstar, etc) so I wonder if that’s our modern take on the overconsumption fantasy, because at times the way 2020 pop hits tackle ego (even Ice Spice’s Think U the Shit) is so extravagant that it almost comes across as delusion, which is another concept being promoted and popularized (being in your delusional era where despite how you actually feel about yourself, just act like you’re the best and then you’ll believe it) Plus being in late-stage capitalism and the mass digital accessibility to purchase anything online, we’re being told that we can become the most heightened version of ourselves by buying products that have become so vast in variety that you can curate your image to such a niche/unique/personalized degree Also I wonder if this singular mentality is why the club scenes now have become so anti-social, I’m 24 so I haven’t been able to experience nightlife until after the pandemic but from my experience it seems like everyone sticks to the groups they came with and don’t really engage with anyone else, it could just be location (I’m from boston) and I also don’t know what clubs used to be like in the 2000s/2010s so I can’t really compare, but it does make me curious about the paralleled musical and cultural effects of isolation

[@comidillo]

Electro pop was every everywhere in the underground between 2000 and 2008, which is why mainstream pop features it so much, the following decade. For so much party theme it’s ironically so late to the party

[@kailenmcauley8216]

I was so lucky that my peak clubbing years coincided with recession pop. I would give anything to go back and relive it again

[@appointedvillainy]

I really love and admire the research you did for this. Your breakdown is so concise. Great job!

[@naomi.cannibal]

Thank you so much!

[@sm0rie]

I currently live in a college town and the clubs are always popping. I think it's due to this not being that big of a town so there isn't much to do for entertainment. The clubs out here are all on one strip too so there's a downtown culture out here every weekend and all summer. The bars are really popular too and everyone loves the music choice.

[@EvanPeix]

such a well researched video Naomi, thank you. Good job!

[@banjoplayingbison2275]

Early House music also was basically the communities that started disco (Black, Latino, Italians, LGBTQ) reclaiming disco from the ultra commercial disco sound of the late 70s. When disco started off it was raw dance music meant for clubs. DJs like Frankie Knuckles for the Warehouse in Chicago and Larry Levan for Paradise Garage in NYC would differentiate themselves from the mainstream discotheques by making long dance remixes of disco songs and incorporating other genres like European Synthpop (Kraftwerk) and Italo Disco from Italy (which was more synth heavy than American pop disco), as well as some New Wave/Post Punk and Electro into their DJ mixes. Early House musicians took inspiration from the DIY spirit of Punk to record a raw less pop, dance focused, synth heavy reincarnation of Disco A few years later the UK started eating up this new dance sound from the Midwest and made it sound more pop

[@SouthJerseyGirl30]

I was in high-school during this time and just loved the music and wished I could go to the club lol Somehow, I didn't realize we were in a recession. I was babysitting a few yrs back and they were learning about The Great Recession and I was like what??? I'm very thankful for my mom because she must've taken care of a lot more than I thought

[@ladyweirdo6035]

I think part of disco and house being more popular also reflects gen z and millenials being more accepting of queer culture adapting some of it for ourselves.For example, ballroom terms like "Slay" and "Yas".

[@alexp7673]

This is still my favourite and most nostalgic music period. I hate that I was like 10 years old at the time instead of club age. I've never heard the term recession pop before, so I'm glad I know what to call it now lol.

[@abbyc.4458]

I’ve commented this before but I gotta say it again - every single one of your videos are so GOOD. You always deliver. Sometimes I click on a video not having any familiarity based on the title but then I’m hooked right away. Your pacing is also perfect 👌🏼 Turns out recession pop is one of my favorite music genres! I didn’t know until now! Also whatever happened to lmfao?! !

[@naomi.cannibal]

Ahhh thank you so much!! 🫶🏾

[@abbyc.4458]

Thank YOU for always givin me good stuff to watch! 💖

[@justinprice8404]

Disco WILL LIVE FOREVER. I really just wanted to comment something for engagement. The algorithm was nice enough to show me your wonderful video even though I've never seen your stuff before.

[@eyelinermonarch]

the way i took notes during this entire video also in reference in my own music.

[@eyelinermonarch]

as for club culture, it’s very much alive in nairobi (kenya 🇰🇪) but a lot of alternative club esque spaces have sprung up like the wunderlust party to cater to the needs of folks who actually wanna have dance on a night out to music that isn’t played in the club regularly. (also yes this was a shameless plug) we organized club renaissance nairobi and the nicki night in nairobi and pop music nights and a rihanna night to cater to the people’s needs.

[@pashkies]

I learned a lot from you video for having been in high school from 2007-2012 and living through a lot of this music. I still have a lot of the music from that time heavily in rotation, and I like part of it is nostalgic, part of it is that it doesn't require me to think

[@theiceyhawttstunna6631]

I feel very lucky to go to be in college during the years 09 to 13. What a great era and the music was fantastic!

[@klownari]

hey naomi, loved the video, can you pleasee do a video on the lost era 2011-2019, thanks :)

[@naomi.cannibal]

Ooh what’s this? Could look into it just not sure what it is

[@klownari]

@@naomi.cannibalits between the time where Tumblr started to become a bit mainstream all the way to when Vine died, it's called the lost era because not a lot people remember much from that era and where a lot of artists became more "experimental" with their sound, creativity, marketing and music.

[@monst3rtruckbf]

Honorable mention to the entire Bad Girls Club soundtrack !! Ive discovered some of the best early 2010’s Recession Pop by going and listening to the songs used in old episodes!!

[@mickeyslive]

Great video. So many good times at the club during this time, I'd save up every dollar during the week and spend it on the Saturday night. Like you said it was such an amazing escape :).

[@ch1pnd413]

Oh my gosh I love your tapestry!!! Hokusai’s Great Wave - I’ve been working on a painting inspired by the design, and I have the LEGO version hanging on my wall… I even dress in that color palette, I literally have that design on a pair of socks

[@shummers]

I'm always watching all of your videos partially as a consumer and partially of a creator of music. This video, however, I clicked on fully as a producer. I really can't explain how valuable making these connections is for me. I absolutely loved that Black Eyed Peas album (and I was also about 10 years old) when it came out and I would have never realized that that album has any connection to house or disco because it's just like... a nostalgic memory from when I was eight? but I went back and listened to a lot of these tracks, especially the Britney Spears and black eyed peas stuff and... wow. I've been trying to trace back where all these more recent iterations of dance, house disco, type music like Drake's Honestly, Nevermind album and Beyonce's new Renaissance, to figure out where these sounds came from and how to recreate them in a way that's original and isn't copying those two examples. I honestly kind of feel like I should be giving you an A&R credit just for making these videos sometimes because it's often I'm watching these videos as a way of taking a break while I'm working on music stuff so I can relax and listen to something but still staying that mindset of music and most of the time, especially with videos like this one, I take that break and watch these videos and then something that you say just recharges me to go back and try something new and it's just really valuable from a music production standpoint to watch these videos and basically learn how to reverse engineer and blend different genres that I love and understand them no more fundamental way than just describing Things based on vibes. It's really hard to study music because sounds are really hard to explain and this channel has just been such a valuable resource for putting words to things. Nothing said, my second comment is that I think we're entering the entrance of the largest dance pop recession era ever. Especially thinking about how you mentioned you were around 10 years old when the Black Eyed Peas album came out, I'm about the same age as you so we have this whole generation of gen Z's and their early twenties who are just learning how to produce music like myself who are reflecting back on our own childhood memories of dance pop recessions that were based off of dance pop recessions from before them and now it's just like... we're the generation most primed to make tons of dance pop recession music ever. I'm excited to see things if the music continues to become more experimental and more dancey and more Escapist and zany as things progress.

[@shummers]

I made the connection in my first comment about the Drake album before you mentioned it in the video, I'm so proud 😢

[@naomi.cannibal]

This is so kind thank you!! I’m glad these videos help, they help me understand music a lot more too 💕

[@neeladuggal8581]

I went to NYU from 2009 to 2013, and it was an AWESOME place to be during the peak of recession EDM pop!

[@lucasprobably]

i'm in the north of england, and i feel like the mainstream clubs are pretty dead these days, but there are smaller, more niche clubs that are still going strong if you know where to find them

[@crystalcastillo7575]

one of the best eras of pop music and a huge reason why my childhood was so fun

[@arribalaschivas91]

The comment section is basically saying everything I have been ranting and raving about pop music. This music carried me through college

[@kevincloutier4833]

I live in Montreal and most clubs definitely play a lot of rap and house, but we also have several clubs that exclusively play hits from 2000s to today, with an emphasis on the 2010s. We also have a few clubs that only play 80s and early 90s music. You have to know where to go!

[@resident-evil-jerma5389]

i haven’t seen your other videos so forgive me if im covering covered ground but i feel like it’s relevant to mention that the anti-disco and anti-house movements were extremely EXTREMELY anti-Black and anti-queer and were almost definitely started because they didn’t want to see marginalised communities have fun. the anti-pop movements and sentiments in the late 2000s-early 2010s definitely were influenced by these same sentiments. these movements bigoted ideals were often shrouded by a bunch of people calling these genres vapid, silly, stupid, and lazy while also refusing to acknowledge the social conditions these genres came from. usually calling these genres vapid and lazy was just a coded way of verbally attacking Black and queer people. absolutely great video, i never really analysed recession pop at all before. i never really thought about it, i’m 18 so that’s kind of just what i thought pop music was cuz it’s what i grew up with.

[@angelvega3348]

From what I’ve seen people say on social media, there are still thriving pockets of club culture outside of the US where they can have escapism and not worry about showing up the crowd and spending your life savings

[@JackC11111]

Runaway by Pink is a song example that shows this upbeat dance-pop era isn't going away for a while. It's literally the biggest form of escapism. It has a punchy bass and electronic synths like Physical by Dua Lipa or Blinding Lights by The Weeknd. In the chorus she belts "We were born to run away", and "We'll never settle, pedal to the floor, got every day to live for". In the verses, she also says "They're giving us a bad name, being good never felt quite right" and "We'll be living in color, yesterday was black and white".

[@dinasilva9263]

Wow you look so beautiful with those green acessories and sweater. I Love your vídeos. You really make amazing content. I appreciate your hard work so much. And your voice is so calm and sweet. I could listen to you Naomi all week even if it was about the weather😂

[@naomi.cannibal]

I swear every week you comment something nicer than the week before, I always appreciate it a lot 💕

[@dinasilva9263]

@@naomi.cannibal you deserve all the love and appreciation. But thank you for the kind words. 🤗

[@hollywoodtonight100]

Girl, your videos are soooo good!

[@jthecharter]

the biggest elements of current pop music (I've noticed) is very heavy, fast, hard-hitting bass. Melodies & choruses that are clearly made with TikTok in mind

[@preposteroussvideos]

How funny is that it's called recession pop but it was the most upbeat dancey shit ever lol

[@silvergolden4284]

You should do minimalistic pop next since it happened after the recession pop

[@cosmicentity8460]

What an amazing thing to watch on a Saturday afternoon! ;)

[@naomi.cannibal]

thank you 🫶🏾