Recession pop is making a comeback

But critics and music historians hate sentimental love songs, so these artists and songs struggle to get a place in the history books. Transgressive rockers, in contrast, enjoy lasting fame . . . right now, electronic dance music probably outsells hip-hop. In my opinion, this is identical to the punk-versus-disco trade-off of the 1970s. My predicti

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The Great Depression of the 1920s saw the widespread popularity of blues and swing, while the British Winter of Discontent between the ’70s and ’80s saw the rise of disco. During periods of hard times and empty pockets, music that serves to make us feel good, or acts as catharsis or distraction, becomes essential.