In 2019 guitar made a comeback in the top 10. According to analysis from Hit Songs Deconstructed, about a third of all songs featured the electric guitar, a nearly 10% jump from the year before. In 2020 this trend isn’t stopping. Recent releases by Halsey, 5 Seconds of Summer and Joji all prominently feature electric guitars tones. They reference 90s nu-metal, grunge and metal genres. More than a nostalgic nod, these songs draw from an era that was self-consciously “alternative” to convey disaffection, frustration and longing.
SONGS DISCUSSED
Khalid, Normani - Love Lies
Juice WRLD - Lucid Dreams
Halsey - Without Me
Joji - Slow Dancing In The Dark
Joji - Run
Metallica - Enter Sandman
Santo & Jonny - Sleep Walk
Chuck Berry - Johnny B. Goode
Buddy Holly - That’ll Be The Day
LCD Soundsystem - Losing My Edge
5 Seconds Of Summer - No Shame
Nirvana - Come As You Are
Halsey - Experiment On Me
Rage Against The Machine - Bulls On Parade
Limp Bizkit - Break Stuff
MORE
Listen to our conversation about MIA’s “Paper Planes” and Drake’s “God’s Plan” with Sam Sanders on NPR’s It’s Been A Minute)
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