It seems like every adult complains about the vulgarity and promiscuity in music of the next generation. Personally, I feel the main themes that have always been present in music are still alive. Artists continue to sing about love, violence, freedom, anger, etc. Yet, the context of those themes are unquestionably more explicit than ever before. Instead of creating flowery poems that subtly hint at some more intimate and crude themes, now artists tend to openly interpret sub-themes about drugs, lust, loss, and more. With the rising of new genres in the 2000’s, there is plenty of room for these new contexts. Keeping that in mind, I full-heartedly agree that music is much different now than ever before. I find the way contemporary artists so blatantly express themselves in song to be very vulnerable. And to me, that’s a whole new type of culture, a beautiful and bold culture that allows it’s audience to empathize with pain, and happiness through the unrefined details. In regards to that spiel, here are some perfect examples of today’s music that I find to be greatly written:

Hide Away- Daya

I took a pill in Ibiza- Mike Posner

Iris- Goo Goo Dolls

Collide- Howie Day

You Found Me- The Fray

Breakeven- The Script

Let’s get lost- G-Eazy

HIgher- Rihanna

If I were a boy- Beyonce

Beyonce- Irreplaceable

Coldplay- The Scientist

Closer- Chainsmokers

I hate u I love you- Gnash ft. Olivia O’Brien

Unthinkable Alicia Keys ft. Drake: