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- Number S01E1037
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25 juillet 2023 - 17:33
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We measured pop music’s falsetto obsession
From Justin Timberlake to the Bee Gees, we charted the popularity of men singing high.
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It’s nearly impossible to turn on the radio and not hear a male artist singing really high. Likely he’s a tenor, and more often than not he’ll sing in falsetto. Think Justin Bieber, The Weeknd, Bruno Mars, Drake, Charlie Puth, Shawn Mendes, Adam Levine, Sam Smith ... the list goes on and on and on.
This isn’t a trend — it has been the status quo for decades.
Using the data diving know-how of The Pudding, and drawing on the expertise of Anthony Roth Costanzo, a professional opera singer, I dig into the world of the high male vocal range by tracking how pervasive it really is across the decades.
The Pudding: https://pudding.cool/
IG: @the.pudding
Twitter: @puddingviz
The articles referenced in the video can be found here:
The Evolution of the Male Falsetto: https://frieze.com/article/evolution-male-falsetto
What does it mean when The Weeknd hits a high note: https://www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/style/what-does-it-mean-when-the-weeknd-hits-a-high-note/2016/12/01/4969c506-b65b-11e6-959c-172c82123976_story.html?noredirect=on
Active Child, Prince, and the Science of the Male Falsetto: https://pitchfork.com/thepitch/794-active-child-prince-and-the-science-of-the-male-falsetto/
Why Are There So Many Tough Guys Who Sound Like Ladies On The Radio?: https://www.npr.org/2016/02/15/466404515/why-are-there-so-many-tough-guys-who-sound-like-ladies-on-the-radio
Here's a Spotify list of 65+ songs that have some pretty fun falsetto moments: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/0nUxhLp94vGOARoCJKkV0k?si=sGtRcGPtQ_-Dktcc5H_Thg
And here’s the same Pandora playlist: https://www.pandora.com/playlist/PL:1688849921711361:7344
And a list of all of the songs featured in this video by timestamp:
1:04 - Want to Want Me - Jason Derulo
1:09 - Sugar - Maroon 5
1:18 - Sorry - Justin Bieber
1:30 - Can’t Feel My Face - The Weeknd
1:32 - What Do You Mean - Justin Bieber
1:36 - The Hills - The Weeknd
1:42 - Hello - Adele
3:33 - Sleep, Baby, Sleep - George P Watson
3:47 - Ill Wind - Radiohead
5:37 - Redbone - Childish Gambino
6:10 - Rock of Ages - Def Leppard
7:10 - Get Lucky - Daft Punk
7:21 - Crocodile Rock - Elton John
8:23 - Killer Queen - Queen
8:55 - I Knew I loved You - Savage Garden
9:28 - Stayin’ Alive - Bee Gees
9:50 - Falsetto - The-Dream
10:17 - Cry Me A River - Justin Timberlake
11:52 - Sweet Child O’ Mine - Guns N’ Roses
11:55 - Two Hearts - Phil Collins
12:01 - Rocket 2 U - The Jets
12:19 - Smooth Criminal - Michael Jackson
12:28 - Nite and Day - Al B. Sure
12:33 - You Should Be Dancing - Bee Gees
14:33- Me And Those Dreaming Eyes of Mine - D’Angelo
14:44 - So In Love - Curtis Mayfield
15:38 - Sherry - Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons
15:48 - Natural - Bloodstone
16:00 - Starboy - The Weeknd
Earworm is a series where Estelle Caswell takes you on a musical journey to discover the stories and sounds behind your favorite songs. More videos can be found here:
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLJ8cMiYb3G5fyqfIwGjH2fYC5fFLfdwW4
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