Bopping Through the Bailouts: Why the Great Recession Led to Great Music

2019 marks the tenth anniversary of the worst financial year of the Great Recession and also of some of the most iconic bangers of the 2000s. Here’s how economic collapse musically inspired our generation.

Written by Lauren Cook

There’s no doubt that some of the most infectious tunes of the 2000s were released in 2009. Songs like “Single Ladies” by Beyonce, “Kiss Me Thru the Phone” by Soulja Boy, and “Fire Burning” by Sean Kingston still have the power to amp up any function now, nearly 10 years later. On top of that, 2009 saw the rise of pop superstars such as Lady Gaga, Justin Bieber, and Taylor Swift. Even Pitchfork hipsters could rejoice, with groups like Phoenix, The xx, and Dirty Projectors putting out projects that shaped the indie scene for years to come.

But how did 2009 manage to produce so many classics? To put simply, it had the help of an economic crisis: The Great Recession.

The Great Recession had a major impact on the world economy. In America alone, unemployment peaked at 10 percent, leading to over 8.7 million Americans to lose their jobs, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. If you hadn’t been directly affected, you knew someone that had been. Discussing the recession was the new “what do you think of the weather?” With the financial crisis at the forefront of everyday life, it became the one thing everyone talked about, knew about, sung about, even after its end.

In terms of music, recession-era songs bonded people through struggle. Take the indie classic “My Girls” by Animal Collective. The single remains the group’s most popular song not only because of its irresistible synth pop sound but because of its relatability. In the song, frontman Noah Lennox repeatedly states, “I don't mean / To seem like I care about material things / Like a social status / I just want / Four walls and adobe slats / For my girls.” Lennox’s words reflected the desire of many at the time — to be able to provide for the ones they love, if nothing else. The song concludes that only the bare necessities, like shelter and family, are needed for happiness.

Folk rock band Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros takes this concept a step further in their single “Home.” The chorus of the song asserts that home is not a concrete, material structure, but rather a feeling when you’re around someone you love. The lighthearted vagabond anthem reminded folks that everything would be just fine, so long as they had their loved ones.

Though it’s true that love alone would not be able to solve most people’s problems during the crisis, pretending it would was enough to feel hopeful during this time.

However, songs that related to the struggle weren’t the only jams that stuck with us. Escapism was another popular theme of many of the top hits that year. Newcomer Lady Gaga rose to the top of the charts with her debut single “Just Dance.” The song tells the tale of a drunk Gaga, alone at a club. Instead of fretting over her problems she dances her worries away and encourages everyone to do the same with their own.

“I Gotta Feeling” by The Black Eyed Peas shares a similar vein, detailing the optimism and excitement before a night out on the town. Both tracks encouraged trading in your worries for a night filled with enjoying yourself. They brought us comfort and reminded us that it’ll be alright, even in the toughest of times. And much like childhood lullabies, they are sacred to us.

Of course, there could be a million other reasons why 2009 had so many great songs. Perhaps it was just lucky. Not everyone was hyperconscious of the recession and its effects — as an elementary schooler, I know I wasn’t. But I do remember all the major changes I experienced that year and listening to music along the way. In short, songs like these bring about a certain nostalgia, and we begin to romanticize them. That’s why it was a good year for music.

It didn’t matter if you were into rap, R&B, or pop — everyone could surround themselves with the sentiment that life would be okay if we decided it was okay. Whether it was a foreclosure, a bankruptcy, or if you just had to change what you called home, the moments of light-hearted fun and roaring carelessness resounded through us, and it really did get us through.