Recession pop is an informal term used to define a type of dance-pop music that emerged during the Great Recession and remained popular until the early 2010s.
Recession pop is an informal term used to define a type of dance-pop music that emerged during the Great Recession and remained popular until the early 2010s.
Recession pop has been described as "feel-good" music, characterized by fast BPMs, catchy melodies and lyrics about going out, partying, being young and living it up. [1] [2]
The first recorded use of the term "recession pop" seems to have appeared in a 2009 Irish Independent article about Lady Gaga. [3] However, the term only gained widespread use in 2024 after going viral on TikTok.
The term recession pop is sometimes used to describe modern music that takes influence from the style of its original era. Artists such as Chappell Roan, Sabrina Carpenter and Charli XCX have been associated with the "new" recession pop music. [4] [5]