Pop songs are getting sadder as part of “a clear downward trend” for happy music in the genre.

Pop songs are getting sadder as part of “a clear downward trend” for happy music in the genre. Researchers from the University of California Irvine analyzed top U.K. hits to find that while uplifting songs are still more likely to top the charts, more pessimistic pop songs have been released in the last 30 years and are climbing the ranks. This trend has been noticed in other music genres (like rap and hip-hop), movies, television, and more as young consumers seek an Escape to the Dark Side. (Mashable)