Young “anxiety pop” artists are mashing up upbeat tempos with emotional, often dark, lyrics.

Young “anxiety pop” artists are mashing up upbeat tempos with emotional, often dark, lyrics. Rising singer-songwriters like Kim Petras are growing the genre, following the path of Grimes, Lil Peep, and Billie Eilish. Their “sad bangers” are tackling Gen Z-relevant anxieties like dependence on technology, young love, and mental health. One musicologist suggests that because of media saturation, pop music “can no longer be this purely escapist fantasy.” (Elle)