Does Lady Gaga’s return to her dance-pop roots signal a triumphant comeback of the catchy music of the early 2010s, or does it rather portend an economic crisis? As far-fetched as this correlation may sound, popular music fans on social media consider that the current pop landscape, abuzz with lively hooks and high-energy melodies, echoes the fun dancefloor anthems that dominated the U.S. Billboard charts during and after the Great Recession of the late 2000s. They bundle these upbeat songs, which arguably served as the informal soundtrack to the difficult economic times that characterized the late 2000s and early 2010s, into a genre of their own: “recession pop.”
Lyrically and sonically, Lady Gaga’s latest single “Abracadabra” is indeed reminiscent of her early discography which catapulted her into fame during this era and cemented her status as a pop powerhouse.
It has also brought the theory of recession pop to the forefront of the online conversation about popular culture. Shortly after the release of the song on February 3, 2025, TikTok influencer @spencewuah posted a video about it which has amassed 171.5K likes and 867.8K views. The caption reads, “recession pop music is SO back.”
In a video that has garnered over 198K views and 66.6K likes, TikTok user @elyssacosette also reacted to the song by writing the following caption: “As a child of 2008: recession core is SO back. If we can’t afford eggs we might as well do it while dancing.”
The concept of “recession pop” had previously framed cultural discourse on TikTok in 2024 amid the release of new music from pop artists such as Kesha, Chappell Roan and Charli xcx. Albeit a seemingly niche Internet concept, it prompted media outlets such as CNBC and Vogue Australia to publish articles about it.
So, what exactly do TikTok users mean by “recession pop”? And why do some seem to believe that the revival of this specific pop music formula is a sign that the economy is taking a turn for the worse?
What is recession pop?
The online theory of recession pop encompasses the chart-topping music released during and shortly after the Great Recession, which began in December 2007 and ended in June 2009. A recurrent theme in this era of pop music is the celebration of all things dance. This understanding of dancing as an antidote to negative emotions pervades the body of music that is informally labeled as recession pop. Beyond the frenetic musical composition of these songs, the lyrical content is nothing short of bright and cheerful: “Just dance, gonna be okay” (Lady Gaga, “Just Dance”, 2008), “Tonight’s the night, let’s live it up” (Black Eyed Peas, “I Gotta Feeling”, 2009), “We can dance until we die” (Katy Perry, “Teenage Dream”, 2010).
An important thing to note about recession pop is that it formed a stark contrast with an overall somber economic mood. These feel-good songs emerged against the backdrop of the Great Recession, the most severe financial crisis since the Great Depression of the 1930s.
The crisis set the stage for difficult economic conditions for workers and households. According to the Brookings Institute, nearly 700,000 American workers on average lost their jobs every month between October 2008 and April 2009.
The recession paved the way for a slow economic recovery. It was a time when the labor market took years to rebound, with unemployment trending downward from a peak of 10% in October 2009 to 5% nearly eight years after the beginning of the crisis in the U.S.
It was also during this very time that pop artists Pitbull and Ne-Yo released their hit song “Time of Our Lives”, in which the latter sings that, although he is unable to make ends meet, he is determined to dance his financial troubles away. This was one of the many radio hits that captured the essence of recession pop with all its flagship features. At the very least, this is what some TikTok users appear to think, as viral videos using the song associate it closely with this period.
The prevalence of upbeat music during difficult times
The Great Recession was not the first time that the dialectical opposition between upbeat music and economic hardship was sutured into consumer patterns. According to CNBC’s article about recession pop, consumers have turned to cheerful songs to cope with uncertain economic conditions since the Great Depression in the 1930s. Citing music scholar Charlie Harding, the article points to the 1980s as a prime example, arguing that this period of high inflation ushered in high-energy genres such as house and techno.
In an academic article titled “Music preferences as an instrument of emotional self-regulation along the business cycle”, scholars Juan de Lucio and Marco Palomeque also highlight the interaction between vibrant music and difficult macroeconomic conditions. Published in the Journal of Cultural Economics in 2022, the article stipulates that consumers typically demonstrate a preference for more positive songs when unemployment is high.
Recession pop … without a recession?
Flash forward to 2025. Online users today seem to find comfort in the songs that defined the recession era, filming themselves dancing or lip syncing to them. Others suggest that current streaming hits mirror the patterns found in the music of the late 2000s and early 2010s, thereby translating into a recession indicator. Except that we are not actually in a recession.
In the absence of an economic crisis, the revival of recession pop seems to resonate strongly with TikTok users because it bathes in a general atmosphere of economic pessimism. According to CNBC, “we’re feeling very, very negative about the state of our own finances.”
Consumer attitudes in 2024 pointed to a sharp disconnect between positive economic metrics and how Americans actually felt about the economy. For example, a working paper published by the National Bureau of Economic Research in February 2024 stated that “unemployment is low and inflation is falling, but consumer sentiment remains depressed.”
Taking a toll on collective wellbeing, negative perceptions of the economy have therefore warranted the return of recession pop as a form of escapism. Quoting film studies scholar Diane Negra, CNBC explains that “the present political and economic terrain motivates various kinds of escapism, and recession pop is one form of that.”
The disconnect between the state of the economy and consumer sentiment manifests in Gen Z online discourse. A closer look at the TikTok videos and comments about recession pop indicates that a collective sense of financial stress weighs down on Gen Z.
The examples above reflect a common belief among TikTok users that we are already living in a recession. A view which, according to economists, is not backed by real data.
This negative consumer sentiment was enfolded into online attitudes before the theory of recession pop did the rounds on TikTok. Another viral TikTok theory, that of the “silent depression”, also emerged as a means to make sense of these complex economic realities. The theory compares prices between today’s economic situation and the Great Depression of the 1930s, arguing that the former has triggered an unparalleled affordability crisis that disproportionately affects Gen Z. Although this specific theory raises questions about the accuracy of the provided figures, it attests to the economic anxieties felt and disseminated by Gen Z on social media.
It is no secret that many Gen Z-ers view long-term financial security and independence as increasingly unattainable. There is a broader sense that the current cost of living situation delays and hinders milestones such as homeownership and retirement plans. For example, a Bank of America survey published in July 2024 found that the high cost of living, despite a strong labor market, is often cited as a barrier to financial success among Gen Z-ers in the U.S.
On the surface, the idea of recession pop can be brushed off as just another expression in a seemingly never-ending glossary of TikTok slang. Yet it arguably reveals a great deal about Gen Z consumer sentiment and how economic realities are culturally mediated on social media. Paying closer attention to what Gen Z pop culture fans are listening to, and how they’re interpreting it, can paint a clearer picture of their deep concerns about their financial future.
And so, in the midst of a gloomy economic mood that doesn’t appear to fade anytime soon, recession pop lives on.
By Gabriella Soriano
