“Even enduring genres like classical and jazz have undergone a noticeable simplification”: New study concludes modern music has become less complexA new study by researchers at the Sapienza University of Rome has put statistical weight behind the theory many listeners have long suspected: modern music is becoming less complex.
The study, titled Decoding Musical Evolution Through Network Science, analysed approximately 20,000 MIDI files spanning four centuries and six macro-genres, including Jazz, Classical, Rock, Pop, Hip Hop, and Electronic.
The results reveals a trend toward simplification across the board, with Classical and Jazz compositions having higher complexity and melodic diversity than more recently developed genres.

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“The observed results could partly be attributed to the rise of more homogeneous and less complex genres in recent years,” researchers say. “However, our analysis indicates that even enduring genres like classical and jazz have undergone a noticeable simplification compared to their origins.”
What’s behind this ‘musical dumbing-down’? According to the study, the culprits might be the very tools that have made music production and dissemination so readily accessible to all of us.
Digital audio workstations and streaming platforms have revolutionised how we create and consume music in the 21st century. While these advancements have opened doors for countless aspiring musicians, they may also be fostering a culture of musical homogenisation and simplicity.
“The observed trend of musical simplification reflects broader societal changes, including the influence of global interconnectedness, rapid content dissemination, and the algorithmic curation of music consumption,” the paper states.
“Our study highlights that the democratisation of the composition process and the advent of new technologies and platforms have fostered the development of genres characterised by reduced complexity relative to earlier eras.”
Before we turn this into another ‘music was better in my day’ rant though, it’s worth noting that the study’s use of MIDI data limits its analyses to “structural aspects of music”. Other “critical dimensions, such as lyrics, timbre, production techniques, and cultural context”, remain unexplored.
More importantly, just as length alone doesn’t make a song better or worse, simplicity in music doesn’t necessarily equate to lower quality. As technology continues to redefine how we create and consume music, the real challenge lies in fostering a landscape where accessibility and innovation coexist with artistic depth and complexity.
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