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My thoughts.

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2020s Pre-/Recession Pop Explained | Charli XCX, Taylor Swift & K-pop

It’s been five years since the COVID-19 pandemic began. After three years of lockdown and restrictions around the world, people slowly returned to “normal life.” But has life really gone back to normal?

The economy is still struggling, unemployment keeps rising, global politics are tense, nationalism is growing, and many people have lost hope for the future. In a way, the shadow of the pandemic is still with us. And this shift has deeply influenced art in recent years—especially music.

Today, I want to briefly introduce a music trend shaped by economic decline: Recession Pop. I’ll also share my thoughts on how this trend has developed after COVID-19.

Now, the definition of Recession Pop is pretty clear online. ChatGPT explains it this way: Recession Pop is a trend in pop music that grows during times of economic and social crisis. It’s not a genre—it’s a mood, a reflection of how people feel when life is hard and uncertain.

For example, back in the 2008 financial crisis, pop music became all about strong beats and flashy dance songs. Artists like Lady Gaga, Kesha, Britney Spears, Katy Perry, and Madonna dominated that era. Their music helped people escape for a moment, even when reality felt dark. Actually, I started listening to Western pop music around that time.

Fast forward to 2020, and we were all stuck at home. We didn’t just face a lack of supplies—we also felt emotionally empty. But when the world slowed down, people had time to reflect. Musicians couldn’t tour or do business as usual, so they started looking inward too.

From 2020 to 2021, many artists released personal, emotional, and introspective albums. I call this period Pre-Recession Pop—the beginning of a new wave of deeply honest music.

Here are a few key albums from that time:

Taylor Swift – Folklore & Evermore: She moved from big pop stories to quiet, dreamy tales.

Charli XCX – how I’m feeling now: Made at home during lockdown—raw, messy, but emotionally real.

Soccer Mommy – Color Theory: Talks about depression and the pain of growing up.

Lana Del Rey – Chemtrails over the Country Club & Blue Banisters: Deep American nostalgia mixed with emptiness and sadness.

Billie Eilish – Happier Than Ever: A deep dive into fame, identity, and emotional burnout.

During this time, artists weren’t chasing hits or trying to go viral. They just wanted to express something real. These albums were born out of isolation, but they planted the emotional seeds for what came next: full-on Recession Pop.

They pulled pop music away from empty glam and brought it closer to the truth—even if it was just someone whispering in their bedroom, it deserved to be heard.

After two years of lockdown, countries like the U.S. began opening up again. Borders reopened, people could travel and gather. But the world had already changed. Economies were damaged, businesses closed, people lost jobs, and some never found new ones. On top of that, the rise of AI created even more fear and uncertainty.

At a time when people were tired of the present and afraid of the future, pop music changed again. It became softer—or louder. We saw a return of the 2008 vibe:

wild parties with an end-of-the-world feeling,

Y2K fashion and nostalgia for a “better time,”

rebellion against reality,

big, dramatic sound and visuals.

Some key albums that represent today’s Recession Pop:

Charli XCX – Brat: Loud, bratty, and tired—a kind of emotional punk for our broken times.

FKA twigs – Eusexua: Healing dance music that uses the body to fight back.

Beyoncé – Renaissance: A tribute to Black queer culture that celebrates joy and survival.

Chappell Roan – The Rise and Fall of a Midwest Princess: A drag queen energy that makes fun of small-town girl pressures.

Carly Rae Jepsen – The Loneliest Time: Light, dreamy pop hiding deep loneliness.

And in this Recession Pop wave, I found a music style or community, no one has talked about it before, which plays a very special role. It’s Kpop. 

It’s not just about great music or perfect visuals—K-pop gives fans emotional support. Idols act like friends or big siblings. They go live streaming, write messages, and remind fans, “You’re doing great.”

That’s why K-pop has exploded in the Western market in recent years—not only because of its high quality, but because it offers something many people are missing: emotional connection and care. 

Recession Pop is not just a sound. It’s a reflection of our time.It’s how people try to survive—through sadness, through glitter, through honesty.

It can be a soft whisper in the dark. It can be a chaotic dance party. It can be a K-pop idol telling you, “It’s okay to feel lost.”

In this uncertain world, we use music to feel something. To feel alive. To keep going.

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PopChopstick Curated Highly Anticipated Album in July 2025

. - Kesha - Kesha Records (07/04/2025) moisturizer - Wet Leg - Domino Recording (07/11/2025) I WANT MY LOVED ONES TO GO WITH ME - Noah Cyrus - Columbia Records (07/11/2025) MAGICMAN 2 - Jackson Wang - TEAM WANG records (07/18/2025) Precipice - Indigo De Souza - Loma Vista Recordings (07/25/2025) Genesis - Tommy Genesis - Ultra Records (07/25/2025)

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Dedicated to all open-minded music lovers.

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PopChopstick Best New Track: Lorde – Man of the Year

When What Was That was released, it divided listeners—some praised its intimacy, while others felt Lorde was still revisiting the emotional terrain of Melodrama, offering little artistic evolution.

But with Man of the Year, she shifts the narrative entirely. The track begins as a stripped-down, mono bass guitar pop song, where Lorde’s vocal performance shines—raw, resonant, and emotionally exposed. Lyrically, she confronts love, gender, and selfhood with rare clarity, creating a powerful sense of closeness with the listener.

As the song builds, it erupts into a wave of clean drum kicks and heavy synths, unleashing a sonic avalanche that’s both cathartic and commanding.

In Man of the Year, Lorde turns her lens inward—no longer observing from afar, but fully present in her own story. It’s a moment of vulnerability and strength, marking one of her most emotionally compelling releases in years.

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JOLIN - Pleasure (Review)

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Lorde Rolling Stone cover story is wild!

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PopChopstick Curated Highly Anticipated Album in June 2025 

Addison - Addison Rae - Columbia Records (06/06/2025)

Lotus - Little Simz - AWAL Recordings (06/06/2025)

DGTL ANML - LSDXOXO - Because Music (06/13/2025)

I quit - HAIM - Columbia Records (06/20/2025)

Idols - YUNGBLUD - UMG Recordings (06/20/2025)

Scratch It - U.S. Girls - 4AD (06/20/2025)

Virgin - Lorde - Universal Music New Zealand (06/27/2025)

Vanity - Isabella Lovestory - Giant Music (06/27/2025)

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PopChopstick Album Review: Raissa – HEROGIRL EP

Raissa’s debut EP HEROGIRL is a bold showcase of her distinct pop sensibility. Born in Spain and raised across Beijing, Sydney, and Kuala Lumpur, her music naturally transcends geographical boundaries, exuding a sense of cross-cultural, intergalactic freedom. The entire EP radiates a cosmic, spacey atmosphere—like an audio voyage through the galaxy.

Opening track GO FAST BABY sets the tone with heavy synths that feel like riding a rocket through a vacuum. The trap-infused chorus never feels cliché—instead, it evokes a lawless “Ride or Die” road trip, except it’s taking place on a galactic highway.

On CONSTELLATIONS, produced in collaboration with Emile Haynie (Beyoncé, Lana Del Rey, Lykke Li, FKA twigs), Raissa takes us deeper into dreamlike darkness. The track floats in and out of emotion and melody, as if drifting weightlessly among fragments of stardust.

Then there’s SHADES ON, which adds a playful twist to the EP. It sounds like a strange alien signal intercepted mid-broadcast, filled with bizarre but irresistibly rhythmic production. It’s Raissa at her most mischievous.

HEROGIRL reads like a pop manifesto sent from the outer edges of the galaxy. With her multicultural roots and futuristic aesthetic, Raissa builds a universe all her own—one where space-pop reigns supreme.

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Willy Jacky is inviting EVERYONE to the 2nd world. 

2NE-WORLD ANTHEM, my first single, out soon.

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PopChopstick Recommends: jolae - (♯K▼皿▼MS!!!!)

With (♯K▼皿▼MS!!!!), jolae compresses chaotic emotion into a sonic grenade—fusing indie-electronica, breakbeat, noise pop, and even hints of Shibuya-kei into a riot of sound that’s both unhinged and beautifully precise.

The track kicks off like a tantrum—childlike, raw, and full of rage. Every scream feels like a curse hurled at the world. But in the second half, it all collapses into a vast, cosmic void. It’s an emotional swing that feels like memoryland-era CFCF colliding with Hi-Posi’s 性善说, wrapped in the lush dissonance of Sweet Trip.

This isn’t a song made for comfort—or even for the dancefloor. It’s a scream into the chaos, a sonic diary for anyone who’s wrestled with paranoia, numbness, or the void.

Special credit goes to jolae’s collaborator Sovietaxi, who handled much of the arrangement and instrumentation in the latter half of the track. His contributions add depth and a distinct shift that makes the emotional transition hit even harder.

With (♯K▼皿▼MS!!!!), jolae shouts into the noise: I’m still fighting. I’m still here.

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PopChopstick Album Review: bod [包家巷] – YEAR0001: Bod (DJ Mix)

PopChopstick doesn’t usually review DJ mixsets, but YEAR0001: Bod (DJ Mix) is no ordinary set—it’s a sonic journey that feels both soul-searching and genre-defying. Eye-opening and ear-pleasing, this mix invites listeners into bod [包家巷]’s ever-expanding universe.

From sadcore indie folk (Fog Lake), medieval epic soundtracks from Gladiator, rage rap (Playboi Carti), and progressive trance (Quit Life), to lullaby-like ambient and sacred hymns, bod [包家巷] curates a genre-blending experience with seamless transitions and emotional depth.

Originally released five years ago on SoundCloud, this DJ mix is finally available on Apple Music—proof that some treasures are worth rediscovering.

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PopChopstick Introducing Pen Name

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PopChopstick Curated Highly Anticipated Album in May 2025

The Scholars - Car Seat Headrest - Matador Records (05/02/2025)

SEQUENCE 01 - f5ve - LDH Group (05/05/2025)

Sincerely, - Kali Uchis - Capitol Records (05/09/2025)

Fancy That - PinkPantheress - Warner UK (05/09/2025)

Pink Elephant - Arcade Fire - Sony UK (05/09/2025)

LETHAL - Rico Nasty - Atlantic Records (05/16/2025)

Earcandy - Miso Extra - Transgressive Records (05/16/2025)

Big city life - Smerz  - escho (05/23/2025)

Something Beautiful - Miley Cyrus - Columbia Records (05/30/2025)

Evangelic Girl is a Gun - yeule - Ninja Tune (05/30/2025) 

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PopChopstick Best New Track: ifeye - NERDY

New K-pop girl group ifeye made their debut on April 8 with the EP ERLU BLUE, and its lead single NERDY immediately stands out.

NERDY follows a classic K-pop formula: a steady drum kick and spacey synths run through the track, creating a sleek, minimalistic backdrop. The chorus shifts gears—starting with a slightly tacky Western-style power pop, then snapping back into the familiar, charming world of K-pop where the girls spell out “N-E-R-D-Y” with playful flair.

What earns NERDY its Best New Track title is ifeye’s vocal delivery—refreshing yet full, sweet yet subtly coy. The group sounds like one unified chorus, filling the track’s sparse production with vibrant personality. It’s the kind of debut that makes you curious about what’s coming next.

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PopChopstick Album Recommendation: rubenmccarter – Wording Is A Problem

Chinese up-and-coming singer-songwriter rubenmccarter released his debut EP Wording Is A Problem on April 2, 2025. This project feels like an intimate diary—chronicling the emotional turmoil and inner monologues he experienced between the ages of 16 and 18. Through melodies instead of sentences, he uses “wording” as a stand-in for all the things he couldn’t quite resolve growing up.

The EP features 8 tracks, blending R&B, bossa nova, Brit rock, and experimental electronic music. Despite its stylistic range, everything is tied together by a cohesive bedroom pop intimacy. Tracks like “Monochrome” (feat. 卫柏Neon) wrap melancholy in soft, elegant arrangements, while “Nippon” (with soliremindme) whispers cross-cultural reflections. “Unfazed” and “How Does It Get Worse From Here?” feel like emotional outbursts from a teenager wrestling with life—raw, unfiltered, and strangely beautiful in their vulnerability.

Produced almost entirely by rubenmccarter himself, with help from K Maji, clef, and yngteri on arrangement and Massica on mixing and mastering, the EP is DIY at its core. While it may be rooted in the bedroom pop tradition, it doesn’t feel confined. The sonic collage gives space to his thoughts, his frustrations, and his deeply personal snapshots of adolescence.

As he puts it: “When I couldn’t fix things, I just put them into drums, guitars, and words.” Wording Is A Problem isn’t just a debut—it’s a sonic shelter where his growing pains are allowed to exist, be felt, and maybe even understood.

If you're going through your own set of life challenges, this EP might feel like a quiet voice in the dark—one that gets you, even if it doesn't fix everything.

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Huge congrats to Jellyeeee! 🌸 Flourish won Silver Screening at the Berlin Music Video Awards and was crowned Music Video of the Week (Jan 24, 2025)!

Wanna know what’s behind the magic?

Check out our exclusive PopChopstick interview with Jellyeeee!