[egiboy]

The author, by making this claim, lays bare the fact that they do not know about Eurovision.

Key changes are so common in Eurovision songs that it is mentioned in the ultimate Eurovision spoof song "Love Love Peace Peace", which also features at least one key change: https://youtu.be/Cv6tgnx6jTQ

The reports of the death of the key change, dare I say, are greatly exaggerated.

[steeleduncan]

This is related to the real reason key changes no longer chart, they are a cliche. You are no more likely to get a song with cheesy modulations into the Billboard top 100 than you are a book that starts "it was a dark and stormy night" into the New York Times bestseller list.

In Eurovision though, the cheese is part of the fun.

[adamc]

Trying to comprehend the idea that "key changes are cliche". No. Maybe certain patterns are cliche, but there are so many interesting things you can do with key changes that the remark is just silly.

But it isn't just key changes that have gone away. We used to let drummers speed up and slow down with the emotion of the song. Now we want everything on a grid for ease of production, we pitch-correct even when it isn't really needed, we sample sounds rather than have real musicians play. The result of all that is that songs have a narrower envelope of variation, and they tend to be more simplistic.

[josteink]

> The author, by making this claim, lays bare the fact that they do not know about Eurovision.

Historically I would say that to be an accurate statement. It used to be a Eurovision-staple.

The latest few years though, I’ve been surprised that literally none of the songs making it to the finals have key-changes like this any more.

When it’s usage is decimated, even in Eurovision-songs, I think that clearly shows the author has a solid point.

[taylorius]

I watch Eurovision for the laughs, and because I enjoy it as an anachronism that flies in the face of the internet's frictionless free market optimisation. But lately the acts have started all singing in English, and generally getting a bit X Factor-ish, so maybe its time is sadly drawing to a close.

[323]

Key changes are very popular in song contests because they allow the (live) singer to show off their skills.

But key changes are not popular in popular (sic) songs. Very few EuroVision songs transition to the radio/....

You can easily tell which songs were mostly influenced by a singer (made for them) or by a producer (made for plays/profit). Stuff which is popular with singer, elaborate vocal constructions don't typically make for a good song.

Which is why you need a producer to say NO to the singer if you want a popular song. Of course, the singer can be the producer, but it's a different skill set.

[Finnucane]

The article literally limits its context to the billboard top 100. It's right there in the title.

[TylerE]

Eurovision is irrelevant to the US market. Those songs do not chart here.

[WastingMyTime89]

They chart nowhere. That’s not the point. Noticing that key changes are still popular at what is one of the most popular song contest in the world is however very relevant to a discussion about the public taste.

[peterkelly]

So what? The US has less than 5% of the global population. Pretending the other 95% of the world is "irrelevant" seems odd.

[mkl95]

They don't chart that much in Europe either. Eurovision is tone deaf.

[recuter]

I didn't know charts matter anymore.

[bambataa]

Well shucks, maybe they should just cancel it then.

[tomcam]

Is there a way to watch the Eurovision contest in the US?

[sorenjan]

The same people that have produced Eurovision for something like a decade is now making American song contest, where states compete against each other. I'm not convinced it will work, but we'll see.

[pionar]

Peacock broadcast the last Eurovision contest hosted by Johnny Weir in the US. I assume that'll continue.