While aging is a natural part of life, many people have a tough time accepting it, especially since popular music is not making it any easier.
In a new study that examined the images depicted in the lyrics of popular songs, researchers at Anglia Ruskin University in Cambridge in the U.K. found that most of them depicted aging in a very negative light.
"We're aware that the number of people over age 60 will probably double by 2050, and we're very keen that that aging experience is a positive one," lead study author Jacinta Kelly said.
Kelly and her colleagues examined 76 songs that addressed the topics of old age and aging. They looked at an average of 10 songs from every decade starting in the 1930s. The researchers divided the songs into three categories, which included "contented and celebrated," "pitiful and petulant" or "frail and flagging." Overall, 55 songs had a negative view on aging and 21 songs had a positive view.
The researchers found that in the majority of these lyrics, aging was linked to frailty, a decline in physical wellness and dependency. The songs did not make aging sound very attractive, Kelly added.
"What we're trying to get across is that this kind of bitterness or hostility is promoted or conveyed and it's not a trivial thing to explore. You can absorb negativity and it can have consequences for your health," she said.
Previous studies have linked having a positive outlook on life to a living a longer life, while others have reported that negative attitudes regarding old age can impact heart health.
"It is imagined that the negative representations of age and aging can be dispiriting, confidence and esteem lowering for older people and their potential impact might be considered carefully by artists," the authors wrote. "However, while evidence exists that negative and positive emotions can influence health and well-being, further qualitative research is needed to explore what impact precisely the negative texts have on those experiencing aging."
The study's findings suggest that society has an obsession with youth. Gerard M. Fealy of the University College Dublin College of Health Sciences said the results show how much society "valorized youth."
"I would never wish to censor music lyrics, not in any way," said Fealy, who was not involved in the study. "But we can create a counter discourse to redress some of the ageism. Most older people had a past that was interesting, exciting, and valuable."
The study was published in the Feb. 24 issue of the Journal of Advanced Nursing.
