Electronic pop interim report Q3/24

The sonic stock market witnessed beats – and jam – being pumped up vigorously in the third quarter. Main events included a significant surge in both BPMs and earworm hooks, and several key tracks achieving breakout status.

In this quarter, we saw electronic pop diversify its portfolio both by genre and geography. From the reliable legacy synth-pop of Propaganda and Pet Shop Boys to the somewhat low-risk but wrongly overlooked soulful pop of Will Young, the trance-infused dance of RÜFÜS DU SOL and darker Depeche-referencing post-punk from Molchat Doma. Upbeat anthems, moody bops, and some slightly quirkier pieces were all vying for Q3 dominance. A notable investment was made into the refreshingly raw demo-like quality of rising act Helka, while steady returns were reaped by relying on throwback sounds from the 80s, exemplified by Piston Damp and Peter Wilson.

Who says you can't make a catchy song about the impending doom of our planet?

When examined according to the following Key Metrics, the past quarter has, overall, been a period of many a bangin' tune, synthy warble and sticky melody. As is characteristic of the pop charts, spirits and mental conditions have fluctuated depending on the feelings evoked by seemingly shallow tunes – ranging from empowerment and a belief in one's creative prowess to the self-loathing of a phlegmatic divorcee destined to die alone and unemployed in a business where ageism is a fact and AI will inevitably take over.

• Banger Index (BI): +15% YoY (Year-on-Year)

  Leading indicators show a consistent increase in banger quality, with an upward trend in infectious choruses and euphoric builds. Two prime examples are delivered by Kylie, both tasters from her upcoming Tension II album.

  
  

• Synth Utilisation Rate (SUR): 87%

  The use of synthesisers remains at near-peak capacity. Classic analogue synths have seen a welcome resurgence across the sector, signalling a nostalgic but forward-thinking market. The Weeknd and Max Martin may be accused of milking it but they still manage to do justice to the genre pretty well.

  
  

• Earworm Retention: 22 hours on average

  The retention rate for catchy melodies has rarely been higher, with tracks staying firmly lodged in listeners’ heads for nearly a full day before being displaced by the next hit. RSF featuring Andy Bell and Boy George, Peter Wilson, and Propaganda took the top three spots in the hummability index.

Let's not overinterpret: it's not necessarily an allegory of coming out or of suicidal tendencies. It's just two lads taking a road trip to the beach. Simples.

Expectations for Q4

Early entries for the last quarter of the year suggest that the overwhelming surge of brightly coloured so-called "limited edition" vinyls and cassettes may lead to an oversaturated market. Although profit margins are expected to decrease, the satisfaction of adding yet another slightly differing format to the collection will remain as high as ever.

Considering this, our official analyst recommendation – compiled by the guy running the antiquarian bookshop / record store round the corner – is to issue a profit warning to proceed with caution: repeated listening to DJ Timmy's Top 30 may lead to spontaneous dance outbreaks, uncontrollable humming, and an excessive desire to update your playlist and/or splash out on another strictly limited zenotrope picture disc or two.