The terms recession pop and recession fashion have been littering the internet, and for good reason. Recessions have created noticeable patterns between music and fashion, especially in club settings, all the way from the 1980s to now.
With “Brat Summer”, the release of Joyride, and artists like Ayesha Erotica hinting at new music, people online have been discussing the possibility of recession pop coming back. Prior to this discourse, there has also been talks about recession fashion making a revival. What does all of this mean, and how does pop and fashion relate to each other in times of financial crisis?
What is Recession Pop?
Recession pop is a term used most commonly to describe the music of the Great Recession in the late 2000s. Between 2007 and 2013, pop music developed a notable house and electro-pop sound. This blend led to some of the biggest pop hits to this day, including “Bad Romance” and “TiK ToK.” Pop stars incorporated elements of disco and EDM with faster BPMS, energizing beats, and uplifting lyrics. People would dance to songs that sang about having fun and dancing the night away despite worries and troubles.
Club Music in the Recession
Disco
None of this was a sudden coincidence, though. Music trends tend to lean towards dance music and EDM during difficult times. The faster beats and party-centric lyrics encourage people to dance as a form of escapism. During the recession of the 70s, music-like discos took center stage.
Disco featured percussions, horn strings, and synths, influenced by genres like funk, jazz, and soul. It was notably faster than other popular genres at the time with a typical BPM of 110 to 135. These elements were the perfect recipe for those looking for a good night out or a brief escape from reality.
Disco holds deep ties with counterculture and queer culture, as it was often played at clubs frequented by black, brown, and queer people. These spaces provided a community for these minority groups as well as a refuge or an escape for the night. People often wore flashy and colorful outfits, detailed with sequins and metallics and topped off with chunky and bold accessories.
The culture surrounding disco was vibrant and glamorous, which stood in stark contrast to the everyday reality of most people. Rather than toning it down, disco was about living it up, even if it was just for that one night.
House
Although disco died down by the 80s, dance music soon thrived again as another recession approached. House music was another genre born from the club scene of black, brown, and queer people. It has disco influences, along with funk and electronic music, and possesses all the staples for good dance music. House music often contains faster tempos, rhythmic syncopations, and deep bass lines to contrast its melodies.
The music encourages people to keep dancing, but also lifts people’s moods with lyrics about happiness, love, and spirituality. EDM continued to gain traction and was especially popular in the 90s and 2000s, subsequently affecting what is now known as “recession pop”.
Electro-Pop and Recession Fashion
From 2007 to 2013, America entered another recession. Pop icons, such as Lady Gaga, Black-Eyed Peas, and Britney Spears, took on an electro-pop sound that quickly blurred the line between EDM and pop. Influenced by EDM and disco, pop songs like “Just Dance” or “Gimme More” were full of punchy beats, engaging melodies, and lyrics about love, partying, and living it up.
Pop stars at this time also created a spectacle with their music, fashion, and videos. Think of Nicki Minaj’s “Starship,” with its electronic chorus and uplifting lyrics that encourage listeners to go and party “one last time.” The music video’s fantasy completes the song’s paradisiacal atmosphere with psychedelic visuals, beach imagery, and colorful wigs and bikinis. This kind of musical and artistic escapism created entertainment and a momentary distraction for listeners from their realities.
As the music during this time was changing, so was the fashion. “Recession fashion”, a term used to indicate fashion trends that occur during recessions, started coming back again. Clothes became more toned down, androgynous, and monochrome in color once again, as typical of recessions. These changes in fashion made clothing pieces more versatile and less flashy or attention-grabbing, as the financial crisis left most people cutting down on clothing expenses.
Even celebrities began to wear more modest outfits as showing off brand names and status symbols grew socially distasteful. Early 2000s staples, such as the Juicy Couture tracksuit, were swapped out for statement accessories or makeup for cost reasons.
The logomania and obvious displays of wealth that populated the early to mid-2000s faded away rapidly in favor of two trends: “back-to-basics”, muted outfits, and overwhelmingly tacky and cheap fashion.
Recession Meets Fast Fashion
With the rise of fast fashion and social media, typical recession fashion also changed. During a recession, fashion tends to become simpler and more versatile, as many people place less focus on trendy outfits. Business casual was one such style that people leaned towards, as it could be worn both to work and when going out. However, as fast fashion grew more popular during this time, people now had an alternative option as well. Rather than buying a few long-lasting pieces, people could instead choose to buy cheaper, lower-quality clothing in higher quantities. For many young adults partying and frequenting clubs, fast fashion was an easy way to buy a cute outfit without worrying about damage or wear.
Disco Revival
The late 2000s and early 2010s saw the height of recession fashion at the time. Following the typical trend cycle, there were callbacks to previous styles with the return of 80s and 90s fashion. Elements of disco and the 80s, such as bumpits, tunic tops, and animal prints, were back in, especially among partiers.
Girls would tote around a large Kathy Van Zeeland metallic purse adorned with studs, rhinestones, tassels, and charms–sometimes even all at once. Statement bags, chunky beaded necklaces, and thick, bright plastic belts were commonplace items for a college student going out.
As pop music adopted disco and EDM sounds, clubgoers also followed suit, wearing outfits and pieces inspired by these genres.
The Tacky 2000s
Alongside this disco revival, a new wave of excessively tacky and flashy fashion was also creeping up. This style rose to popularity at the same time when artists like LMFAO were blowing up. LMFAO, an electronic dance duo, was known for their hype party music, such as “Party Rock Anthem” or “Sexy and I Know It”, and their loud fashion style. Sporting zebra-patterned pants, neon vests, and their iconic afros, LMFAO was one of the mainstream pioneers of “tacky”, especially in club wear.
Many teens and college students during this time were more averse to the basic styles common in recessions. Instead, they flocked to feather hair extensions, duck nails, and neon leopard prints.
The ease of fast fashion made all of these garish items easier to buy, and their cheap price and quality made them highly appealing to wear for a wild night out at the club or a rave. Another factor in this tacky revolution was the steep drop in brand name hype. Simple clothing with a logo or brand name no longer held the same draw as before.
Instead, teens were actively seeking out more expressive and escapist fashion. Although this style could hardly be called refined or particularly stylish, it provided a source of joy and entertainment for many in the recession.
Disco, House, and Hyperpop
Moving forward to 2020, America officially entered another recession. Much like the 2000s, disco, house music, and other derivatives, such as electro-house and nu-disco, were back in mainstream pop. Hits like “Say So”, “Blinding Lights”, and “Future Nostalgia” took clear inspiration from these genres, not only in their sound but also in their retro visuals. In the same year, Lady Gaga also released her album Chromatica, which had a house, dance-pop, electro-pop, and Eurodisco influences. The album also contained hyperpop remixes, foreshadowing the genre’s future popularity.
The Rise of Hyperpop
Hyperpop is an EDM subgenre that takes on elements of house and electro-pop. Although the genre has been growing since the 2010s, it was only during the COVID-19 pandemic that its popularity shot up significantly. Without the ability to travel, people turned to online media for entertainment. Hyperpop began to gain more attention as people, stuck at home, sought out new, interesting experiences. Artists like 100 gecs, Charli XCX, and SOPHIE drew people in with their immersive sound. The genre’s mood-boosting melodies and cacophonous sounds provided an easily accessible source of intrigue and distraction.
Now, in 2024, hyperpop has increased in mainstream popularity, alongside dance and EDM music in general. This surge is partially due to the recent release of Charli XCX’s Brat, Shygirl’s Club Shy (RMX), and Kesha’s comeback “Joyride”. These hyper pop, electronic dance, and dance-pop songs have been flooding online platforms and streaming services. DJs and producers like horsegiirL and Brutalismus 3000 are also receiving more attention in America. So far this year, Brutalismus 3000 held their first Coachella set while horsegiirL performed at the Ladyland Festival. Their techno and hardstyle influences complement the current love for hyperpop.
Instead of a heavy disco influence, like previous recessions, hyperpop and techno may be the domineering sounds for this decade. These genres are known for their fast-paced energy, pulsing bass, and full, almost noisy, sound. Some may even describe the experience as an aural overload. Compared to the 2000s, people appear more attracted to faster BPMS, steady and repetitive beats, and sound distortion. This recent upturn in EDM inspired pop songs are an indication to some that another recession is on the horizon. If so, these electronic hits might just be the songs people dance the night away to this time around.
Bringing Recession Fashion Back to the Club
Per previous recessions, there has been a noticeable increase in simpler outfits composed of more versatile pieces, especially on public figures. At the recent Boiler Room set in Ibiza, Charli XCX appeared wearing an all-white ensemble. She layers a long-sleeve top with a plain tank top over it, pairing them with skimpy white shorts, white lace garters, and slouchy, light beige boots. The outfit is clean and put together without being overly flashy or ostentatious.
Brutalismus 3000, a techno duo, also appear in more minimal outfits. The pair have been gaining more mainstream traction lately, appearing at Coachella and touring the US. They often show up to their shows in simple matching tracksuits or an oversized t-shirt and cargo pants. Their stage ensemble could just as easily be worn as an everyday fit; the two often appear more ordinary than their audience. Brutalismus 30000 consistently opt for performance wear that feels authentic to their daily wardrobe, rather than wearing any specific costumes.
Tacky, Trashy, and Ironic
The revival of “back-to-basics” fashion does not mean that the tackiness of the late 2000s isn’t back either. Party-goers and performers alike are beginning to wear more neon colors, metallics, and tassels–staple elements of the 2000s and 2010s trashiness. Kesha’s comeback with “Joyride” shows her dressed in a neon red crop top and tights. She styles them with long latex gloves, leather, knee-high boots, and a pair of sunglasses, all red. Her outfit is extremely eye-catching, with its bold color, varying textures, and panties peeking through her tights. The costume is fun and trashy in a way reminiscent of the late 2000s. It is self-aware of its tackiness and finds entertainment and expression in it.
Outside of stage costumes, tackiness has largely presented itself through ironic, tongue-in-cheek phrases and words printed onto clothing pieces. In a recent Instagram post, Shygirl is wearing a hot pink t-shirt that proudly states “I ❤️ CRYING”. Similarly, iGirl, a popular online brand, features panties and crop tops that write “IGIRL RUINED MY LIFE”. This trend feeds into tackiness in a stylized and ironic manner, reviving this 2009 aesthetic in a more modern fashion. People often pair these tops with skirts (the size of a belt) or short shorts, adding to the outfit’s playful trashiness without drawing too much attention.
Rather than swinging completely towards simplicity or gaudiness, club fashion seems to balance these tacky elements with an understated vibe. Somehow, this style seems to be moving in a strangely fashionable direction.
Synths, Vaporwave, and Cycles
As the year progresses, there will likely be more elements of the late 2000s that come back. Music and fashion will probably develop influences from the 70s and 80s again. The recent rise of Chappel Roan and the success of Sabrina Carpenter’s “Espresso” could be an indication that synthpop and related genres, such as synthwave and vaporwave, are due for a revival soon. Depending on how the economy progresses, there might be further parallels between the two and their influences. Although it is unclear how exactly fashion and music will unfold in a future recession, it is certain that they will fuel each other in club spaces to develop into more prominent styles.
For now, though, it’s time to dress up, drink up, and dance the night away.
