Brazilian Music Simplified Over the Past Decades, According to Study

08/16/2017 - 11h53

Brazilian music has been simplified over the past few decades, according to a study published by data scientist Leonardo Sales, from Pernambuco, Brazil, in June.

The analysis of Brazilian Music was based on two main aspects: chords in the compositions and vocabulary in the lyrics. The study analyzed 44,000 guitar tabs and 102,000 lyrics available on websites such as cifras.com.br and letras.com.br.

From the compilation, Mr. Sales was able to identify characteristics of the work of musicians such as Lenine, number one in the use of rare chords [set of notes], and groups like Facção Central, whose lyrics address more specific or regional matters.

The main result of the study is a ranking that lists Brazilian musicians according to the complexity of their music. Chico Buarque is the sovereign king of the raking, followed by Djavan and Ivan Lins.

STRANGE MIX

In one of the chapters, Mr. Sales proposes new music genres defined by the similarity between the choice of chords and between the musicians' vocabulary.

The first group is somewhat comical. It mixes, for example, Legião Urbana and Engenheiros do Havaí with Asa de Águia and Babado Novo in a category which includes 80's rock, axé, forró and sertaneja music (three typical Brazilian styles).

When viewed through the lexical prism, the genre proposals bring reggae and gospel together, that is, songs whose "lyrics are filled with spirituality."

Translated by ANA BEATRIZ DEMARIA

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