Los Angeles — New research presented today at the American Psychiatric Association’s Annual Meeting examines trends in the way popular music reflects national trends in substance use and mental health. Because of their cultural impact, pop songs shape how substance use is discussed and can potentially serve as an important public health tool to help reduce stigma and promote healthy habits.

To examine the correlation between substance use trends and lyrical content in pop music, researchers undertook a qualitative thematic analysis of the top 50 songs from each year between 2013 and 2024 (550 songs total).

Alcohol mentions dominated early in the decade, and then lyrics shifted toward mentions of pills and unspecified drugs. Between 2021 and 2023 benzodiazepines and stimulants gained attention and by 2023 opioids and ecstasy references featured prominently. After initially peaking in 2015, alcohol significantly increased beginning in 2022 and peaking in 2024. In addition, over the decade, lyrics increasingly referenced not just partying, but loneliness, heartache, guilt, and following the COVID-19 pandemic, increasing themes of resilience, survival, and self-reflection. As the authors note: “As the world changed, so did the music—and the stories it told about how we’re coping.”

The authors suggest that music is “both a mirror and a message” not only reflecting what is happening, but shaping how we talk about it and potentially serving as a public health tool to help reduce stigma and promote healthier habits. They suggest music could be incorporated in public health through school-based layric analysis/discussion; through msic theapy and mindufulneess to support outh coping strategies; and by collaborating with artists in public campaigns. These efforts can “use music to connect with audiences on an emotional level—and create real impact.”

The study authors included Alec Manning and Benita Lalani, with the John Sealy School of Medicine, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, Texas; Joseph Shotwell, M.D., with the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, Texas; and Jasmine Liu-Zarzuela, M.D., M.P.H. with the Department of Psychiatry, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, Texas.

Learn more about substance use disorders, including opioid use disorder at the APA website.

American Psychiatric Association

The American Psychiatric Association, founded in 1844, is the oldest medical association in the country. The APA is also the largest psychiatric association in the world with more than 39,200 physician members specializing in the diagnosis, treatment, prevention, and research of mental illnesses. APA’s vision is to ensure access to quality psychiatric diagnosis and treatment. For more information, please visit www.psychiatry.org.