The Economic Side of a Song

The Beatles’ “Hey Jude” lasted for seven (wonderful) minutes. Way longer than songs then and now, the Beatles had the commercial clout to flaunt tradition and radio’s requisites.

As did I, you might enjoy seeing the Beatles sing “Hey Jude.” The song starts at 50 seconds:

Song Length

At the 2024 Grammy Awards, 28 of the 144 nominated songs lasted less than three minutes. During the 1990s, average song length was four minutes 14 seconds. For the 2020s, it has been three minutes 15 seconds.

As for why length is down, we can start with technology. A 1960s vinyl record retained sound quality for five minutes. Combining vinyl with how DJs orchestrated their radio programs, we wind up with a three and one half minute song being optimal. In 1956, Elvis made sure his “Hound Dog” was two minutes 14 seconds:

Soon though, artists got more flexibility from tapes and CDs. And now, it’s the streaming platforms’ incentives that influence length. After all, if you need a half minute to get paid, you will be sure to hook the listener at the beginning of a tune rather than building from a slow start. Then, encouraging more of the replays that also build revenue, you make sure your song is short. Furthermore, will you stick with an 8. minute TikTok?

Sort of like Lil Yachty’s 83 second Poland, a majority of Spotify’s top songs last for less than three minutes:

Our Bottom Line: Marginal Utility

As economists, we can say that those shorter song tracks create more marginal utility. By marginal we mean the next extra things that we do or eat or produce whereas utility is usefulness or satisfaction. More simply stated, marginal utility is just extra satisfaction.

When we think of music, on the supply side, those shorter tracks create extra streaming revenue, beyond the existing margin. Meanwhile, the demand side seems to like the brevity that represents a pull back from the old margin. It could reflect shorter attention spans that require an upfront “hook.”

Always though, we can return to the tradeoffs that define economics. At the margin, our cost–defined as what we sacrificed–is determined. And so, at that margin, we have the economic side of a song.

My sources and more: Thanks to This Washington Post podcast and article for reminding me it was time to return to song length.