Danish Student Identifies Ubiquitous 'Gen Alpha' Four-Note Melody in Pop Music
Carl Emil Martin, a musicology student from Denmark, has discovered a four-note melodic sequence—F, B, E, A—termed the 'Gen Alpha melody,' which has appeared in various pop tracks since 2010. This melody is notably featured in Annalisa's 'Bellissima' and was first recognized in the 2024 collaboration between Rosé and Bruno Mars titled 'APT.' Martin identified it in a total of 72 songs, including Madison Beer's 'Reckless' and Fifty Fifty's 'Cupid.' Earlier instances can be traced back to Anastacia's 'Left Outside Alone' (2004) and Coldplay's 'Viva la Vida' (2008). Musicologist Nate Sloan connects its popularity to the 'infinite scrolling' habits of younger audiences, while Patrick Metzger previously referred to a similar motif as the 'Millennial Whoop' in 2016.
Key facts
- Four-note melody identified by Danish musicology student Carl Emil Martin.
- In C major, the melody consists of F, B, E, A.
- The pattern is named 'Gen Alpha melody' because it appears in songs after 2010.
- Martin first heard it in 'APT.' by Rosé and Bruno Mars.
- He found 72 songs with the melody by analyzing Spotify playlists.
- Examples include songs by Madison Beer, Fifty Fifty, 5 Seconds of Summer, Troye Sivan, The Strokes, and Yungblud.
- Early instances include the Beatles' 'It's Only Love' (1965) and Anastacia's 'Left Outside Alone' (2004).
- Martin's YouTube video has been viewed nearly four million times.
Entities
Artists
- Carl Emil Martin
- Annalisa
- Rosé
- Bruno Mars
- Madison Beer
- Fifty Fifty
- 5 Seconds of Summer
- Troye Sivan
- The Strokes
- Yungblud
- Damiano David
- Måneskin
- Anastacia
- Coldplay
- Lady Gaga
- The Beatles
- Nate Sloan
- Patrick Metzger
Institutions
- Spotify
- YouTube
- University of Southern California
- Washington Post
Locations
- Denmark
- California