All Of Today's Pop Songs Are Basically The Exact Same, According To New Theory

If you struggle to distinguish between Katy Perry and Calvin Harris when you turn on the radio, don't worry, it doesn't mean you're getting old.

Well, actually it probably does meant that.

But it's also not totally your fault: Pop stars are literally all copying each other on this one musical maneuver.

You know that "Whoa-oh-oh-oh" thing that Katy Perry does in "California Girls"?

Yeah, that thing is literally in every pop song. Once you start noticing it, you'll never be able to stop.

This phenomenon was first discovered by Patrick Metzger, who wrote a post on The Patterning detailing his finding.

Patrick wrote,

I like to call this melodic snippet the 'Millennial Whoop.' It's a sequence of notes that alternates between the fifth and third notes of a major scale, typically starting on the fifth. The rhythm is usually straight 8th-notes, but it may start on the downbeat or on the upbeat in different songs. A singer usually belts these notes with an 'Oh' phoneme, often in a 'Wa-oh-wa-oh' pattern. And it is in so many pop songs it's criminal.

Now, Patrick, total props to you for noticing this modern-day music plague. However, I'mma have to disagree with you on the name you chose.

This noise, while annoying, is not by any means a "whoop." It's distinctly a "whoa-oh-wa-oh" sound with no "P" on the end and no "oooo" in the middle.

I do not think I could, in good conscience, falsely label this sound a "whoop."

For that reason, I will henceforth be calling this phenomenon the "Katy Perry War Cry" instead.

The Katy Perry War Cry is everywhere. Carly Rae Jepsen and Owl City even got sued for it last year for their song "Good Time."

Ally Burnett argued Carly's Katy Perry War Cry was too close to her Katy Perry War Cry, and she was actually awarded royalties.

Yep, no song these days is safe from the Katy Perry War Cry. I'm very sorry for even pointing it out to you because now you won't be able to un-hear it everywhere you go.

Here are just a few examples of some of the songs that have fallen victim to it.

1. "This Is What You Came For" by Calvin Harris ft. Rihanna

Katy Perry War Cry: Begins at 0:31

2. "Really Don't Care" by Demi Lovato

Katy Perry War Cry: Begins at 1:00

3. "Same Old Love" by Selena Gomez

Katy Perry War Cry: Begins at 1:14

4. "Anything is Possible" by Fifth Harmony

Katy Perry War Cry: Begins at 0:20

5. "Live While We're Young" by One Direction

Katy Perry War Cry: Begins at 0:53

6. "Baby" by Justin Bieber ft. Ludacris

Katy Perry War Cry: Begins at 0:01

7. "Tik Tok" by Kesha

Katy Perry War Cry: Begins at 0:53

8. "Timber" by Pitbull ft. Kesha

Katy Perry War Cry: Begins at 0:28

9. "Daylight" by Maroon 5

Katy Perry War Cry: Begins at 0:55

I still love all these songs, but damn, maybe y'all could try something new once in a while?

Citations: What's The Millennial Whoop & Why Is It In Almost Every Song? (Refinery29)