We’ve been dutifully studying the Gen Alpha Melody in recent days, and there’s something about it that’s endearing in certain contexts. Hearing it in sequence is still mind-boggling, but in small doses, like these three songs, the Gen Alpha Melody is actually kind of cool.
“Ode To the Mets” by The Strokes
This one is a bit of a cheat, since I already like The Strokes. But the use of the Gen Alpha Melody in the 2020 track “Ode to the Mets” has a little more texture than a lot of the typical pop examples. One of the key elements of these songs comes in the melancholy lyrics, usually about heartbreak or losing someone important. “Ode to the Mets” does have a melancholy thread, but it’s much more introspective.
The melody also creates a throughline in the entire song, where the lyrics seem to surround the notes themselves. In many examples, the melody appears only in the chorus. But here, it’s woven so tightly with the lyrics that there’s almost no separating them. The melody becomes the skeleton that the song grows around.
“True Love is Violent” by Allie X
“True Love Is Violent” appeared on Allie X’s 2017 album CollXtion II, and the Gen Alpha Melody nestles neatly into her sludgy electro-goth sound. This song hits all the marks, with melancholy, personal lyrics about doomed love and the melody appearing heavily in the chorus. It’s a pretty straightforward use of the melody, but all the moving parts come together to make a decent song.
Where “True Love Is Violent” really shines is in the bridge, when Allie X puts all her power behind her voice. Then, she tumbles back into the melody, but the energy has changed. There’s a subtle layering there that brings everything together again.
“Soup” by Remi Wolf
“Soup” appeared on Remi Wolf’s 2024 album Big Ideas, and initially her use of the Gen Alpha Melody made a jarring transition into the chorus. But after listening a few times, I have to say it’s growing on me. More than that, the song itself is a departure from the standard heartbreak lyrics.
On “Soup”, Wolf is hoping for a healing love that sees her “brushing off the blood on my teeth”. The melody features in the pre-chorus, using the minor-key elements to create a nervous yet hopeful lead-up to the explosive chorus. Transitioning from that into the brightness of the chorus is a bit of a curveball, but one that serves the song well.
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