The Production Factor

Modern hit production follows sonic trends. The loudness war of the 2000s compressed dynamics to make songs sound louder on radio. Today's production emphasizes spacious mixes with prominent bass, crisp vocals mixed forward, and strategic use of silence.

Millennial whoop — the alternating notes between the fifth and third of a major scale (think "wah-oh-wah-oh") — appeared in dozens of hits between 2010-2018. Auto-Tune shifted from a correction tool to a deliberate aesthetic after T-Pain and Kanye West popularized its robotic sound.