Buzz
Many argue that music has evolved drastically over the years, with today's chart-toppers sounding very different from hits of the 1980s and ’90s. Even artists who have remained active since those decades, such as Pink, Beyonce, and Justin Timberlake, have had to adapt to the shifting musical landscape.
One constant in the music world, however, is the presence of conspiracy theories surrounding popular songs. Here, we dive into some of the most recent ones making waves in the industry.
10. DAMNKendrick Lamar
Kendrick Lamar's album DAMN has inspired several conspiracy theories, not just about one song but the entire project. One popular theory suggests that because DAMN was released on Good Friday in 2017, Lamar's next album will drop on Easter Sunday. This idea is reinforced by Kendrick's mention of the resurrection of Jesus Christ during the album's release.
Another theory proposes that DAMN subtly references the movie The Matrix. Fans point to social media marketing materials showing two distinct backgrounds: one with red bricks and one with blue bricks, a clear nod to the red and blue pill concept from the film.
Additionally, some fans have discovered that rearranging the final letters of certain tracks spells out 'Earth Led 2 Death' and 'Death 4 Leader.' This has sparked a theory suggesting that both the DAMN and upcoming NATION albums are a commentary on 'DAMNATION' and will address pressing political issues.
9. ‘Only Forever’Demi Lovato
Fans who speculate about potential romantic connections between artists love dissecting song lyrics to uncover hidden meanings. This was exactly the case when Demi Lovato released her album Tell Me You Love Me. One particular track caught the attention of fans, sparking a wave of theories online. The most popular theory was that the song was written for Nick Jonas.
Initially, some believed the song might be about Wilmer Valderrama, but Lovato has openly denied this. This led to the Nick Jonas theory going viral, especially since Lovato mentioned that the songs “Only Forever” and “Ruin The Friendship” are about the same individual.
“Ruin The Friendship” opens with the line, “Put down your cigar and pick me up.” It's widely known that Nick Jonas enjoys cigars. Meanwhile, “Only Forever” begins with, “I’ve been thinking about the future, and I’ve been thinking about the now.” Nick had a tour called The Future Now Tour, which further fuels this theory.
8. ‘Bon Appetit’Katy Perry
The music video for “Bon Appetit” is undeniably one of the most unusual ones. In it, Katy is portrayed as the central 'dish,' undergoing various cooking stages. The bizarre culmination of the video comes when Katy, equipped with a knife and fork, sits at a table, poised to dig into a pie made with human limb stuffing.
There’s a theory that ties this song, along with an alleged French interview Katy gave in 2017, to the idea that she might be a cannibal. Several websites referenced this interview in articles about Katy, where she reportedly claimed that many people in Hollywood have a preference for human meat but hold back due to the squeamishness of Christians.
Some conspiracy theorists even suggest that the whole cannibalism theory was originally sparked by Taylor Swift and her fans, aiming to take a jab at Perry.
7. ‘Ever Since New York’Harry Styles
Harry Styles has arguably become the most commercially successful member of the former boy band One Direction. With a thriving solo career and ventures in acting, he has clearly shown that he possesses the qualities fans crave. As expected, this has led to the emergence of numerous theories surrounding his songs.
After the release of 'Ever Since New York,' fans quickly started speculating that the song might be a message to Taylor Swift. She has a track called 'Welcome To New York,' and many fans find this too much of a coincidence to ignore. Another theory circulating is that Harry’s song is actually a commentary on the media and how it misrepresents him.
6. RevivalEminem
When Eminem unveiled the tracklist for his forthcoming album in late 2017, many fans were upset. The inclusion of guest artists like Beyonce, Ed Sheeran, Pink, and Alicia Keys didn’t sit well with them. Furthermore, fans were disappointed by the absence of one particular artist they had hoped for—2 Chainz.
Fans were also not happy with the album’s apparent shift towards more mainstream pop sounds in Revival. However, one Reddit user offered a unique theory that came to the rescue: they believed that Eminem was actually releasing a double album, where the first disc would feature the pop tracks, while the second would deliver the harder, more traditional Eminem material his fans have come to expect.
The logic behind this theory? The word 'REVIVAL' on the tracklist was partially covered by a thick red line at the bottom. Fans speculated that the full word would be revealed once the second tracklist was released.
By the way, Revival officially dropped on December 15, 2017, with just 19 tracks. No double album. And the word 'REVIVAL' still has that red line across the bottom on the cover art.
5. ‘Wolves’Selena Gomez
When Selena Gomez released her track 'Wolves,' sharp-eyed fans quickly noticed something from one of her earlier music videos. In 'Bad Liar,' Selena is seen wearing a basketball uniform with the word 'Wolves' printed on it. Fans now believe this was a subtle teaser for the upcoming single.
Even before the release of 'Wolves,' fans started to theorize that the song could be about Selena’s ongoing struggle with lupus. They also pointed out that the Latin word for 'wolf' is lupus. Since Selena shared a post in September 2017 revealing her kidney transplant and expressed her desire to share her journey with her followers, many believe 'Wolves' might be her way of doing just that.
4. ‘How Long’Charlie Puth
Selena Gomez isn't just a subject of fan theories about her own music; she also features in theories surrounding other artists. In Charlie Puth’s video for 'How Long,' he’s seen dancing through the streets of Los Angeles. Fans likely gasped when he paused in front of a painting of a woman who looks strikingly similar to Selena. Naturally, the theory emerged that the song was about her.
'How Long' is about Puth's infidelity, leading fans to wonder whether he cheated on Selena during a secret relationship. However, before this theory went viral, another suggestion was that the song dealt with the awkward breakup between Puth and Bella Thorne.
3. ‘Look What You Made Me Do’Taylor Swift
No list of conspiracy theories would be complete without the queen of them all, Taylor Swift. If she’s not allegedly part of the Illuminati, she’s rumored to be a lizard or a clone of some other person. Theories about her music are no different, and fans are quick to dive deep into her lyrics, as evidenced by the many speculations surrounding her hit 'Look What You Made Me Do.'
The first theory suggests that the line 'Don’t like your tilted stage' targets Kanye West, who had recently performed on a tilted stage. Another theory proposes that Taylor was referencing her ongoing feud with Katy Perry with the line 'I’ve got a list of names and yours is in red, underlined.'
Another fan theory revolves around the line about the 'old Taylor' being 'dead.' Some believe she borrowed this concept from Jenny Humphrey on Gossip Girl. Lastly, one of the most shocking theories claims that Katy Perry may have collaborated on the making of the video as part of a massive PR stunt to raise the profiles of both Taylor and Katy.
2. ‘This Is What You Came For’Calvin Harris And Rihanna
When 'This Is What You Came For' first dropped, many fans weren’t convinced that Rihanna was the sole vocalist on the track. They combed through the song and its music video, and around the 1:18 mark, they noticed that during the part where the lyrics 'youuu yooooouuuu' are sung, Rihanna's mouth isn’t moving. Fans then speculated that the actual singer was none other than Taylor Swift.
Additionally, Wikipedia credits 'Nils Sjoberg' as one of the writers, which is believed to be one of Taylor Swift’s pseudonyms. Moreover, singer John Newman initially mentioned Swift in a tweet about the song, but later removed her name from it.
1. ‘Cheap Thrills’Sia
'Cheap Thrills' is one of Sia’s most mysterious hits. She even released two different versions and videos for the song. The 1950s-themed video inspired a fan theory that the dancers in it are actually time travelers.
The theory suggests that the dance moves in the 1950s-era video didn’t emerge until much later. These include the robot from the late 1960s, the Hustle from the '70s, air guitar moves from the '80s, and even the iconic 'Single Ladies' routine from Beyonce in the late 2000s.
The theory also points out the inclusion of 'The Time Warp' dance from the 1970s. The fact that the dancers perform this dance is seen as another clue supporting the time travel narrative of the video.
