Speaking as someone that prefers weird and experimental music but also has some theory training, IMO, most key changes, especially a big one at the end of a pop

Speaking as someone that prefers weird and experimental music but also has some theory training, IMO, most key changes, especially a big one at the end of a pop song are overrated and don't add much. Also, if this is only looking at popular music as defined by the Billboard charts, that's more likely caused by the homogenization of music production and a very small group of producers that are responsible for the majority of hit songs. This is a much better analysis: https://pudding.cool/2018/05/similarity/ https://pudding.cool/2018/05/similarity/ I really don't like the assumption behind these types of articles that increased complexity of music theory-wise automatically means better music. Just like adding unnecessary complexity when writing code is always better. Both complex and simply structured music both have merit, and I'd argue that more simple music is harder to do well beacuse you need a really strong central idea/concept to make it work. For example, musically Perfume Genius is extremely simple, but it's still some of the best songwriting I've ever heard. It works so well because of the simpliclity makes the subjects he's singing about even more stark and makes it feel more vulnerable. If complexity were all it took to write good music, then everyone would be listening to things like Ornette Coleman (who is great at doing the exact opposite). You can still be an excellent musician without knowing a lot of theory, and it also should be pointed out that our system of music theory is based around classical composers who made up the rules as they went. All you really need is muscle memory and recognizing harmony and dissonance. As much as I respect people like Rick Beato that are into this old school view of music needing to be heavily backed by theory and saying "they don't write songs like they used to", I think it's very elitist and extremely artistically myopic to claim authority on something that's completely subjective. Yes it can help to know theory depending on what type of music you want to make, but you might also make even better music not having that sense of what's correct or not. This is the approach that Giorgio Moroder took and he's one of the most successful and inventive producers of all time. And just remember that pop music is a market demographic and a product more than it is a distinct genre/style, and that we should all be free to listen to whatever music we want, however correct or wrong someone else tells you it is.