The 1975 use densely-layered vocal harmonies, often electronically augmented, as with a vocoder. The hypnotic effect is enhanced by droning on the 1st and/or 5th scale degrees alongside a moving topline melody.

It's Not Living (If It's Not With You) (2018)

The 1975

6

5

4

3

2

1

7

6

5

all

5

I

3

I

4

I'd

3

do

2

is

1

sit

1

and

1

think

3

a

2

bout

1

you

7

all

5

I'd

5

do

5

is

5

sit

5

and

5

think

5

a

5

bout

5

you

5

The Sound (2016)

The 1975

6

5

4

3

2

1

7

6

5

well

1

I

2

know

3

when

4

you're

3

a

2

round

2

cause

2

I

1

know

2

the

1

sound

2

I

2

know

2

the

1

sou

3

und

6

of

5

your

5

heart

5

well

5

I

5

know

5

when

5

you're

5

a

5

round

5

cause

5

I

5

know

5

the

5

sound

5

I

5

know

5

the

5

sou

5

und

5

of

5

your

5

heart

5

Chocolate (2013)

The 1975

2

1

7

6

5

4

3

2

1

7

6

5

we're

1

nev

1

er

1

gon

5

na

5

quit

3

it

3

no

3

we're

3

nev

3

er

3

gon

5

na

5

quit

3

it

2

no

3

nev

5

er

5

gon

5

na

5

quit

5

it

5

no

5

we're

5

nev

5

er

5

gon

5

na

5

quit

5

it

5

no

5

nev

1

er

1

gon

1

na

1

quit

1

it

1

no

1

we're

1

nev

1

er

1

gon

1

na

1

quit

1

it

1

no

1

Girls (2013)

The 1975

2

1

7

6

5

4

3

2

1

7

6

pair

3

of

2

fro

3

zen

2

hands

3

to

5

hold

6

pair

5

of

5

fro

5

zen

5

hands

5

hold

5

pair

1

of

1

fro

1

zen

1

hands

1

to

1

hold

1

Settle Down (2013)

The 1975

6

5

4

3

2

1

7

6

5

we

1

get

3

back

4

to

3

my

2

house

2

your

3

hands

3

my

1

mouth

5

we

5

get

5

back

5

to

5

my

5

house

5

your

5

hands

5

my

5

mouth

5

A Change Of Heart (2016)

The 1975

7

6

5

4

3

2

1

7

6

this

2

is

1

how

2

it

3

starts

6

oh

1

I

1

just

1

had

1

a

1

change

7

of

7

heart

1

this

5

is

5

how

5

it

5

starts

5

oh

5

I

5

just

5

-

5

-

5

change

5

of

5

heart

5

had

6

a

6

This Must Be My Dream (2016)

The 1975

2

1

7

6

5

4

3

2

1

7

6

5

4

3

this

5

must

5

be

3

my

6

dream

5

wide

1

a

1

wake

2

be

2

fore

3

I

3

found

7

you

1

this

5

must

5

be

5

my

5

dream

5

wide

5

a

5

wake

5

be

5

fore

5

I

5

found

5

you

5

this

1

must

1

be

1

my

1

dream

1

Oh Caroline (2022)

The 1975

2

1

7

6

5

4

3

2

1

7

6

5

I

5

wan

5

na

5

get

3

it

3

right

3

this

2

time

2

get

5

it

5

right

5

this

5

time

5

get

1

it

1

right

1

this

1

time

1

Heart Out (2013)

The 1975

6

5

4

3

2

1

why

3

don't

3

you

3

fig

3

ure

4

my

3

heart

2

out

1

fig

5

ure

5

my

5

heart

5

out

5

Talk! (2013)

The 1975

2

1

7

6

5

4

3

2

1

7

6

5

why

3

d'you

4

talk

3

so

2

loud

1

why

5

d'you

5

talk

5

so

5

loud

5

why

1

d'you

1

talk

1

so

1

loud

1

This is moderately common in the '80s-inflected indie pop of the 2010s, recalling similarly drone-based vocals from Fleetwood Mac's Tango In The Night (1987).

The 1975 use a closely related technique on other instruments: playing a repeated high-octave 1̂-5̂ dyad over moving chords. Matty Healy calls these "synth stabs" and credits them to Prince's I Wanna Be Your Lover (Tape Notes Episode 18, 2019).

The 1̂-5̂ vocal drone can also be heard in many songs by MUNA, and to a lesser extent by HAIM and Carly Rae Jepsen.

It first appears in You Belong With Me (2008) and is a consistent feature of her writing since then.

You Belong With Me (2008)

Taylor Swift

5

4

3

2

1

7

6

so

2

why

3

can't

2

you

1

see

4

e

3

e

6

Mean (2010)

Taylor Swift

5

4

3

2

1

7

6

drunk

2

and

3

grum

2

blin'

3

o

2

on

1

a

1

bout

2

how

3

I

4

I

3

can't

3

sing

6

Innocent (2010)

Taylor Swift

5

4

3

2

1

7

6

al

1

ways

2

a

3

bi

3

ig

4

ger

3

bed

6

State of Grace (2012)

Taylor Swift

5

4

3

2

1

7

6

bus

3

y

3

stree

3

eets

2

and

1

bus

2

y

3

lives

3

and

1

all

4

we

3

know

6

All Too Well (2012)

Taylor Swift

6

5

4

3

2

1

7

6

fine

5

at

4

a

4

a

3

all

6

Begin Again (2012)

Taylor Swift

5

4

3

2

1

7

6

but

3

I

4

I

3

do

6

You're On Your Own, Kid (2022)

Taylor Swift

5

4

3

2

1

7

6

just

7

to

1

learn

1

that

1

you

3

nev

4

er

3

cared

6

Labyrinth (2022)

Taylor Swift

5

4

3

2

1

7

6

the

1

who

4

ole

3

time

6

Fortnight (2024)

Taylor Swift

5

4

3

2

1

7

6

4

3

6

The Tortured Poets Department (2024)

Taylor Swift

5

4

3

2

1

7

6

I

3

scratch

3

your

2

head

2

you

1

fall

4

a

3

sleep

6

Father Figure (2025)

Taylor Swift

5

4

3

2

1

7

6

u

3

u

4

used

3

to

6

• More on Taylor Swift