Parody music once had a significant influence within the music industry and pop culture. Weird Al Yankovic remains a testament to the genre’s success in critiquing artists within the music industry and society at large.
Following the rise of the internet and social media, music parodies managed to retain a high amount of viewership on platforms like YouTube. That said, recent years have seen the number of parody music creators dying. Influential artists like Yankovic remain thanks to their lengthy career, but that can’t be said for others.
This decline has led many to wonder if the parody music genre is finished. In reality, parody music still exists. Despite not having much mainstream support, many parody music creators can be found on short-form social media platforms like TikTok.
Modern parody music has centered around entertainment, with online creators making popular music covers themed after their favorite movies, TV shows, and video games. Many of these covers have garnered millions of views across the internet. At other times, the internet creates parody music to accompany trends and popular memes.
So while parody music isn’t necessarily dead, it has changed enough for fans to long for how it used to be in its past. Considering the current political climate, there is certainly enough for parody music to make from. Longtime entertainment institutions like Saturday Night Live still occasionally release parody music, and while it is usually received well, that support doesn’t last.
For parody music to rise back into popularity, it will need to stoke interest in the younger generations. With how popular the genre is within entertainment fan communities, there is enough support to help the genre revive itself.
