Why is the minor key rising in popularity?

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This rise in minor key songs has been dramatic. Around 85% of songs were in a major key back in the 1960s, but in more recent years this has fallen in half.

https://marginalrevolution.com/marginalrevolution/2023/09/why-is-the-min...

Especially D minor, which is the saddest of all keys.

Sadder, more tense world leading to more pensive songs and lyrics?    

In his "Bruised Orange" song book, John Prine wrote:

"I just bang out 3 or 4 chords on the guitar mostly in "G" with a capo and sing and holler all these words. Occasionally I put in a minor chord to let people know it's gonna be a sad one." 

I used some minors in my song about the invasion of Ukraine https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lksFyFuPeZs  and in my song about AR-15's and 18 year-olds. Sounded right for the songs. 

"Way over yonder in the minor key 
Way over yonder in the minor key 
There ain't nobody that can sing like me"

A very minor problem in the grand scheme of things, but a sharp mind may be able to balance it out. 

I blame George Harrison

Surprised the L sharp key hasn't caught on with anyone yet:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F8X_u6CllnA

It goes like this the fourths , the fifths

the minor falls the major lifts

I can offer my opinion.

The major key is indeed uplifting in that cotton-candy kind of way.  Hey, who doesn't want to skip down the lane without a care?

The truth lies in the minor tonality.  The blend between the second, flat third, and third is where the visceral clarity of existential cynicism lies.  The final blindfold to reality ripped away by the minor seventh interval.

The power of the repertoire is undeniable: Liz Reed, Footprints, So What, Garcia's middle improv on Eleanor Rigby, 

Any of you who heard As If Trio at ECZJ or Te Tote Yote heard way too much 0f it, except sometimes we put it in the middle of a ii V I for a bit of the skipping down the lane.