A mathematical study conducted at Viterbo, Italy’s University of Tuscia has found evidence that jazz and classical music structures have become simpler over time. The analysis, published on April 23 in Scientific Reports , pulled data from songs across six genres. Niccolò Di Marco, a computational social scientist at the university, then studied patterns in melodies, harmonies, and other structural elements. “We are observing an evolution in music,” said DiMarco, who worked alongside a team on the study. The results came from studying 21,480 pieces of Western music. As for the genres, the team pulled data from classical, electronic, hip-hop, jazz, pop, and rock music. Videos by VICE After finding patterns in the structural forms, the team then mapped the relationships between notes in a song. Things like the order they were played in, or which notes came next in an arrangement. When looking at data from more modern genres, electronic and hip-hop showed uniform structural patterns.…