“Little Dark Age” is a song by MGMT. Even though the song was released in 2018, it didn’t gain a lot of popularity until late 2020. I myself hadn’t heard this song until 2020. Part of the reason the song became so popular two years after its release was due to TikTok. Many users and influencers used the song, which caused it to start trending. Since then, the song has never failed to come back every year with a new trend. However, what makes this song even more compelling than its trends is the many different interpretations regarding its meaning.
Perhaps the most popular interpretation of the song is that it means to attempt to hide oneself. More specifically, to hide an unwanted part of oneself, or maybe a part that one is ashamed or embarrassed of. The music video is interesting, because it depicts a lot of splitting, especially with fruits. It also often shows two people in pairs, with one having more dominance over the other. I interpreted as trying to deny a part of oneself to gain a higher standing. The lyrics “forgiving who you are, for what you stand to gain,” attest to this.
