Economics in Action

The Rockonomics competition, run by a group of US universities, gets students to write economics lyrics for popular songs and raps, and to make videos for them.

Some of these are pretty good ways to stick an economic idea in your head. Read on for our eight choices from the last few years of the competition.

99 Problems

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x-hl3F2x5eY

This rap not only packs in lots of economics references but the video incorporates the lecture slides. Stay at the end for a blooper reel!

By students from: Abdullah Al Bahrani’s class at Northern Kentucky University
Money quote: “Manufactured aids / and consumer goods are capital. / Individuals who weigh / costs and benefits are rational.”

Look At Me Now

Rightly an award-winning video, with an amazing rap.

By students from: Kim Holder’s class at University of West Georgia
Money quote: “That curve look like a PPC. My production lies on the curve: efficiency!”

Round it Goes

Not the most technically impressive video, but the catchiest song and they’re clearly having a lot of fun.

By students from: Abdullah Al Bahrani’s class at Northern Kentucky University
Money quote: “The financial system everyone uses: global borrowers, lenders and institutions.”

Just got Paid

Looking scarily like a real R’n’B video, this “All Me” parody is at the other end of the visual quality scale.

By students from: Kim Holder’s class at University of West Georgia
Money quote: “That interest / is so interesting / Got a sweater vest / on when I invest.”

Applying Economics

Surely the most fun music video explaining how demand of normal goods responds to price and vice versa.

By students from: Solina Lindahl’s class at Cal Poly
Money quote: “That’s the way it works / goes the other way too. / If demand goes up  / then the sellers can charge you / more!”

Save (parody of “Brave”)

Impressive singing and optimism from this one: if by the end you’re not looking for money to set aside, you have no heart.

By students from: Kim Holder’s class at University of West Georgia
Money quote: “Everybody gets scared / of a downed economy. Drowning in my tears / my funds are disappearing.”

Pay Day

Is a rap a good or a service? Should we be spending or saving? Why not both, asks this rap.

By students from: Adam Hoffer’s class at University of Wisconsin La Crosse
Money quote: “These are diamonds, girl / This isn’t plastic./ It’s a luxury good, man: it’s elastic!”

Let GDP Grow

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4HiZf5Oizww

There would have to be an economics version of “Let it Go”, wouldn’t there? Unlike the other videos, you have to activate closed captioning to see the lyrics.

By students from: Solina Lindahl’s class at Cal Poly.
Money quote: “Give fiscal policy a try / Keynes ain’t such a bad guy”

 

Those are our favourites. See all the entries at Rockonomix.com, including some with good economic ideas but not so tuneful.

This entry was posted on Friday, September 18th, 2015 at 4:17 pm and is filed under Fun, Rock'n'Roll. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.