Pop Music's Casual Openness About Coke

Is it Us, or are really blatant references to cocaine showing up a lot lately, sometimes from people you wouldn't expect?

- CARLA SOSENKO

While you were fixated on the redwoods and magic wands of Taylor Swift's ode to fiancé Travis Kelce's wang on “Wood,” I was thinking about a different Life of a Showgirl track. Specifically, this line in “Actually Romantic”: “I heard you call me ‘Boring Barbie’ when the coke’s got you brave.” Hearing Swift mention the drug, even in a probable Charli XCX diss track, felt transgressive.

Charli herself talks about coke in her music, though it’s coded: The “365” refrain “bumpin’ that” could be about a house beat, a bump of blow or both; “Shall we do a little key? Should we have a little line?” is slightly less subtle. Similarly, the video for Addison Rae’s “High Fashion” (get it?) is a powder-dusted fever dream; on “The Dinner,” Role Model sings, “I know it’s time to go when there’s cocaine on the nose”; and who could forget the “cocaine, side boob” of Harry Styles’ “Keep Driving”?