[Verse 1] You bought the chorus by the pound A hired hand wrote every sound They pinned a halo on a grin Then sold the scandal back again [Pre-Chorus] A press release, a pointed stare A rented feud for us to share [Chorus] Pop stars are a scam, say it loud Paper hearts for a paper crowd Middle men take their cut and grin Manufactured words in a factory skin They feed us outrage, serve it hot While billionaires take what we’ve got [Verse 2] They sell rebellion, size it small With brand-safe slogans on the wall A label leech in polished shoes Skims off the song and sells the news [Pre-Chorus] Pick a side, get mad on cue There’s a bigger theft they’re hiding from you [Chorus] Pop stars are a scam, say it loud Paper hearts for a paper crowd Middle men take their cut and grin Manufactured words in a factory skin They feed us outrage, serve it hot While billionaires take what we’ve got [Bridge] Look past the feud, look past the show Follow the money—there it goes They’ve got the vault, we’ve got the bill And one more headline meant to make us still [Final Chorus] Pop stars are a scam, say it loud Paper hearts for a paper crowd Middle men take their cut and grin Manufactured words in a factory skin They feed us outrage, serve it hot While billionaires take what we’ve got What we’ve got! [Outro] The song’s for sale, the anger too Who’s cashing in? It isn’t you.
