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Synth Pop
Synth-pop is a genre of popular music that emerged in the late 1970s and flourished throughout the 1980s, characterised by the prominent use of synthesisers, drum machines and electronic production.
Drawing inspiration from krautrock, glam rock, disco and experimental electronic music, synth-pop transformed mainstream music through its futuristic sound and melodic songwriting. Pioneered by artists including Kraftwerk, Gary Numan, The Human League, Depeche Mode, Soft Cell, Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark (OMD), Pet Shop Boys and New Order, the genre became one of the defining sounds of the decade.
Synth-pop has continued to influence contemporary artists across pop, indie, electronic and alternative music, remaining one of the most enduring and innovative movements in modern music.
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More About Synth Pop
Synth-pop is a genre of popular music built around synthesisers, electronic instrumentation and melodic songwriting, emerging in the late 1970s and becoming one of the dominant styles of the 1980s.
Early pioneers of synth-pop include Kraftwerk, Gary Numan, The Human League, Depeche Mode, Soft Cell, Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark (OMD), Ultravox and Japan, with later artists such as Pet Shop Boys and New Order helping expand the genre's global popularity.
Synth-pop revolutionised popular music by bringing electronic instruments into the mainstream, influencing everything from dance music and alternative rock to contemporary pop while shaping the sound of the 1980s and beyond.