| 1 | [floatboxright: |
| 2 | Primary Stylistic Influences: |
| 3 | + Early ElectronicMusic, {{Pop}}, NewWaveMusic |
| 4 | ] |
| 5 | [floatboxright: |
| 6 | Secondary Stylistic Influences: |
| 7 | + {{Disco}}, PostPunk, ItaloDisco, KrautRock, ProgressiveRock, ProtoPunk, PunkRock, RAndB, {{Soul}} |
| 8 | ] |
| 9 | |
| 10 | ExactlyWhatItSaysOnTheTin. |
| 11 | |
| 12 | Synth-Pop (also known as technopop) is what occurs when you take synthesizers and make pop music with them. |
| 13 | |
| 14 | An important stylistic mark of Synth-Pop is that the synthesizers deliberately sound like synthesizers, or in PurpleProse they ''exploit artificiality''. Synth-Pop does not use synthesizers to replicate acoustic sounds but rather as instruments in their own right. |
| 15 | |
| 16 | Synth-Pop can use acoustic instruments, however the majority of the work must be ElectronicMusic in order for a pop song to be classified as Synth-Pop. |
| 17 | |
| 18 | This genre was very influential during The80s, although it's OlderThanTheyThink; the very first synth album[[note]]as far as anyone knows[[/note]], ''The In Sound From Way Out!'' by Jean-Jacques Perrey and Gershon Kingsley, was an example of Synth-Pop '''in 1966''', nearly 20 years before the genre became popular[[note]]in part because the 1966 Moog catalogue didn't include any keyboard module, so the two Perrey/Kingsley albums had to be painstakingly recorded one note at a time[[/note]]. Other acts who used synthesizers prominently during the early 1970s, including Music/StevieWonder, Music/TheWho, Music/RoxyMusic (which featured electronic music pioneer Music/BrianEno playing synths on their first two albums) and Music/PinkFloyd, also influenced future synth-pop acts. Even Music/TheBeatles influenced Synth-Pop with their early synthesizer experiments on [[Music/AbbeyRoad "Maxwell's Silver Hammer" and "Here Comes the Sun"]]. Two hits from the early 1960s, Del Shannon's "Runaway" and The Tornados' "Telstar", both prominently featured a prototypical analogue synth called the clavioline, and are also pointed to as {{Ur Example}}s of the genre. Another example cited from the late '60s is the psychedelic duo Silver Apples, whose frontman Simeon Coxe played a homemade synthesizer dubbed the Simeon. However, the genre as most people today know it emerged around 1977 in the United Kingdom and Japan, pioneered by groups such as Music/TheHumanLeague and Music/YellowMagicOrchestra, as well as by German electronic band Music/{{Kraftwerk}}, whose ''Music/TransEuropeExpress'' took the band's formerly progressive sound in a poppier, more commercially accessible direction. |
| 19 | |
| 20 | Whilst many eighties pop bands were not ''predominantly'' electronic, they were usually ''significantly'' electronic and made generous use of of their synthesizers and drum machines. Much of this is attributable to the rise of the digital synthesizer in 1983, with FM synths of the time (most notably the Yamaha [=DX7=]) allowing for a heavy degree of versatility, spurred on in part by the multitude of presets meant to emulate various instruments (with questionable levels of accuracy). Because the menu-based interfaces of early digital synthesizers such as the [=DX7=] made them much harder to program than the multitude of readily-available knobs on older analog synths, the vast majority of artists stuck with the presets, leading to them becoming ubiquitous in 80's music. Only a small number of artists were able to actually figure out how to program these digital synthesizers to their liking, most notably Brian Eno on his 1983 album ''Music/ApolloAtmospheresAndSoundtracks''. |
| 21 | |
| 22 | The distinction between synth-pop (at least during The80s) and {{New Wave|Music}} is not easy to establish. One potential distinction is that Synth-Pop must be ''predominantly'' electronic, and ''significantly'' electronic pop music can be classified as {{New Wave|Music}}. Others argue that synth-pop must be noticeably more commercial in sound and ethos than new wave, citing artsy NewRomantic groups like Music/{{Japan}} and the Midge Ure-fronted Music/{{Ultravox}} as being examples of acts who were electronic New Wave but not synth-pop. However, some people do tend to use "New Wave" and "Synth-Pop" more or less interchangeably, and use either term to refer to any eighties pop song with a significant electronic component. |
| 23 | |
| 24 | There's also been a significant influence of synth-pop in the indie arena, taking its cues from early 80's new wave. (You know, keyboards and depression, together in perfect harmony. Leads to artists with names like ''Casiotone for the Painfully Alone.'') |
| 25 | |
| 26 | The DarkerAndEdgier, more aggressive and [[PunkRock punk]]-like approach to this style of music results in Electronic Body Music or EBM, which is a subgenre of {{Industrial}}. Meanwhile, the darker, angstier, {{Wangst}}-ier and {{Goth}}-oriented version of this style of music is called DarkWave. An even more stripped-down take on the style (coupled with a strong DIY aesthetic) is known as Minimal Synth or Minimal Wave. |
| 27 | |
| 28 | The genre's arguable SpiritualSuccessor and direct SpinOff is AlternativeDance, which originated when bands like Music/NewOrder, Music/DepecheMode and Music/PetShopBoys took synth-pop and combined it with the songwriting approach (and sometimes musical elements) of AlternativeRock, with New Order also incorporating stylistic elements from their previous PostPunk incarnation, Music/JoyDivision. |
| 29 | |
| 30 | Synth-pop took a huge hit in popularity in 1991, thanks to the smash success of Music/{{Nirvana}}'s [[Music/NevermindAlbum "Smells Like Teen Spirit"]] leading a new movement among mainstream music listeners that [[RockIsAuthenticPopIsShallow emphasized rawer, more "authentic"]] AlternativeRock music (particularly {{grunge}}) in favor of the perceived artificiality of electronically-driven 80's pop, owing itself in part to the fallout from dance pop group Music/MilliVanilli's lip syncing scandal nearly a year prior. As a result of this change in public opinion, synth-pop's appeal was relegated to a cult following, with the only still-popular groups being those who either underwent a GenreShift to a more grunge-influenced sound (such as Depeche Mode) or were already considered sufficiently alternative before Nirvana made it big (such as New Order[[note]]Depeche Mode were also a big name in the alternative scene in the late 80's all the way up until 1990, but analysts generally agree that the band would've had a harder time staying afloat in the post-Nirvana age had it not been for the grunge-inspired ''Music/SongsOfFaithAndDevotion''[[/note]]). |
| 31 | |
| 32 | Although strongly associated with The80s, since the early-to-mid-2000's, following the quick and painful death of Grunge in the mid-90s, it has had a revival in the form of modern acts such as Music/{{Ladytron}}, Music/TheKnife and Future Islands that use a deliberately {{Retraux}} sound to emulate the style of classic synth-pop as a GenreThrowback to this era. A term used for similar-sounding modern artists is ''electropop''; the difference between the two is subtle but electropop is entirely electronic music (synths, drum machines etc.) with a poppy bent while synth-pop is pop which happens to use electronics, and may have guitar and acoustic drums (which electropop as a rule doesn't). A term used during TheNineties was ''electroclash'' for a subgenre that combined synth-pop with Main/{{Techno}}. "Tumblr pop" is another colloquialism used to refer to a specific 2010s variant of it that mixes in heavy dream pop, trap, witch house, and (sometimes) {{vaporwave}} elements, with the name coming from its association with Tumblr; Music/CharliXCX, Music/{{CHVRCHES}}, Music/{{Lorde}}, Music/{{Halsey}}, Music/BillieEilish, Music/{{Grimes}}, and Music/PurityRing all helped establish and popularize the style. |
| 33 | |
| 34 | Significant artists include: |
| 35 | |
| 36 | [[index]] |
| 37 | * Music/{{The 1975}} |
| 38 | * Music/AHa |
| 39 | * Music/AllieX |
| 40 | * Music/AllyHills |
| 41 | * Music/{{Alphaville}} |
| 42 | * Music/ArtOfNoise |
| 43 | * Music/{{Ashnikko}} |
| 44 | * Music/{{AURORA|Singer}} |
| 45 | * Music/{{Ayria}} |
| 46 | * Music/{{Bastille}} (A modern group) |
| 47 | * Music/{{Belanova}} |
| 48 | * Music/{{Berlin}} |
| 49 | * Music/TheBirthdayMassacre (with some {{Industrial}} and AlternativeRock added in) |
| 50 | * Music/{{Blancmange}} |
| 51 | * Music/{{Blossoms}} |
| 52 | * Music/{{Bond}} |
| 53 | * Music/{{BORNS}} |
| 54 | * Music/{{Camouflage}} |
| 55 | * Music/WendyCarlos |
| 56 | ** 1968 - ''Music/SwitchedOnBach'' (A TropeCodifier) |
| 57 | * Music/CashCash |
| 58 | * Music/{{CERUMENTRIC}} |
| 59 | * Music/{{Chairlift}} |
| 60 | * Music/CharliXCX |
| 61 | * Music/ChristineAndTheQueens |
| 62 | * Music/{{CHVRCHES}} |
| 63 | ** 2013 - ''Music/TheBonesOfWhatYouBelieve'' |
| 64 | * Music/CobraStarship |
| 65 | * Music/ColdCave |
| 66 | * Music/CollapsingScenery ([[/index]]with TripHop and IDM influence[[index]]) |
| 67 | * Music/{{Covenant}} (on their later albums, they're this combined with [[{{Industrial}} Future-Pop]]; earlier works are straight EBM / Future-Pop) |
| 68 | * Music/{{Crystal Castles|Band}} |
| 69 | * Music/CutCopy |
| 70 | * Music/{{Dark City|Band}} |
| 71 | * Music/{{Daya}} |
| 72 | * Music/DeadOrAlive |
| 73 | * Music/DenkiGroove |
| 74 | * Music/DepecheMode (GenrePopularizer with The Human League and Pet Shop Boys) |
| 75 | ** 1981 -''Music/SpeakAndSpell'' |
| 76 | ** 1982 - ''Music/ABrokenFrame'' |
| 77 | ** 1983 - ''Music/ConstructionTimeAgain'' |
| 78 | ** 1984 - ''Music/SomeGreatReward'' |
| 79 | ** 1986 - ''Music/BlackCelebration'' |
| 80 | ** 1987 - ''Music/MusicForTheMasses'' |
| 81 | ** 1990 - ''Music/{{Violator}}'' |
| 82 | ** 1993 - ''Music/SongsOfFaithAndDevotion'' |
| 83 | ** 1997 - ''Music/{{Ultra}}'' |
| 84 | ** 2001 - ''Music/{{Exciter}}'' |
| 85 | ** 2005 - ''Music/PlayingTheAngel'' |
| 86 | ** 2007 - ''Music/{{Hourglass}}'' (Dave solo) |
| 87 | * Music/{{Devo}} (When they weren't just straight {{New Wave|Music}}) |
| 88 | * Music/HannahDiamond |
| 89 | * Music/ThomasDolby |
| 90 | * Music/DorianElectra |
| 91 | * Music/DuranDuran (With more Rock influence than most, though) |
| 92 | ** 1982 - ''[[Music/RioAlbum Rio]]'' |
| 93 | ** 1993 - ''[[Music/TheWeddingAlbum Duran Duran]]'' (also known as ''The Wedding Album'' to distinguish it from the group's 1981 self-titled album) |
| 94 | * Music/DuaLipa |
| 95 | * Music/{{Electronic}} |
| 96 | * Music/{{Efterklang}} |
| 97 | * Music/{{Empire of the Sun|Band}} |
| 98 | * Music/{{Erasure}} |
| 99 | * Music/{{Eurythmics}} |
| 100 | * Music/FadGadget ([[/index]]A TropeMaker[[index]]) |
| 101 | * Music/SkyFerreira |
| 102 | * Music/FictionFactory |
| 103 | * Music/{{Fischerspooner}} |
| 104 | * Music/AFlockOfSeagulls |
| 105 | * Music/{{Foxes}} (Though more through her collaborations than her solo efforts.) |
| 106 | * Music/JohnFoxx |
| 107 | ** 1980 - ''Music/{{Metamatic}}'' |
| 108 | * Music/FrankieGoesToHollywood |
| 109 | * Music/{{Freezepop}} |
| 110 | * Music/JohnFrusciante (Former Music/RedHotChiliPeppers guitarist) |
| 111 | * Music/FutureIslands |
| 112 | * Music/{{Goldfrapp}} (particularly in ''Supernature'', ''Head First'' and ''Silver Eye'') |
| 113 | * Music/EllieGoulding |
| 114 | ** 2012 - ''Music/{{Halcyon}}'' |
| 115 | * Music/{{Erasure}} |
| 116 | * Music/{{Grimes}} (a modern example) |
| 117 | ** 2012 - ''Music/{{Visions}}'' |
| 118 | * Music/{{Halsey}} |
| 119 | * Music/Heaven17 (formed by alumni of the Mk. I incarnation of the Human League) |
| 120 | * Music/{{Hurts}} |
| 121 | * Music/TheHumanLeague (one of the {{Trope Codifier}}s, and perhaps the TropeMakers of the British scene in both their Mk. I and Mk. II incarnations) |
| 122 | ** 1979 - ''Music/{{Reproduction}}'' |
| 123 | ** 1980 - ''Music/{{Travelogue}}'' |
| 124 | ** 1981 - ''Music/{{Dare}}'' |
| 125 | * Music/DickHyman |
| 126 | ** 1969 - ''Moog: The Electric Eclectics of Dick Hyman'' (featuring the {{Instrumental}} "The Minotaur", the first all-synth song to make the ''Billboard'' Top 40) |
| 127 | * Music/{{IAMX}} |
| 128 | * Music/{{Icehouse}} |
| 129 | * Music/IconaPop |
| 130 | * Music/ImagesInVogue ([[/index]]Most well-known for being where cEvin Key, of Music/SkinnyPuppy fame, got his start[[index]]) |
| 131 | * Music/InformationSociety |
| 132 | * Music/{{Japan}} |
| 133 | * Music/JeanMichelJarre (typically classified as electronica, but is also frequently given this label and was a big influence on it to begin with) |
| 134 | ** 1976 - ''Music/{{Oxygene}}'' |
| 135 | ** 1978 - ''Music/{{Equinoxe}}'' |
| 136 | * Music/{{HANA}} |
| 137 | * Music/HowardJones |
| 138 | * Music/HypeWilliams |
| 139 | * Music/TheJetzons |
| 140 | * Music/JoyElectric |
| 141 | * Music/JulienK (Also IndustrialMetal and AlternativeRock, although ''We're Here With You'' is a completely straight example of this) |
| 142 | * Music/{{Kajagoogoo}} |
| 143 | * Music/{{Kavinsky}} |
| 144 | * Music/{{Kaya}} |
| 145 | * Music/{{Kent}} |
| 146 | * Music/{{The Killers|Band}} |
| 147 | ** 2004 - ''Music/HotFuss'' |
| 148 | ** 2020 - ''Music/ImplodingTheMirage'' |
| 149 | * Music/TheKnife (at least until the release of ''Shaking the Habitual'') |
| 150 | * Music/{{Kraftwerk}} (the TropeMaker, or perhaps the main UrExample) |
| 151 | ** 1974 - ''Music/{{Autobahn}}'' |
| 152 | ** 1977 - ''Music/TransEuropeExpress'' |
| 153 | ** 1978 - ''Music/TheManMachine'' |
| 154 | ** 1981 - ''Music/ComputerWorld'' |
| 155 | ** 1986 - ''[[Music/TechnoPop Electric Café]]'' |
| 156 | * Music/LaRoux |
| 157 | * Music/{{Ladytron}} |
| 158 | * Music/TheLethalWeapons |
| 159 | * Music/{{Lights}} |
| 160 | * Music/LittleBoots |
| 161 | * Music/{{Madeon}} (mixed with ElectroHouse) |
| 162 | * Music/TheMagneticFields |
| 163 | ** 1999 - ''Music/SixtyNineLoveSongs'' |
| 164 | * Music/MaisiePeters |
| 165 | * Music/{{Mecano}} |
| 166 | * Music/MenWithoutHats |
| 167 | * Music/{{Metric}} |
| 168 | * Music/{{MGMT}} |
| 169 | * Music/{{Ministry}} (yes, THAT Ministry. Their first record was completely synth-pop. Their second changed to a dark [[{{Industrial}} EBM]] style while their third completely changed to IndustrialMetal, in which case everything got heavier and heavier) |
| 170 | * Music/{{MO}} |
| 171 | * Music/MolchatDoma are an extremely dark example, crossing over with DarkWave, PostPunk, and {{New Wave|Music}}. |
| 172 | * [[Creator/PennBadgley MOTHXR]] |
| 173 | * Music/MunchenerFreiheit |
| 174 | * Music/NakedEyes |
| 175 | * Music/NeonTrees |
| 176 | * Music/{{Nephew}} |
| 177 | * Music/NewOrder (a rather dark example, formed from the ashes of Joy Division; also the {{trope maker}}s of AlternativeDance) |
| 178 | ** 1983 - ''Music/PowerCorruptionAndLies'' |
| 179 | ** 1985 - ''Music/LowLife'' |
| 180 | ** 1986 - ''Music/{{Brotherhood}}'' |
| 181 | ** 1987 - ''Music/SubstanceNewOrderAlbum'' |
| 182 | ** 1989 - ''Music/{{Technique}}'' |
| 183 | ** 1993 - ''Music/{{Republic}}'' |
| 184 | ** 2001 - ''Music/GetReady'' |
| 185 | ** 2015 - ''Music/MusicComplete'' |
| 186 | * Music/NinjaSexParty |
| 187 | * Music/KlausNomi |
| 188 | ** 1981 - ''[[Music/KlausNomiAlbum Klaus Nomi]]'' |
| 189 | ** 1982 - ''Music/SimpleMan'' |
| 190 | * Music/TheNormal ([[/index]]Only released one single, "Warm Leatherette," which is an early example and [[TropeMakers influential]] of the genre[[index]]) |
| 191 | * Music/GaryNuman (though he shifted later on to IndustrialMetal and DarkWave) |
| 192 | * Music/OwlCity |
| 193 | * Music/OrchestralManoeuvresInTheDark |
| 194 | * Music/OurDaughtersWedding |
| 195 | * Music/PaleWaves (though their later work moved towards PopPunk and AlternativeRock) |
| 196 | * Music/ParadeOfLights |
| 197 | * Music/PassionPit |
| 198 | * Music/{{Peaches}} |
| 199 | * Music/JeanJacquesPerrey ([[/index]]Another UrExample[[index]]) |
| 200 | ** 1966 - ''Music/TheInSoundFromWayOut!'' (with Gershon Kingsley) |
| 201 | ** 1967 - ''Kaleidoscopic Vibrations'' (with Gershon Kingsley) |
| 202 | ** 1968 - ''The Amazing New Electronic Pop Sound of Jean Jacques Perrey'' |
| 203 | ** 1970 - ''Moog Indigo'' |
| 204 | * Music/ParadiseLost (on ''Host'', with heavy influence from GothRock) |
| 205 | ** Host (a synthpop side project by Paradise Lost's frontmen) |
| 206 | * Music/PetShopBoys |
| 207 | * Music/{{Phantogram}} (mixed with TripHop and electronic rock) |
| 208 | * Music/{{Polysics}} |
| 209 | * Music/ThePostalService |
| 210 | * Music/LosPrisioneros |
| 211 | * Music/{{Propaganda}} |
| 212 | * Music/PurityRing |
| 213 | * Music/{{PVRIS}} (a newer band) |
| 214 | * Music/TheReadySet |
| 215 | * Music/RedFlag |
| 216 | * Music/{{Riki}} |
| 217 | * Music/PorterRobinson (from ''Worlds'' onwards, earlier material is ElectroHouse) |
| 218 | * Music/SaintEtienne |
| 219 | * Music/RyuichiSakamoto |
| 220 | ** 1978 - ''Music/ThousandKnives'' |
| 221 | * Music/{{Sanah}} |
| 222 | * Music/{{Savlonic}} |
| 223 | * Music/SeonaDancing |
| 224 | * Music/SheWantsRevenge |
| 225 | * Music/SiliconTeens (Notable for being an early virtual band and the first project worked on by Mute Records label founder Daniel Miller, whose label is the home of Music/DepecheMode, Music/{{Erasure}} and Music/{{Yazoo}}, and thus important in the genre's history) |
| 226 | * Music/SoftCell |
| 227 | * Music/{{Soulwax}} |
| 228 | * Music/{{Sparks}} (From the late 70s to the early 2000s) |
| 229 | ** 1979 - ''Music/No1InHeaven'' |
| 230 | * Music/{{SPOCK}} |
| 231 | * Music/BruceSpringsteen (Fully embraced synthesizer usage on ''Born In The USA'' and ''Tunnel Of Love'') |
| 232 | ** 1984- ''Music/BornInTheUSA'' |
| 233 | * Music/StarBomb |
| 234 | * Music/StrawberrySwitchblade |
| 235 | * Music/TaylorSwift |
| 236 | ** 2014 - ''Music/NineteenEightyNine'', an album sonically modeled after the eighties. |
| 237 | ** 2017 - ''Music/{{reputation}}'' |
| 238 | ** 2019 - ''Music/{{Lover}}'' |
| 239 | * Music/TalkTalk (on ''The Party's Over'' and ''It's My Life'' before becoming PostRock pioneers) |
| 240 | * Music/TearsForFears (especially in their first album, which was equal parts this and DarkWave; later material is also and more predominantly {{New Wave|Music}} and [[ProgressiveRock Progressive/Art Pop]]) |
| 241 | ** 1983 - ''Music/TheHurting'' |
| 242 | ** 1985 - ''Music/SongsFromTheBigChair'' |
| 243 | * Music/TeganAndSara |
| 244 | * Music/{{Telex}} |
| 245 | * Music/TheThe |
| 246 | * Music/ThompsonTwins |
| 247 | * Music/ToveLo |
| 248 | * Music/TransX |
| 249 | * Music/TupperWareRemixParty |
| 250 | ** 2019 - "Music/StarlightBrigade" |
| 251 | * Music/{{Ultravox}} |
| 252 | ** 1978 - ''Music/SystemsOfRomance'' |
| 253 | ** 1980 - ''Music/{{Vienna}}'' |
| 254 | ** 1981 - ''Music/RageInEden'' |
| 255 | ** 1982 - ''Music/{{Quartet}}'' |
| 256 | ** 1984 - ''Music/{{Lament}}'' |
| 257 | ** 1986 - ''Music/UVox'' |
| 258 | * Music/MidgeUre |
| 259 | * Music/{{Visage|Band}} |
| 260 | * Music/VNVNation (Much like Covenant above, they started as a Future-Pop / EBM band before transitioning into this) |
| 261 | * Music/WildBeasts |
| 262 | * Music/{{Wolfsheim}} ([[/index]]Also DarkWave[[index]]) |
| 263 | * Music/XiuXiu |
| 264 | * Music/{{Yazoo}} |
| 265 | * Music/{{Yelle}} |
| 266 | * Music/{{Yello}} (Best known for the oddball hit "Oh Yeah" from ''Film/FerrisBuellersDayOff'') |
| 267 | * Music/YellowMagicOrchestra (TropeCodifier and, together with Kraftwerk, the [[TropeMakers Trope Maker]]) |
| 268 | ** 1978 - ''Music/YellowMagicOrchestraAlbum'' |
| 269 | ** 1979 - ''Music/SolidStateSurvivor'' |
| 270 | ** 1980 - ''Music/{{Multiplies}}'' |
| 271 | ** 1981 - ''Music/{{BGM}}'' |
| 272 | ** 1981 - ''Music/{{Technodelic}}'' |
| 273 | ** 1983 - ''Music/NaughtyBoys'' |
| 274 | ** 1983 - ''Music/{{Service}}'' |
| 275 | ** 1993 - ''Music/{{Technodon}}'' |
| 276 | * Music/{{Yeule}}, their early [=EPs=] and ''Serotonin II'' especially. |
| 277 | * Music/BertineZetlitz |
| 278 | [[/index]] |
| 279 | |
| 280 | And arguably a good portion of [[The80s '80s]] pop acts in general (who are either this or {{New Wave|Music}}). |
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