SYNTH- AND ELECTRO-POP – ELECTRONIC POP CULTURE
Potentials of electronic music for popular music
(Illustration Study in Synth- & Electro-pop – Electronic Pop Cultures, PR – 18.04.2019)
Influenced by an economic boom and new media like television and CDs, different youth- and subcultures of the 1970s and ‘80s led to the emergence of various social and political movements which, in turn, had an impact on popular music. The politically and socially critical punk and later new wave music appeared on the scene. The blending of gay culture with the different club scenes in Europa and the USA, as well as new music-production facilities, resulted in new genres such as disco and synth- and electro-pop. Synth- and electro-pop were easy to dance to and intended for home listening. They marked the beginning of electronic dance music (EDM) as it is known today. Especially the evolution of the digital synthesiser and electronic production facilities lent this type of music its unique characteristics. As punk had done, synth- and electro-pop continued to use music as a means of social protest, however, in a more subtle, ironic and cooler way. The staging of anti-idols facilitated the discourse on current topics.
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Women also utilised synth- and electro-pop to address their issues. As a result, a remarkable number of successful female artists have dedicated themselves to these genres or incorporate synth- and electro-pop characteristics into their musical compositions. In addition, with the emer-gence of synth- and electro-pop, which also have their origins in the gay-club and black scenes, many gay musicians start-ed to compose synth- and electro-pop. Both women and gay men saw these gen-res as a means to erotically, provocatively and in different disguises question social standards and stereotypes.
Since the 2000s, a new generation of artists has been using synth- and electro-pop in their music production – that decade even saw new genres emerging from synth- and electro-pop. Seasoned artists are still in demand and many who used to produce purely electronic music now use synth- and electro-pop in order to mix pure EDM with pop music.
To this day, not only the ability to change and adapt, but also the subliminal and humorous provocation regarding current events are an integral part of synth- and electro-pop. It is, so to speak, a musical and sociocultural revival of the 1980s.
Faculty of philosophy and Faculty of Business Administration of the University of Zurich in cooperation with Institute of Musicology of the University of Zurich, Prof. Dr. Hans-Joachim Hinrichsen.
Recommendation (in German)
