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{{about2|the house-influenced genre from the 2000s|For topics related to the term used in 1980s German magazines, see [[Cold wave (music)|Cold wave]], [[Minimal wave]], and [[Dark wave]]}}
{{Short description|Music genre}}
{{About|the house-influenced genre from the 2000s|topics related to the term used in 1980s magazines|Cold wave (music)|and|Minimal wave|and|Dark wave}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=August 2024}}{{EngvarB|date=August 2024}}
{{Infobox music genre
{{Infobox music genre
|name = Synthwave
| name = Synthwave
|other_names =
| image = Synthwave.svg
| caption =
* Outrun<ref name="Neuman2015"/>
| other_names = * Outrun
* retrowave<ref name="Neuman2015"/>
* retrowave
* futuresynth<ref name="Neuman2015"/>
* future synth
|bgcolor = silver
| stylistic_origins = * [[Electronic music|Electronic]]<ref name="Robert"/>
|color = black
* [[1980s in film|1980s film]] [[film soundtrack|soundtrack]]s<ref name="letoile">{{cite web |url=http://www.letoilemagazine.com/2014/04/09/we-will-rock-you-welcome-to-the-future-this-is-synthwave/ |title=We Will Rock You: Welcome To The Future. This is Synthwave. |last1=Hunt |first1=Jon |date=9 April 2014 |publisher=l'etoile |access-date=18 May 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170711192215/http://www.letoilemagazine.com/2014/04/09/we-will-rock-you-welcome-to-the-future-this-is-synthwave/|archive-date=11 July 2017}}</ref><ref name="mtviggy"/>
|stylistic_origins =
*[[Electronic music]]<ref name="Robert"/>
* [[electro (music)|electro]]<ref name="Cram2019"/>
*[[French house]]<ref name=observer/>
* [[Eurodisco]]<ref name="Cram2019"/>
|cultural_origins = Mid 2000s–early 2010s<ref name="Neuman2015"/>
* [[French house]]<ref name="Neuman2015"/>
* [[video game music]]<ref name="letoile"/><ref name="mtviggy"/>
|instruments =
* [[Italo disco]]<ref name="electricityclub">{{cite web|url=https://www.electricityclub.co.uk/tecs-25-favourite-italo-disco-tracks/|title=25 Favourite Italo Disco Tracks|website=electricityclub.co.uk|date=12 May 2018 |access-date=16 January 2022|archive-date=30 November 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211130172827/https://www.electricityclub.co.uk/tecs-25-favourite-italo-disco-tracks/|url-status=live}}</ref>
|derivatives =
* [[chiptune]]
|subgenrelist =
* [[synth-pop]]
|subgenres =
* [[New wave music|new wave]]
* [[Darkwave]]<ref name="Tron">{{cite web|url=http://glitchslap.com/synthwave-if-tron-and-megaman-had-a-music-baby/ |title=Synthwave: If Tron and Megaman had a music baby. |publisher=Glitchslap.com |date=25 March 2015 |first1=Bryan|last1=Young |accessdate=2015-05-19}}</ref>
| cultural_origins = Mid-to late 2000s;<ref name="Cram2019"/><ref name="Neuman2015"/> France, Western Europe
* Dreamwave<ref name="Tron"/>
| instruments =
* Outrunwave<ref name="Tron"/>
| derivatives =
* SciFiwave<ref name="Tron"/>
|fusiongenres =
| subgenrelist =
| subgenres = * Darksynth<ref name="Tron"/>
|other_topics =
* dreamwave<ref name="Tron">{{cite web |url=http://glitchslap.com/synthwave-if-tron-and-megaman-had-a-music-baby/ |title=Synthwave: If Tron and Megaman had a music baby. |publisher=Glitchslap.com |date=25 March 2015 |first1=Bryan |last1=Young |access-date=19 May 2015 |archive-date=14 February 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190214173320/http://glitchslap.com/synthwave-if-tron-and-megaman-had-a-music-baby/ |url-status=dead }}</ref>
* scifiwave<ref name="Tron"/>
| fusiongenres =
| other_topics =
* [[Eurobeat]]
* [[synth-pop]]
* [[vaporwave]]
* [[New wave music|new wave]]
}}
}}
{{Electronic music top}}
'''Synthwave''' (also called '''outrun''', '''retrowave''' and '''futuresynth'''<ref name="Neuman2015"/>) is a genre of [[electronic music]]<ref name="Robert">{{cite web |url=http://www.surrealresolution.com/index.php/2016/09/23/on-the-synthwave-genre-and-video-games/ |title=On The Synthwave Genre and Video Games |date= 23 September 2016 |website=Surreal Resolution |author=Robert |access-date= 17 January 2017 |quote=}}</ref> influenced by 1980s [[Film score|film soundtracks]] and [[video game]]s.<ref name="letoile">{{cite web |url=http://www.letoilemagazine.com/2014/04/09/we-will-rock-you-welcome-to-the-future-this-is-synthwave/ |title=We Will Rock You: Welcome To The Future. This is Synthwave. |last1=Hunt |first1=Jon |last2= |first2= |date=9 April 2014 |website= |publisher=l'etoile |access-date=18 May 2015 |quote=}}</ref><ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.mtviggy.com/lists/retrowave-synthwave-9-artists-to-know-dead-astronauts-pertubator-mega-drive/ | title=A Retrowave Primer: 9 Artists Bringing Back the ’80s | last=Neuman | first=Julia | date=June 23, 2015 |work=[[MTV]] Iggy | accessdate=June 23, 2015 | archive-date=June 23, 2015 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150623121923/http://www.mtviggy.com/lists/retrowave-synthwave-9-artists-to-know-dead-astronauts-pertubator-mega-drive/}}</ref> Beginning in the mid 2000s, the genre developed from various niche communities on the Internet, reaching wider popularity in the early 2010s.<ref name="Neuman2015">{{cite web|url=http://observer.com/2015/07/the-nostalgic-allure-of-synthwave/|title=The Nostalgic Allure of ‘Synthwave’|last1=Neuman|first1=Julia|date=July 30, 2015}}</ref>
In its music and cover artwork, synthwave engages in [[retrofuturism]], emulating 1980s [[science fiction]], [[action film|action]], and [[horror film|horror]] media, sometimes compared to [[Cyberpunk#Music|cyberpunk]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.scenepointblank.com/reviews/perturbator/dangerous-days/ |title=Perturbator - DANGEROUS DAYS |publisher=Scene Point Blank |date=2014-12-01 |accessdate=2015-05-24 }}</ref> It expresses nostalgia for 1980s culture, attempting to capture the era's atmosphere and celebrate it.<ref>{{cite web|last1=Calvert|first1=John|title=Xeno and Oaklander - Sets & Lights|url=http://drownedinsound.com/releases/16582/reviews/4143768|publisher=[[Drowned in Sound]]|accessdate=8 June 2015|date=13 October 2011}}</ref>


'''Synthwave''' (also called '''outrun''', '''retrowave''', or '''futuresynth'''<ref name="Neuman2015">{{cite news | url=http://observer.com/2015/07/the-nostalgic-allure-of-synthwave/ | title=The Nostalgic Allure of 'Synthwave' | last=Neuman | first=Julia | work=[[New York Observer]] | date=30 July 2015 | access-date=16 May 2016 | archive-date=25 September 2016 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160925211251/http://observer.com/2015/07/the-nostalgic-allure-of-synthwave/ | url-status=live }}</ref>) is an [[electronic music]] [[microgenre]] that is based predominantly on the music associated with action, science-fiction, and horror [[Film score|film soundtracks]] of the 1980s.<ref name="letoile"/> Other influences are drawn from the decade's art and [[1980s in video games|video games]].<ref name="mtviggy">{{cite web | url=http://www.mtviggy.com/lists/retrowave-synthwave-9-artists-to-know-dead-astronauts-pertubator-mega-drive/ | title=A Retrowave Primer: 9 Artists Bringing Back the '80s | last=Neuman | first=Julia | date=23 June 2015 |work=[[MTV]] Iggy | access-date=23 June 2015 | archive-date=23 June 2015 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150623121923/http://www.mtviggy.com/lists/retrowave-synthwave-9-artists-to-know-dead-astronauts-pertubator-mega-drive/}}</ref> Synthwave musicians often espouse [[nostalgia]] for 1980s culture and attempt to capture the era's atmosphere and celebrate it.<ref>{{cite web|last1=Calvert|first1=John|title=Xeno and Oaklander - Sets & Lights|url=http://drownedinsound.com/releases/16582/reviews/4143768|publisher=[[Drowned in Sound]]|access-date=8 June 2015|date=13 October 2011|archive-date=13 September 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150913052909/http://drownedinsound.com/releases/16582/reviews/4143768|url-status=dead}}</ref>
==Style==
Musically, synthwave is heavily inspired by many 1980s films, video games, and cartoons,<ref name="nerdglow1">{{cite web|author=Christopher Higgins |url=http://www.nerdglow.com/stuff-you-hear/music/7-essential-synthwave-artists/ |title=The 7 Most Essential Synthwave Artists |publisher=Nerdglow.com |date=2014-07-29 |accessdate=2015-05-18}}</ref> as well as composers such as [[John Carpenter]], [[Vangelis]], and [[Tangerine Dream]].<ref name="letoile" /><ref name="vice">{{cite web|last=McCasker |first=Toby |url=https://noisey.vice.com/blog/riding-the-cyber-doom-synthwave-with-perturbator |title=Riding the Cyber Doom Synthwave With Perturbator &#124; NOISEY |publisher=Noisey.vice.com |date=2014-06-22 |accessdate=2015-05-19|quote=Electronic music has lost a lot of its musicality lately. It's all drops and bass lines looped for five minutes non-stop. Back in the ‘80s, you had classic themes and iconic melodies. I try to take the best of ‘80s music and the best of what modern electro has. The 80s were the golden age of synths too, with master composers like Vangelis and Tangerine Dream, who are huge inspirations for most of us in this genre. There’s this special imagery that comes up in your mind when you think about this decade. There's a lot of ‘80s cliché that I find to be extremely cool, like gory practical effects or over-saturated neon colours. }}</ref><ref name="mtv">{{cite web |url=http://www.mtv.com/news/2914736/molly-lambert-on-the-german-synthrock-bands-tv-moment/|title=''Stranger Things'' and how Tangerine Dream soundtracked the 80s|date=2016-08-04|accessdate=2016-08-28|last=Lambert|first=Molly|publisher=MTV.com|quote=Vintage synthheads like Survive (and digital replicants alike) make music in the genre that has come to be called synthwave — or “outrun,” after the 1986 driving arcade game that let players select a soundtrack (a first). Inspired by the early days of electronic music and artists like Giorgio Moroder, Vangelis, John Carpenter, and, of course, Tangerine Dream, synthwave is a postmodern take on the ’80s, aiming to capture the way it feels to watch an ’80s movie scored by Tangerine Dream late at night on TV more than to actually replicate their sound.}}</ref>{{text-source inline}} The subgenre name "outrun" comes from the 1986 [[Racing video game|driving]] [[arcade game]] ''[[Out Run]]'', which was known for its soundtrack that could be selected in-game.<ref name="mtv"/> According to musician [[Perturbator]] (James Kent), the style is mainly instrumental, and often contains 1980s cliché elements in the sound such as [[electronic drums]], [[gated reverb]], [[analog synthesizer]] bass lines and leads, all to resemble tracks from that time period.<ref name="vice" />


The genre developed in the mid-to late 2000s through [[French house]] producers, as well as younger artists who were inspired by the 2002 video game ''[[Grand Theft Auto: Vice City]]''. Other reference points included composers [[John Carpenter]], [[Jean-Michel Jarre]], [[Vangelis]] (especially his score for the 1982 film ''[[Blade Runner]]''), and [[Tangerine Dream]]. Synthwave reached wider popularity after being featured in the soundtracks of the 2011 film ''[[Drive (2011 film)|Drive]]'' (which included some of the genre's best-known songs), the 2012 video game ''[[Hotline Miami]]'' as well as its [[Hotline Miami 2: Wrong Number|2015 sequel]], the 2017 film ''[[Thor: Ragnarok]]'', and the [[Netflix]] series ''[[Stranger Things]]''.
This aesthetic has been incorporated into retro themed movies and video games featuring synthwave artists. According to Bryan Young of ''Glitchslap'', one of the most notable examples of this is [[Power Glove (band)|Power Glove]]'s [[Far Cry 3: Blood Dragon#Soundtrack|soundtrack]] to the 2013 video game ''[[Far Cry 3: Blood Dragon]]''.<ref name="Tron"/>


== Characteristics and related terms ==
==Background==
Synthwave is a [[microgenre]]<ref name=":0" /><ref>{{cite web |last1=Maxwell |first1=Dante |title=Music Microgenres: A Brief History of Retrowave, Acid House, & Chillhop |url=https://www.zizacious.com/life/entertainment/music-microgenres-a-brief-history-of-retrowave-acid-house-chillhop/ |website=Zizacious |date=20 September 2019 |access-date=19 July 2020 |archive-date=19 July 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200719184233/https://www.zizacious.com/life/entertainment/music-microgenres-a-brief-history-of-retrowave-acid-house-chillhop/ |url-status=live }}</ref> of [[electronic music]]<ref name="Robert">{{cite web |url=http://www.surrealresolution.com/index.php/2016/09/23/on-the-synthwave-genre-and-video-games/ |title=On The Synthwave Genre and Video Games |date=23 September 2016 |website=Surreal Resolution |author=Robert |access-date=17 January 2017 |archive-date=20 January 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200120141345/http://www.surrealresolution.com/index.php/2016/09/23/on-the-synthwave-genre-and-video-games/ |url-status=live }}</ref> that draws predominantly from 1980s films, video games, and cartoons,<ref name="nerdglow122">{{cite web|title=The 7 Most Essential Synthwave Artists|url=http://www.nerdglow.com/stuff-you-hear/music/7-essential-synthwave-artists/|first=Christopher|last=Higgins|date=29 July 2014|publisher=Nerdglow.com|access-date=18 May 2015|archive-date=25 September 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160925211555/http://www.nerdglow.com/stuff-you-hear/music/7-essential-synthwave-artists/|url-status=live}}</ref> as well as composers such as [[John Carpenter]], [[Jean-Michel Jarre]], [[Vangelis]], and [[Tangerine Dream]].<ref name="letoile22">{{cite web|title=We Will Rock You: Welcome To The Future. This is Synthwave.|url=http://www.letoilemagazine.com/2014/04/09/we-will-rock-you-welcome-to-the-future-this-is-synthwave/|last1=Hunt|first1=Jon|date=9 April 2014|publisher=l'etoile|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170711192215/http://www.letoilemagazine.com/2014/04/09/we-will-rock-you-welcome-to-the-future-this-is-synthwave/|archive-date=11 July 2017|access-date=18 May 2015}}</ref><ref name="mtv22">{{cite web|title=''Stranger Things'' and how Tangerine Dream soundtracked the 80s|url=http://www.mtv.com/news/2914736/molly-lambert-on-the-german-synthrock-bands-tv-moment/|last=Lambert|first=Molly|date=4 August 2016|publisher=MTV.com|access-date=28 August 2016|archive-date=21 August 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160821193534/http://www.mtv.com/news/2914736/molly-lambert-on-the-german-synthrock-bands-tv-moment/|url-status=dead}}</ref> Other reference points include [[List of electronic music genres|electronic dance music genres]] including house, synth, and nu-disco.<ref name="electrozombies">{{Cite web|title=What is Synthwave? • Electrozombies|url=https://electrozombies.com/magazine/article/what-is-synthwave/|last=Cram|first=Preston|date=24 June 2021|website=Electrozombies|language=en-US|access-date=24 June 2021|archive-date=24 June 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210624050256/https://electrozombies.com/magazine/article/what-is-synthwave/|url-status=live}}</ref> It is primarily an instrumental genre, although there are occasional exceptions to the rule.{{sfn|Wetmore|2018|p=31}} Common tempos are between 80 and 118 BPM, while more upbeat tracks may be between 128 and 140 BPM.<ref name="modeaudio">{{Cite web|title=Synthwave: 5 Production Essentials {{!}} ModeAudio Magazine|url=https://modeaudio.com/magazine/synthwave-5-production-essentials|website=ModeAudio|language=en|access-date=15 April 2020|archive-date=5 July 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200705224832/https://modeaudio.com/magazine/synthwave-5-production-essentials|url-status=live}}</ref>
Synthwave originates from the mid 2000s.<ref name="Neuman2015"/> French acts including [[David Grellier]] (College), [[Kavinsky]], and [[Justice (band)|Justice]] are recognized as the pioneers contributing to the early synthwave sound. These early artists began creating music inspired by famous 1980s score composers; music which was, at the time, largely associated with [[French house]].<ref name=observer>{{cite news | url=http://observer.com/2015/07/the-nostalgic-allure-of-synthwave/ | title=The Nostalgic Allure of 'Synthwave' | last=Neuman | first=Julia | work=[[New York Observer]] | date=July 30, 2015 | accessdate=May 16, 2016}}</ref>


"Outrun" is a synonym of synthwave that was later used to refer more generally to retro 1980s aesthetics such as VHS tracking artefacts, magenta neon, and [[gridlines]].{{sfn|Wetmore|2018|p=31}} The term comes from the 1986 [[arcade racing]] game ''[[Out Run]]'', which is known for its soundtrack that could be selected in-game and its 1980s aesthetic.<ref name="mtv22"/><ref name="Wired">{{cite magazine |last1=Prisco |first1=Jacopo |title=How Out Run changed video games forever |url=https://www.wired.co.uk/article/out-run-video-game-design |access-date=4 November 2021 |magazine=[[Wired UK]] |date=18 September 2021 |archive-date=4 November 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211104120401/https://www.wired.co.uk/article/out-run-video-game-design |url-status=live }}</ref> According to musician [[Perturbator]] (James Kent), outrun is also its own subgenre, mainly instrumental, and often contains 1980s clichéd elements in the sound such as [[electronic drums]], [[gated reverb]], and [[analogue synthesizer]] bass lines and leads—all to resemble tracks from that time period.<ref name="vice">{{cite web |last=McCasker |first=Toby |url=https://noisey.vice.com/blog/riding-the-cyber-doom-synthwave-with-perturbator |title=Riding the Cyber Doom Synthwave With Perturbator &#124; NOISEY |publisher=Noisey.vice.com |date=22 June 2014 |access-date=19 May 2015 |archive-date=4 May 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150504072305/http://noisey.vice.com/blog/riding-the-cyber-doom-synthwave-with-perturbator |url-status=live }}</ref> There is also a visual component on synthwave album covers and music videos. According to ''[[PC Gamer]]'', the essence of outrun visuals is "taking elements of a period of '80s excess millennials find irresistibly evocative, and modernizing them so they're just barely recognizable."<ref name=":1">{{Cite news|last=Iwaniuk|first=Phil|date=4 October 2017|title=How synthwave music inspired games to explore a past that never existed|language=en|work=PC Gamer|url=https://www.pcgamer.com/how-synthwave-music-inspired-games-to-explore-a-past-that-never-existed/|access-date=13 February 2022|archive-date=14 August 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210814063610/https://www.pcgamer.com/how-synthwave-music-inspired-games-to-explore-a-past-that-never-existed/|url-status=live}}</ref>
==Popularity==
The release of the movie ''[[Drive (2011 film)|Drive]]'' in 2011, whose soundtrack featured several synthwave artists, helped drive new fans and artists inspired by it toward the genre.<ref>{{cite web|author=Eric James Lyman |url=http://www.ericlyman.net/synthwave |title=Eric James Lyman - Synthwave |publisher=Ericlyman.net |date=2015-01-11 |accessdate=2015-05-19}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://vehlinggo.com/2016/09/07/drive-movie-fifth-anniversary-feature/|title=Drive at Five: Revisiting the Neon-Noir Masterpiece |publisher=Vehlinggo.com |date = |accessdate=2016-10-17}}</ref> Following the various influxes of new artists into the genre, several of these artists gravitated toward specific aspects of synthwave carved out by the early artists, leading to a wide variation in styles between artists who are associated with the genre.{{original research?|date=January 2017}} ''Nerdglow''{{'}}s Christopher Higgins cited [[Electric Youth (band)|Electric Youth]] and [[Kavinsky]] as the two most popular artists in synthwave in 2014.<ref name="nerdglow1" /> Since 2015, synthwave has reached a broader audience from outside musicians and popular media.<ref>[http://www.avclub.com/article/stranger-things-score-gateway-synthwave-240466 Stranger Things’ score is a gateway into synthwave ''AV Club'']</ref>


Other subgenres include dreamwave, darksynth, and scifiwave.<ref name="Tron"/> Journalist Julia Neuman cited "outrun", "futuresynth", and "retrowave" as alternative terms for synthwave<ref name="Neuman2015"/> while author Nicholas Diak wrote that "retrowave" was an [[umbrella term]] that encompasses 1980s revivalism genres such as synthwave and [[vaporwave]].{{sfn|Wetmore|2018|p=31}} Darksynth is influenced by horror cinema.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Hickman |first=Langdon |date=22 June 2020 |title=Master Boot Record's Dark Synthwave Injects Cyberpunk Into New Adventure Game "VirtuaVerse" |url=https://www.invisibleoranges.com/virtuaverse-master-boot-record-review/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210419185016/https://www.invisibleoranges.com/virtuaverse-master-boot-record-review/ |archive-date=19 April 2021 |access-date=13 February 2022 |website=[[Invisible Oranges]] |language=en}}</ref> ''[[Invisible Oranges]]'' wrote that darksynth is exemplified mainly by a shift away from the bright "''[[Miami Vice]]'' vibes" and "French electro house influences" and "toward the darker electronic terrains of horror movie maestro composers John Carpenter and [[Goblin (band)|Goblin]]" also infused with sounds from [[post-punk]], [[Industrial music|industrial]] and [[Electronic body music|EBM]].<ref>{{Cite web |last=Aprill |first=Joseph |date=29 February 2020 |title=GosT-ly Horror: Darksynth Master James Lollar Talks Metal, Movies, and More |url=https://www.invisibleoranges.com/gost-james-lollar-interview/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220104085239/https://www.invisibleoranges.com/gost-james-lollar-interview/ |archive-date=4 January 2022 |access-date=13 February 2022 |website=[[Invisible Oranges]] |language=en}}</ref>
[[Fashwave]] (a portmanteau of "[[fascist]]" and "synthwave"),<ref name="Hann2016">{{cite news|last1=Hann|first1=Michael|title='Fashwave': synth music co-opted by the far right|url=https://www.theguardian.com/music/musicblog/2016/dec/14/fashwave-synth-music-co-opted-by-the-far-right|work=[[The Guardian]]|date=December 14, 2016}}</ref> is a largely instrumental subgenre of synthwave and [[vaporwave]], with political track titles and occasional soundbites,<ref name="fashwavevice">{{cite web|url=https://thump.vice.com/en_us/article/trumpwave-fashwave-far-right-appropriation-vaporwave-synthwave|title=Trumpwave and Fashwave Are Just the Latest Disturbing Examples of the Far-Right Appropriating Electronic Music|last1=Bullock|last2=Kerry|first1=Penn|first2=Eli|publisher=''[[Vice (magazine)|Vice]]''|date=January 30, 2017|accessdate=February 6, 2017}}</ref> that originated on YouTube circa 2015.<ref name="coleman2016">{{cite news|last1=Coleman|first1=Jonny|title="Fashwave" Is Fascist Synthesizer Music and Yes, It's an Actual Thing|url=http://www.laweekly.com/music/fashwave-is-fascist-synthesizer-music-and-yes-its-an-actual-thing-7726607|work=[[LA Weekly]]|date=December 19, 2016}}</ref> In 2017, ''[[Vice (magazine)|Vice]]''{{'s}} Penn Bullock and Eli Penn reported on the phenomenon of self-identified fascists and [[alt-right]] members appropriating vaporwave music and aesthetics, describing fashwave as "the first fascist music that is easy enough on the ears to have mainstream appeal".<ref name="fashwavevice"/>


==List of artists==
==Origins==
[[File:Kavinsky.jpg|thumb|upright|[[Kavinsky]] performing in 2007]]
{{dynamic list}}
<!--


Synthwave originates from the mid to late 2000s.<ref name="Neuman20152">{{cite news|last=Neuman|first=Julia|date=30 July 2015|title=The Nostalgic Allure of 'Synthwave'|work=[[New York Observer]]|url=http://observer.com/2015/07/the-nostalgic-allure-of-synthwave/|access-date=16 May 2016|archive-date=25 September 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160925211251/http://observer.com/2015/07/the-nostalgic-allure-of-synthwave/|url-status=live}}</ref> <ref name="Cram2019"/> Diak traced the genre to a broader trend involving young artists whose works drew from their childhoods in the 1980s. He credited the success of the 2002 video game ''[[Grand Theft Auto: Vice City]]'' with shifting "attitudes toward the '80s ... from parody and ambivalence to that of homage and reverence", leading directly to genres such as synthwave and vaporwave.{{sfn|Wetmore|2018|p=31}} The influence of ''Vice City'' was also noted by ''[[MusicRadar]]''.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web|last=Music|first=Future|date=12 May 2021|title=The beginner's guide to: synthwave|url=https://www.musicradar.com/news/the-beginners-guide-to-synthwave|access-date=13 February 2022|website=MusicRadar |archive-date=17 May 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210517182653/https://www.musicradar.com/news/the-beginners-guide-to-synthwave|url-status=live}}</ref> Molly Lambert of ''[[MTV]]'' noted the song "[[Love on a Real Train]]" by [[Tangerine Dream]] in the film ''[[Risky Business (soundtrack)|Risky Business]]'' (1983) was a major influence, with "ornately repetitive synth patterns, hypnotic chimes, and percussive choogling drum machines".<ref name="mtv22" />
ANY ADDITIONS REQUIRE A WIKI-ARTICLE


The mid-2000s [[French house]] acts [[David Grellier]] (College), and [[Kavinsky]], who had created music in the style of 1980s film scores, were among the earliest artists to be part of the emergence of synthwave.<ref name="Neuman2015" /> Key reference points for early synthwave included the 1982 film ''[[Blade Runner]]'' (both [[Blade Runner (soundtrack)|the soundtrack]] and the film itself), 8- and 16-bit video games, 1980s jingles for VHS production companies, and television news broadcasts and advertisements from that era.<ref name="Cram2019"/> According to ''[[NME]]'' and ''[[MusicRadar]]'', the 2011 film ''[[Drive (2011 film)|Drive]]'' was a major influence on synthwave, and included a track by Kavinsky, "Nightcall" in the film's soundtrack,<ref>{{Cite web|date=11 February 2022|title=Kavinsky on his return and a new collaboration with The Weeknd: "It's happening soon"|url=https://www.nme.com/news/music/kavinsky-on-his-return-and-a-new-collaboration-with-the-weeknd-its-happening-soon-3155388|access-date=13 February 2022|website=NME |archive-date=12 February 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220212021500/https://www.nme.com/news/music/kavinsky-on-his-return-and-a-new-collaboration-with-the-weeknd-its-happening-soon-3155388|url-status=live}}</ref><ref name=":0" /> as well as David Grellier, [[Johnny Jewel]], and several tracks by [[Cliff Martinez]].<ref name=":0" /> ''EDM.com'' described Kavinsky as a "synthwave pioneer",<ref>{{Cite web|last=Sunkel|first=Cameron|title=Kavinsky Confirms New Collaboration With The Weeknd|url=https://edm.com/news/kavinsky-confirms-new-collaboration-with-the-weeknd|access-date=13 February 2022|website=EDM.com - The Latest Electronic Dance Music News, Reviews & Artists |date=12 February 2022 |archive-date=12 February 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220212215427/https://edm.com/news/kavinsky-confirms-new-collaboration-with-the-weeknd|url-status=live}}</ref> while the horror blog ''[[Bloody Disgusting]]'' describes [[Carpenter Brut]] as a "synthwave icon".<ref>{{Cite web|last=Miska|first=Brad|date=27 January 2022|title=Carpenter Brut Returns With Horror-Themed Album 'Leather Terror' and Nightmarish Video for Single 'Imaginary Fire' |url=https://bloody-disgusting.com/music/3700964/carpenter-brut-return-with-horror-themed-leather-terror-album-and-nightmarish-video-for-single-imaginary-fire/ |access-date=13 February 2022 |website=Bloody Disgusting! |archive-date=4 February 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220204182846/https://bloody-disgusting.com/music/3700964/carpenter-brut-return-with-horror-themed-leather-terror-album-and-nightmarish-video-for-single-imaginary-fire/ |url-status=live }}</ref>
* If there is notability and some third-party reporting on the artist then create a wiki-article (consider creating a new section on the talk page so that other editors can help you out)
* If there is no wiki-article, you need to wait before adding the band/musician.
* Bandcamp does not qualify as a third-party source!


==Popularity and legacy==
PLEASE READ THE ABOVE BEFORE ADDING ARTISTS
In the early 2010s, the synthwave soundtracks of films such as ''[[Drive (2011 film)|Drive]]'' and ''[[Tron: Legacy]]'' attracted new fans and artists to the genre.<ref name="Tron" /> ''Drive'' featured Kavinsky's "[[Nightcall (song)|Nightcall]]" and "[[A Real Hero]]" by College and [[Electric Youth (band)|Electric Youth]], which catapulted synthwave into mainstream recognition and solidified its stature as a music genre.<ref name="Cram2019"/> The genre's popularity was furthered through its presence in the soundtracks of video games like ''[[Far Cry 3: Blood Dragon]]'' and ''[[Hotline Miami]]'', as well as the [[Netflix]] series ''[[Stranger Things]],'' which featured synthwave pieces that accommodated the show's 1980s setting.<ref name="Cram2019">{{Cite web|url=https://www.popmatters.com/synthwave-feature-list-2641449554.html/|title=How Synthwave Grew from a Niche '80s Throwback to a Current Phenomenon|last=Cram|first=Preston|date=25 November 2019|website=Popmatters|language=en-US|access-date=5 December 2019|archive-date=28 November 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191128040327/https://www.popmatters.com/synthwave-feature-list-2641449554.html|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|date=22 June 2017|title=A Guide to Synthwave Part II – Drive, Blood Dragon & Hotline Miami|url=https://hey-nineteen.com/2017/06/22/a-guide-to-synthwave-part-ii-drive-blood-dragon-hotline-miami/|access-date=10 November 2021|website=Hey Nineteen|language=en|archive-date=10 November 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211110011826/https://hey-nineteen.com/2017/06/22/a-guide-to-synthwave-part-ii-drive-blood-dragon-hotline-miami/|url-status=live}}</ref> ''Nerdglow''{{'}}s Christopher Higgins cited Electric Youth and Kavinsky as the two most popular artists in synthwave in 2014.<ref name="nerdglow122"/>


<!---- DO NOT ADD ANY MENTION OF FASHWAVE WITHOUT TALK PAGE CONSENSUS ---->In 2016, British band [[The 1975]] released the critically acclaimed synthwave-influenced track "[[Somebody Else (The 1975 song)|Somebody Else]]". The track comes as their third single for their second album, ''[[I Like It When You Sleep, for You Are So Beautiful yet So Unaware of It]]''. It has been cited as a major influence on many contemporaries' work, such as [[Lorde]], [[Tate McRae]] and [[Olivia Rodrigo]].
-->

{{colbegin|colwidth=30em}}
Synthwave remained a niche genre throughout the 2010s. In 2017, ''PC Gamer'' noted that synthwave influences were to be felt in early 2010s gaming releases, primarily of the "outrun" subgenre, including ''[[Hotline Miami]]'' and ''[[Far Cry 3: Blood Dragon]]''.<ref name=":1" /> Writing in 2019, ''[[PopMatters]]'' journalist Preston Cram said, "Despite its significant presence and the high level of enthusiasm about it, synthwave in its complete form remains a primarily underground form of music."<ref name="Cram2019"/> He added that "Nightcall" and "A Real Hero" remained "two of only a small number of synthwave songs produced to date that widely known outside the genre's followers."<ref name="Cram2019"/>
* [[Carpenter Brut]]<ref name="brooklynvegan">{{cite web |url=http://www.brooklynvegan.com/french-sythwave-act-carpenter-brut-touring-north-america-in-2017/ |title=French synthwave act Carpenter Brut touring North America in 2017 |last1=Pearis |first1=Bill |last2= |first2= |date=22 December 2016 |website=[[Brooklyn Vegan]] |publisher= |access-date=2 February 2017 |quote=[...] French synthwave act Carpenter Brut touring North America in 2017 [...]}}</ref>

* [[Cold Cave]]<ref name="themoscowtimes">{{cite web |url=http://www.themoscowtimes.com/arts_n_ideas/article/appleseed-cast-gives-memorable-moscow-concert/489195.html |title=Appleseed Cast Gives Memorable Moscow Concert |last1=Misir |first1=Timothy |last2= |first2= |date=8 November 2013 |website= |publisher=[[The Moscow Times]] |access-date=19 May 2015 |quote=[...] as the gig calendar in the capital was packed with the likes of American synthwave band Cold Cave [...]}}</ref>
The 2019 [[virtual reality]] game ''[[Boneworks]]'' heavily features the synthwave genre in its soundtrack,<ref>{{Cite web |title=Bonetones: The Boneworks OST, by Michael Wyckoff |url=https://michaelwyckoff.bandcamp.com/album/bonetones-the-boneworks-ost |access-date=6 February 2023 |website=Michael Wyckoff |language=en}}</ref> which was composed by [[Michael Wyckoff]].
* [[College (musical project)|College]]<ref name="auto">{{cite web|url=http://www.whatsonthehifi.com/page18/page93/page93.html |title=Interview with David Grellier of College and founder of the Valerie Collective 2009 |publisher=Whatsonthehifi.com |date= |accessdate=2015-05-18}}</ref>

* [[Com Truise]]<ref name="auto6">{{cite web |url=http://www.pedestrian.tv/news/music/meet-com-truise-synthwave-wunderkind/52056.htm |title=Meet Com Truise: Synthwave Wunderkind |last1= |first1= |last2= |first2= |date=1 September 2011 |website= |publisher= |access-date=19 May 2015 |quote=}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|last1=Street|first1=Kai|title=7 Synthwave Artists to Soothe the Soul|url=https://frenchshuffle.com/2017/07/29/7-synthwave-artists-to-soothe-the-soul/|website=The French Shuffle|accessdate=29 July 2017}}</ref>
In 2020, "[[Blinding Lights]]", a synthwave-influenced song by [[Rhythm and blues|R&B]] artist [[the Weeknd]]<ref name="uproxx">{{cite web|url=https://uproxx.com/music/the-weeknd-blinding-lights/|website=uproxx.com|title=&#91;LISTEN&#93; The Weeknd's 'Blinding Lights' Is Yearning Synthwave|date=29 November 2019 |access-date=16 January 2022|archive-date=3 December 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191203061034/https://uproxx.com/music/the-weeknd-blinding-lights/|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|date=31 March 2020|title=How Dua Lipa and The Weeknd are bringing the 80s back… again|language=en-GB|work=BBC News|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/newsbeat-52109397|access-date=13 February 2022|archive-date=8 April 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200408020836/https://www.bbc.com/news/newsbeat-52109397|url-status=live}}</ref> topped US record charts, the first song to do so during the [[COVID-19 pandemic]].<ref name="slate">{{cite journal|url=https://slate.com/culture/2020/04/weeknd-blinding-lights-billboard-number-1-coronavirus-tiktoks.html|first=Chris|last=Molanphy|journal=Slate|title=Why the Weeknd's "Blinding Lights" is the first chart topper of the coronavirus era.|date=9 April 2020 |access-date=16 January 2022|archive-date=4 January 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220104182347/https://slate.com/culture/2020/04/weeknd-blinding-lights-billboard-number-1-coronavirus-tiktoks.html|url-status=live}}</ref> Matt Mills of [[Metal Hammer|''Louder'']] wrote in 2021 that the genre "had exploded into the mainstream, cramming dancefloors and soundtracking blockbusters."<ref>{{Cite web|author1=Matt Mills|date=2 June 2021|title=Perturbator's Lustful Sacraments: synthwave guru takes a walk on the dark side|url=https://www.loudersound.com/reviews/perturbator-lustful-sacraments-album-review|access-date=13 February 2022|website=loudersound|language=en|archive-date=16 January 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220116051802/https://www.loudersound.com/reviews/perturbator-lustful-sacraments-album-review|url-status=live}}</ref>
* [[Droid Bishop]]<ref>{{cite web|work=Music Times|title=Premiere: Droid Bishop Difuses Glitter Wasteland 'Cold War' With Sugary, Synth-Heavy Remix|first=Ryan|last=Middleton|date=September 1, 2016|url=http://www.musictimes.com/articles/72966/20160901/premiere-droid-bishop-glitter-wasteland-cold-war-remix.htm | accessdate=October 3, 2016}}</ref>
* [[Electric Youth (band)|Electric Youth]]<ref name=Harrison>{{cite news | work=[[The Guardian]] | title=The sound of the Upside Down: Stranger Things make sinister synths mainstream | last=Harrison | first=Andrew | url=https://www.theguardian.com/music/2016/aug/12/sound-of-the-upside-down-netflix-stranger-things-make-sinister-synths-mainstream | date=August 12, 2016 | accessdate=February 2, 2017}}</ref>
* [[Futurecop!]]<ref name="auto4">{{cite web|url=http://discounchained.blogspot.se/2014/07/saturday-sit-down-with-futurecop.html |title=Disco Unchained: Saturday Sit-down with Futurecop! |publisher=Discounchained.blogspot.se |date=2014-07-05 |accessdate=2015-05-19}}</ref>
* [[Gunship (band)|Gunship]]<ref name=fortitude>{{cite web | url=http://www.fortitudemagazine.co.uk/music/music-interviews/interview-fightstar-going-write-new-material/23610/ | title=Interview: Fightstar "We’re going to write new material" | last=Mak | first=Melody | work=[[Fortitude Magazine]] | accessdate=February 2, 2017}}</ref>{{better source|date=February 2017}}
* [[HOME (musician)|HOME]]<ref>{{cite web|url=https://vehlinggo.com/2016/03/06/everything-is-falling-into-place-with-home/|title=Everything is ‘Falling into Place’ with HOME|date=2016-03-06|first=Aaron|last=Vehlinggo|access-date=2017-08-28}}</ref>
* [[Highway_Superstar |Highway Superstar]]<ref>{{cite web|url=https://vehlinggo.com/2015/11/09/highway-superstar-aims-high-on-endgame/|title=Highway Superstar Aims High On Endgame|date=2015-08-11|first=Aaron|last=Vehlinggo|access-date=2017-09-26}}</ref>
* [[Kavinsky]]<ref name="nerdglow1"/>
* [[Magic Sword (band)|Magic Sword]]<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.idahostatesman.com/entertainment/ent-columns-blogs/words-deeds/article103408492.html|title=‘Risky and fun’ Boise synthwave band Magic Sword goes on national tour|first=Michael|last=Deeds|date=2016-09-22|website=Idaho Statesman|access-date=2017-08-28}}</ref>
* [[Mitch Murder]]<ref name="vehlinggo">{{cite web|url=https://vehlinggo.com/2015/07/26/mitch-murder-kung-fury-80s-retro-interview/ |title=Catching Up with Mitch Murder, King of the 80s Revival |publisher=Vehlinggo.com |date= |accessdate=2016-07-29}}</ref>
* [[Perturbator]]<ref name="vice" />
* [[Dana Jean Phoenix]]<ref>{{cite web|url=https://newretrowave.com/album-reviews/2017/5/23/dana-jean-phoenix-synth-city|title=Dana Jean Phoenix - Synth City|website=NewRetroWave|first=Andrew|last=Zistler|date=2017-05-23|access-date=2017-08-28}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://vehlinggo.com/2017/05/14/5-things-future-islands-johnny-jewel/|title=5 Things Vehlinggo Didn’t Write About That You Should Hear|date=2017-05-14|first=Aaron|last=Vehlinggo|access-date=2017-08-28}}</ref>
* [[Power Glove (band)|Power Glove]]<ref name="auto3">{{cite web|url=http://www.game-ost.com/articles.php?id=488&action=view |title=Power Glove Interview: Reviving the 80s (July 2013) |publisher=Game-ost.com |date=1970-01-01 |accessdate=2015-05-19}}</ref>
* [[Robert Parker (music producer)|Robert Parker]]<ref name="nerdglow1"/>
* [[Scandroid]]<ref>{{cite web|url=https://newretrowave.com/album-reviews/2016/10/28/scandroid-self-titled|title=Scandroid - Self-Titled Scandroid|website=NewRetroWave|first=Joey|last=Edsall|date=2016-11-04|access-date=2017-09-26}}</ref>
* [[Valerie Collective|The Valerie Collective]]<ref name="vice"/>
* [[Waveshaper (musician)|Waveshaper]]<ref name=frenchshuffle>{{cite web|url=http://frenchshuffle.com/2015/03/31/interview-wwaveshaper/|title=Interview w/Waveshaper|work=The French Shuffle}}</ref>
{{colend}}


==See also==
==See also==
* ''[[The Rise of the Synths]]''<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.docnrollfestival.com/films/the-rise-of-the-synths/|title=Doc'n Roll Film Festival - The Rise of The Synths|website=www.docnrollfestival.com|access-date=30 September 2019|archive-date=30 September 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190930082107/https://www.docnrollfestival.com/films/the-rise-of-the-synths/|url-status=live}}</ref>
* [[1980s in music]]
* [[Cyberspace]]
* [[Cyberspace]]
* [[Chillwave]]
* [[Cyberpunk]]
* [[Vaporwave]]
* [[Vaporwave]]
* [[Sovietwave]]
* ''[[Drive (2011 film)|Drive]]''


==References==
==References==
{{Reflist|30em}}
{{Reflist}}

'''Bibliography'''
* {{cite book|editor-last=Wetmore|editor-first=Kevin J. Jr.|title=Uncovering Stranger Things: Essays on Eighties Nostalgia, Cynicism and Innocence in the Series|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=6JtVDwAAQBAJ&pg=PT31|date=2018|publisher=McFarland|isbn=978-1-4766-7186-4}}


== External links ==
{{Hauntology}}
* {{Commons category-inline}}
* {{Cite news|url=https://www.wsj.com/articles/synthwave-the-sound-of-an-80s-childhood-goes-mainstream-11548514800|title=Synthwave, the Sound of an '80s Childhood, Goes Mainstream|last=Shah|first=Neil|date=28 January 2019|work=Wall Street Journal|access-date=29 November 2019|language=en-US|issn=0099-9660|ref=none}}
* {{Cite web|last=O'Neal|first=Sean|date=2 August 2016|url=https://tv.avclub.com/stranger-things-score-is-a-gateway-into-synthwave-1798250478|title=Stranger Things' score is a gateway into synthwave|website=[[The A.V. Club]]|ref=none}}
{{Electronica}}


[[Category:Synthwave| ]]
[[Category:Electronic music genres]]
[[Category:Electronic music genres]]
[[Category:Internet culture]]
[[Category:Internet culture]]
[[Category:2000s in music]]
[[Category:2000s in music]]
[[Category:2010s in music]]
[[Category:2020s in music]]
[[Category:Retro style]]
[[Category:Retro style]]
[[Category:Microgenres]]
[[Category:Indie music]]
[[Category:Retro-style music]]

Latest revision as of 14:13, 19 August 2024

This article is about the house-influenced genre from the 2000s. For topics related to the term used in 1980s magazines, see Cold wave (music), Minimal wave, and Dark wave.

Synthwave
Other names
  • Outrun
  • retrowave
  • future synth
Stylistic origins
Cultural originsMid-to late 2000s;[4][5] France, Western Europe
Subgenres
Other topics

Synthwave (also called outrun, retrowave, or futuresynth[5]) is an electronic music microgenre that is based predominantly on the music associated with action, science-fiction, and horror film soundtracks of the 1980s.[2] Other influences are drawn from the decade's art and video games.[3] Synthwave musicians often espouse nostalgia for 1980s culture and attempt to capture the era's atmosphere and celebrate it.[8]

The genre developed in the mid-to late 2000s through French house producers, as well as younger artists who were inspired by the 2002 video game Grand Theft Auto: Vice City. Other reference points included composers John Carpenter, Jean-Michel Jarre, Vangelis (especially his score for the 1982 film Blade Runner), and Tangerine Dream. Synthwave reached wider popularity after being featured in the soundtracks of the 2011 film Drive (which included some of the genre's best-known songs), the 2012 video game Hotline Miami as well as its 2015 sequel, the 2017 film Thor: Ragnarok, and the Netflix series Stranger Things.

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Synthwave is a microgenre[9][10] of electronic music[1] that draws predominantly from 1980s films, video games, and cartoons,[11] as well as composers such as John Carpenter, Jean-Michel Jarre, Vangelis, and Tangerine Dream.[12][13] Other reference points include electronic dance music genres including house, synth, and nu-disco.[14] It is primarily an instrumental genre, although there are occasional exceptions to the rule.[15] Common tempos are between 80 and 118 BPM, while more upbeat tracks may be between 128 and 140 BPM.[16]

"Outrun" is a synonym of synthwave that was later used to refer more generally to retro 1980s aesthetics such as VHS tracking artefacts, magenta neon, and gridlines.[15] The term comes from the 1986 arcade racing game Out Run, which is known for its soundtrack that could be selected in-game and its 1980s aesthetic.[13][17] According to musician Perturbator (James Kent), outrun is also its own subgenre, mainly instrumental, and often contains 1980s clichéd elements in the sound such as electronic drums, gated reverb, and analogue synthesizer bass lines and leads—all to resemble tracks from that time period.[18] There is also a visual component on synthwave album covers and music videos. According to PC Gamer, the essence of outrun visuals is "taking elements of a period of '80s excess millennials find irresistibly evocative, and modernizing them so they're just barely recognizable."[19]

Other subgenres include dreamwave, darksynth, and scifiwave.[7] Journalist Julia Neuman cited "outrun", "futuresynth", and "retrowave" as alternative terms for synthwave[5] while author Nicholas Diak wrote that "retrowave" was an umbrella term that encompasses 1980s revivalism genres such as synthwave and vaporwave.[15] Darksynth is influenced by horror cinema.[20] Invisible Oranges wrote that darksynth is exemplified mainly by a shift away from the bright "Miami Vice vibes" and "French electro house influences" and "toward the darker electronic terrains of horror movie maestro composers John Carpenter and Goblin" also infused with sounds from post-punk, industrial and EBM.[21]

Origins

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Kavinsky performing in 2007

Synthwave originates from the mid to late 2000s.[22] [4] Diak traced the genre to a broader trend involving young artists whose works drew from their childhoods in the 1980s. He credited the success of the 2002 video game Grand Theft Auto: Vice City with shifting "attitudes toward the '80s ... from parody and ambivalence to that of homage and reverence", leading directly to genres such as synthwave and vaporwave.[15] The influence of Vice City was also noted by MusicRadar.[9] Molly Lambert of MTV noted the song "Love on a Real Train" by Tangerine Dream in the film Risky Business (1983) was a major influence, with "ornately repetitive synth patterns, hypnotic chimes, and percussive choogling drum machines".[13]

The mid-2000s French house acts David Grellier (College), and Kavinsky, who had created music in the style of 1980s film scores, were among the earliest artists to be part of the emergence of synthwave.[5] Key reference points for early synthwave included the 1982 film Blade Runner (both the soundtrack and the film itself), 8- and 16-bit video games, 1980s jingles for VHS production companies, and television news broadcasts and advertisements from that era.[4] According to NME and MusicRadar, the 2011 film Drive was a major influence on synthwave, and included a track by Kavinsky, "Nightcall" in the film's soundtrack,[23][9] as well as David Grellier, Johnny Jewel, and several tracks by Cliff Martinez.[9] EDM.com described Kavinsky as a "synthwave pioneer",[24] while the horror blog Bloody Disgusting describes Carpenter Brut as a "synthwave icon".[25]

Popularity and legacy

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In the early 2010s, the synthwave soundtracks of films such as Drive and Tron: Legacy attracted new fans and artists to the genre.[7] Drive featured Kavinsky's "Nightcall" and "A Real Hero" by College and Electric Youth, which catapulted synthwave into mainstream recognition and solidified its stature as a music genre.[4] The genre's popularity was furthered through its presence in the soundtracks of video games like Far Cry 3: Blood Dragon and Hotline Miami, as well as the Netflix series Stranger Things, which featured synthwave pieces that accommodated the show's 1980s setting.[4][26] Nerdglow's Christopher Higgins cited Electric Youth and Kavinsky as the two most popular artists in synthwave in 2014.[11]

In 2016, British band The 1975 released the critically acclaimed synthwave-influenced track "Somebody Else". The track comes as their third single for their second album, I Like It When You Sleep, for You Are So Beautiful yet So Unaware of It. It has been cited as a major influence on many contemporaries' work, such as Lorde, Tate McRae and Olivia Rodrigo.

Synthwave remained a niche genre throughout the 2010s. In 2017, PC Gamer noted that synthwave influences were to be felt in early 2010s gaming releases, primarily of the "outrun" subgenre, including Hotline Miami and Far Cry 3: Blood Dragon.[19] Writing in 2019, PopMatters journalist Preston Cram said, "Despite its significant presence and the high level of enthusiasm about it, synthwave in its complete form remains a primarily underground form of music."[4] He added that "Nightcall" and "A Real Hero" remained "two of only a small number of synthwave songs produced to date that widely known outside the genre's followers."[4]

The 2019 virtual reality game Boneworks heavily features the synthwave genre in its soundtrack,[27] which was composed by Michael Wyckoff.

In 2020, "Blinding Lights", a synthwave-influenced song by R&B artist the Weeknd[28][29] topped US record charts, the first song to do so during the COVID-19 pandemic.[30] Matt Mills of Louder wrote in 2021 that the genre "had exploded into the mainstream, cramming dancefloors and soundtracking blockbusters."[31]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ a b Robert (23 September 2016). "On The Synthwave Genre and Video Games". Surreal Resolution. Archived from the original on 20 January 2020. Retrieved 17 January 2017.
  2. ^ a b c Hunt, Jon (9 April 2014). "We Will Rock You: Welcome To The Future. This is Synthwave". l'etoile. Archived from the original on 11 July 2017. Retrieved 18 May 2015.
  3. ^ a b c Neuman, Julia (23 June 2015). "A Retrowave Primer: 9 Artists Bringing Back the '80s". MTV Iggy. Archived from the original on 23 June 2015. Retrieved 23 June 2015.
  4. ^ a b c d e f g h i Cram, Preston (25 November 2019). "How Synthwave Grew from a Niche '80s Throwback to a Current Phenomenon". Popmatters. Archived from the original on 28 November 2019. Retrieved 5 December 2019.
  5. ^ a b c d e Neuman, Julia (30 July 2015). "The Nostalgic Allure of 'Synthwave'". New York Observer. Archived from the original on 25 September 2016. Retrieved 16 May 2016.
  6. ^ "25 Favourite Italo Disco Tracks". electricityclub.co.uk. 12 May 2018. Archived from the original on 30 November 2021. Retrieved 16 January 2022.
  7. ^ a b c d e Young, Bryan (25 March 2015). "Synthwave: If Tron and Megaman had a music baby". Glitchslap.com. Archived from the original on 14 February 2019. Retrieved 19 May 2015.
  8. ^ Calvert, John (13 October 2011). "Xeno and Oaklander - Sets & Lights". Drowned in Sound. Archived from the original on 13 September 2015. Retrieved 8 June 2015.
  9. ^ a b c d Music, Future (12 May 2021). "The beginner's guide to: synthwave". MusicRadar. Archived from the original on 17 May 2021. Retrieved 13 February 2022.
  10. ^ Maxwell, Dante (20 September 2019). "Music Microgenres: A Brief History of Retrowave, Acid House, & Chillhop". Zizacious. Archived from the original on 19 July 2020. Retrieved 19 July 2020.
  11. ^ a b Higgins, Christopher (29 July 2014). "The 7 Most Essential Synthwave Artists". Nerdglow.com. Archived from the original on 25 September 2016. Retrieved 18 May 2015.
  12. ^ Hunt, Jon (9 April 2014). "We Will Rock You: Welcome To The Future. This is Synthwave". l'etoile. Archived from the original on 11 July 2017. Retrieved 18 May 2015.
  13. ^ a b c Lambert, Molly (4 August 2016). "Stranger Things and how Tangerine Dream soundtracked the 80s". MTV.com. Archived from the original on 21 August 2016. Retrieved 28 August 2016.
  14. ^ Cram, Preston (24 June 2021). "What is Synthwave? • Electrozombies". Electrozombies. Archived from the original on 24 June 2021. Retrieved 24 June 2021.
  15. ^ a b c d Wetmore 2018, p. 31.
  16. ^ "Synthwave: 5 Production Essentials | ModeAudio Magazine". ModeAudio. Archived from the original on 5 July 2020. Retrieved 15 April 2020.
  17. ^ Prisco, Jacopo (18 September 2021). "How Out Run changed video games forever". Wired UK. Archived from the original on 4 November 2021. Retrieved 4 November 2021.
  18. ^ McCasker, Toby (22 June 2014). "Riding the Cyber Doom Synthwave With Perturbator | NOISEY". Noisey.vice.com. Archived from the original on 4 May 2015. Retrieved 19 May 2015.
  19. ^ a b Iwaniuk, Phil (4 October 2017). "How synthwave music inspired games to explore a past that never existed". PC Gamer. Archived from the original on 14 August 2021. Retrieved 13 February 2022.
  20. ^ Hickman, Langdon (22 June 2020). "Master Boot Record's Dark Synthwave Injects Cyberpunk Into New Adventure Game "VirtuaVerse"". Invisible Oranges. Archived from the original on 19 April 2021. Retrieved 13 February 2022.
  21. ^ Aprill, Joseph (29 February 2020). "GosT-ly Horror: Darksynth Master James Lollar Talks Metal, Movies, and More". Invisible Oranges. Archived from the original on 4 January 2022. Retrieved 13 February 2022.
  22. ^ Neuman, Julia (30 July 2015). "The Nostalgic Allure of 'Synthwave'". New York Observer. Archived from the original on 25 September 2016. Retrieved 16 May 2016.
  23. ^ "Kavinsky on his return and a new collaboration with The Weeknd: "It's happening soon"". NME. 11 February 2022. Archived from the original on 12 February 2022. Retrieved 13 February 2022.
  24. ^ Sunkel, Cameron (12 February 2022). "Kavinsky Confirms New Collaboration With The Weeknd". EDM.com - The Latest Electronic Dance Music News, Reviews & Artists. Archived from the original on 12 February 2022. Retrieved 13 February 2022.
  25. ^ Miska, Brad (27 January 2022). "Carpenter Brut Returns With Horror-Themed Album 'Leather Terror' and Nightmarish Video for Single 'Imaginary Fire'". Bloody Disgusting!. Archived from the original on 4 February 2022. Retrieved 13 February 2022.
  26. ^ "A Guide to Synthwave Part II – Drive, Blood Dragon & Hotline Miami". Hey Nineteen. 22 June 2017. Archived from the original on 10 November 2021. Retrieved 10 November 2021.
  27. ^ "Bonetones: The Boneworks OST, by Michael Wyckoff". Michael Wyckoff. Retrieved 6 February 2023.
  28. ^ "[LISTEN] The Weeknd's 'Blinding Lights' Is Yearning Synthwave". uproxx.com. 29 November 2019. Archived from the original on 3 December 2019. Retrieved 16 January 2022.
  29. ^ "How Dua Lipa and The Weeknd are bringing the 80s back… again". BBC News. 31 March 2020. Archived from the original on 8 April 2020. Retrieved 13 February 2022.
  30. ^ Molanphy, Chris (9 April 2020). "Why the Weeknd's "Blinding Lights" is the first chart topper of the coronavirus era". Slate. Archived from the original on 4 January 2022. Retrieved 16 January 2022.
  31. ^ Matt Mills (2 June 2021). "Perturbator's Lustful Sacraments: synthwave guru takes a walk on the dark side". loudersound. Archived from the original on 16 January 2022. Retrieved 13 February 2022.
  32. ^ "Doc'n Roll Film Festival - The Rise of The Synths". www.docnrollfestival.com. Archived from the original on 30 September 2019. Retrieved 30 September 2019.

Bibliography

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