Digicore Pop
tagStarted 2018Peak 2020-2022Last big hit still active
Gen-Z bedroom hybrid of emo-rap, pop and hyperpop: Auto-Tuned, melodic, often teenage vocals over distorted 808s, glitchy plugg synths, double-time hi-hats and pop-punk chord melancholy. Restless, lo-fi and confessional, it swings between sugary toplines and clipping aggression, all built on a laptop and shared through Discord.
History
Grew out of late-2010s SoundCloud 'draincore' collectives; by 2019, 100 gecs' influence prompted the rename to 'digicore' to distinguish it from hyperpop. Discord hubs like 'Loser's Club' incubated glaive, ericdoa and midwxst, who broke during 2020 lockdown as teenage artists turned online isolation into a melodic, pop-facing scene.
Defining artists
Essential listening
Sources
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Digicore
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Glaive_(musician)
- https://www.waterandmusic.com/soundcloud-digicore-and-the-observer-effect-in-emerging-music-scenes/