Modern Synthpop
tagStarted 2010Peak 2012-2018Last big hit still active
Located in 2 routes
The 2010s revival: 80s synth palettes rebuilt with crystalline digital production, sidechained pumping pads, cathedral-sized reverbs, and pitched vocal chops. Choruses go anthemic and widescreen; analog warmth meets gleaming modern mastering. Often euphoric and emotionally direct, equally at home on indie radio and festival stages.
History
Sparked when indie acts in the early 2010s embraced vintage synths and drum machines through contemporary production software. Robyn's Body Talk (2010) and M83's Hurry Up, We're Dreaming (2011) lit the fuse, and CHVRCHES' The Bones of What You Believe (2013) became a cornerstone as the style spread across Scandinavian and Anglo-American indie pop through the decade.
Defining artists
Essential listening
Sources
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Bones_of_What_You_Believe
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Midnight_City
- https://www.subpop.com/artists/niki_and_the_dove
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dancing_on_My_Own