Trap-Soul Pop
tagStarted 2015Peak 2016-2022Last big hit still active
Moody, atmospheric R&B over trap drum programming: rattling hi-hats, booming 808 sub-bass, sparse minor-key keys, and reverb-drenched, half-sung half-rapped vocals laced with Auto-Tune. Nocturnal and introspective, it pairs hip-hop low-end with crooned hooks and woozy, heartbroken-and-toxic romance writing for a streaming-era pop sound.
History
Named by Bryson Tiller on his 2015 debut Trapsoul, the style fused Atlanta trap production with melodic R&B vocals. Tiller, Ty Dolla Sign and 6lack defined its early peak, while Summer Walker and Jhene Aiko extended its hazy, confessional aesthetic across the late-2010s streaming charts.
Defining artists
Essential listening
Sources
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trapsoul
- https://www.allmusic.com/artist/bryson-tiller-mn0003388748
- https://pitchfork.com/reviews/albums/21055-trapsoul/