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{{Infobox Music genre <!-- See Wikipedia:WikiProject Music genres --> | name = Electropop | bgcolor = silver | color = black | stylistic_origins =[[Electronic dance music|EDM]]<br>[[Pop music]]<br>[[Synthpop]]<br>[[New Wave music|New Wave]]<br>[[Disco]]<br>[[Krautrock]]<br>[[Post-punk]] | cultural_origins = Late 1970s, primarily Europe and North America | instruments = Synthesizer - Drum machine - Tape loops - Drums - Guitar - Sequencer - Keyboard - Sampler- Vocoder | popularity = High, late-1970s/early-1980s, late-2000s, early 2010s | derivatives = [[Electro music|Electro]]<br>[[Post-disco]]<br>[[Techno]]<br>[[Eurodance]]<br>[[Dance-punk]]<br> }} '''Electropop''' is a form of [[electronic music]] that is made with [[synthesizer|synthesizers]], and which first flourished from 1978 to 1983. Electropop laid the groundwork for a mass market in chart-oriented pop and dance music. Numerous bands have since carried on the electropop tradition into the 1990s and 2000s. Electropop is characterized by an emphasized electronic sound &mdash; often described as cold and robotic &mdash; and by minimal arrangements. This was mainly due to the limitations of the analog synthesizers and recording techniques used at the time, but has since become a stylistic choice. Electropop songs are [[Pop music|pop]] songs at heart, often with simple, catchy hooks and dance beats, but differing from those of [[electronic dance music]] genres which electropop helped to inspire — [[techno]], [[house music|house]], [[electroclash]], etc. — in that songwriting is emphasized over simple danceability. They often feature alienated deadpan lyrics with a futuristic sci-fi edge. ==1970s and 1980s== Many early electropop artists were [[United Kingdom|British]] and were inspired by [[David Bowie]]'s "Berlin period" albums ''[["Heroes"|Heroes]]'' and ''[[Low (album)|Low]]'',<ref>Greg Villepique, ''Salon'', January 25, 2000. [http://archive.salon.com/people/bc/2000/01/25/bowie/print.html] Access date: August 11, 2008.</ref> the German band [[Kraftwerk]],<ref>Rachel Devitt, "Geeks of electro-pop meld man, machine in mind-blowing show", ''The Seattle Times'', April 28, 2004. [http://community.seattletimes.nwsource.com/archive/?date=20040428&slug=kraftwerk28] Access date: August 11, 2008.</ref> late 70s Electronic Disco ([[Giorgio Moroder]] in particular) and the Japanese group [[Yellow Magic Orchestra]].<ref>"Yellow Magic Orchestra reunite for Massive Attack's Meltdown." ''Side-Line''. [http://www.side-line.com/news_comments.php?id=32511_0_2_0_C] Access date: August 11, 2008.</ref> Some groups also took inspiration from the NYC [[synthpunk]] group [[Suicide (band)|Suicide]],<ref>Scott Thill, "All-Star Admirers Resuscitate Suicide", ''Wired Listening Post'', June 24, 2008. [http://blog.wired.com/music/2008/06/all-star-admire.html] Access date: August 13, 2008.</ref> and the [[Krautrock]] groups [[Neu!]], [[Cluster (band)|Cluster]], and [[Can (band)|Can]]. By the early 1980s there had been a long history of experimental avant-garde electronic music, notably in northern Europe that provided access to a bank of technical expertise built up over decades, via organisations such as the [[BBC Radiophonic Workshop]], and the [[Electronic Music Studios (London) Ltd|London Electronic Music Studios]]. These institutions were patronised by early rock synth pioneers such as [[Brian Eno]], [[Roxy Music]], [[Tangerine Dream]], and [[Pink Floyd]]. The first bands to be labeled as "Electro-Pop" by media were [[The Human League]], [[Depeche Mode]] and [[Soft Cell]] in 1980-1981. The term became widely adopted in British media to set apart these bands from the previous [[post-punk]], [[futurism (music)|futurists]] and [[new wave music|new wave]] acts which didn't use a fully electronic set-up or simply were not regarded as [[pop music|Pop]]. Electropop's early steps, and the Numan Futurist movement in particular, were strongly disparaged in the British music press of the late 1970s and early 1980s as the "[[Adolf Hitler]] Memorial Space Patrol" ([[Mick Farren]]).<ref>The Seth Man, ''Julian Cope Presents Head Heritage'', June 1, 2004. [http://www.headheritage.com/unsung/thebookofseth/1114] Access date: August 14, 2004</ref> Despite this Electropop flourished in the United States in black culture, particularly in [[Detroit]]. Musicians such as A Number of Names and [[Cybotron (band)|Cybotron]] pursued a version of the style inflected by [[contemporary R&B|R&B]] and [[funk]] which eventually established the [[Detroit techno]] scene. [[Afrika Bambaata]], from New York, also invented the [[electro music|electro]] style of hip-hop by sampling [[Kraftwerk]]. ==2000s== A number of electropop musicians came out of the [[electroclash]] scenes of the early 2000s, going on to make popular albums from 2002 to present, from London, New York, Berlin, and Ann Arbor. These have included [[Fischerspooner]],<ref>Daniel Mumford, Fischerspooner review, May 6, 2002. [http://www.musicomh.com/albums/fischerspooner.htm] Access date: August 14, 2004.</ref> [[Ladytron]], [[Melnyk]], [[Temposhark]], [[Peaches (musician)|Peaches]], [[Gonzales (musician)|Gonzales]], [[The Whip (band)|The Whip]], [[Dragonette]], [[Matthew Dear]],<ref>''Blender'' Blog, "Live: The Electro-Pop George Clooney", [http://www.blender.com/news/comments.aspx?article=9898] Access date: August 14, 2008.</ref> [[T. Raumschmiere]],<ref>John Sobolewski, "WZBC Recommends Electropop Radio Blackout", ''The Heights'', September 29, 2003. [http://media.www.bcheights.com/media/storage/paper144/news/2003/09/29/ArtsReview/Wzbc-Recommends.Electropop.Radio.Blackout-507048.shtml] Access date: August 14, 2008.</ref> [[Ellen Allien]],<ref>Don Crispy, ''Metropolis''. [http://metropolis.co.jp/tokyo/586/clubs.asp] Access date: August 14, 2008.</ref> [[Miss Kittin]]<ref>Christen Reutens, "Sonar 2008: Miss Kittin Interview", ''Beatportal'', June 19, 2008. [http://www.beatportal.com/feed/item/sonar-2008-miss-kittin-interview/] Access date: August 14, 2008.</ref> [[Owl City]],<ref>Maybe I'm Dreaming: Owl City [http://www.rhapsody.com/owl-city] Access date: July 9, 2009.</ref><ref name=Sound2010>[http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/entertainment/8387801.stm Pop's space cadets set to blast off BBC 1 January 2010]</ref>,[[Pussycat Dolls]]{{Citation needed|date=January 2010}} and [[The Knife]].<ref>Drowned in Sound: The Knife [http://www.drownedinsound.com/bands/8285] Access date: August 20, 2008.</ref>. Norwegian singer [[Annie (Norwegian singer)|Annie]] also came out during this period.<ref>[http://themoment.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/11/27/asked-and-answered-annie/ Asked and Answered | Annie The New York Times Magazine November 27, 2009]</ref> Other artists including [[Goldfrapp]], [[Sweden]]'s [[BWO (band)|BWO]] (Bodies Without Organs) and [[Terry Poison]] from [[Israel]] are sometimes included in this genre{{Citation needed|date=December 2009}}, as well as the female acts discused below. ===Influence on mainstream pop music=== In recent years, the electropop sound and style have also arguably influenced many mainstream pop artists such as [[Christina Aguilera]] (evident in her 2008 song "[[Keeps Gettin' Better]]" and by the artist's collaboration with a number of electronic-oriented artists for her fourth studio album<ref>http://www.billboard.com/bbcom/news/article_display.jsp?vnu_content_id=1003888666#/bbcom/news/article_display.jsp?vnu_content_id=1003888666</ref>), [[Rihanna]]<ref>http://www.spin.com/reviews/rihanna-rated-r-def-jam</ref>, [[Sophie Ellis-Bextor]] and [[Kylie Minogue]]<ref>http://www.rollingstone.com/reviews/album/19781398/review/19935822?utm_source=Rhapsody&utm_medium=CDreview</ref>. One [[Los Angeles Times]] reviewer describes [[The Black Eyed Peas]]' 2009 album ''[[The E.N.D.]]'' as "taking on electro, deep house, [[dancehall]] and dance-punk, to name just a few trends."<ref>http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/music_blog/2009/06/album-review-black-eyed-peas-the-end.html</ref> In an interview with ''[[Billboard (magazine)|Billboard]]'' magazine, group member [[will.i.am]] summed up the album's music as "a lot of dance stuff, real melodic, electronic, soulful. We call it, like, electric static funk, something like that."<ref>http://www.billboard.com/bbcom/news/black-eyed-peas-tap-into-new-energy-1003919858.story</ref> ===Current wave of electropop artists=== 2009 saw a huge increase of electropop artists such as [[Owl City]], [[Kesha]],<ref>[http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/10014/1027916-388.stm Review KE$HA 'Animal' Pittsburgh Post Gazette January 14, 2010]</ref><ref>[http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/music_blog/2010/01/kehas-animal-a-digital-monster.html Ke$ha's 'Animal' a digital monster Los Angeles Times January 13, 2010]</ref> [[30H!3]],{{Citation needed|date=January 2010}} and [[LMFAO (band)|LMFAO]].<ref>[http://www.reuters.com/article/idUSTRE60406F20100105?type=entertainmentNews Party" just beginning for electro-pop duo LMFAO Billboard reprinted by Reuters January 4, 2010]</ref> [[Adam Lambert]]'s music is a hybrid of 1970s-styled rock from which he gained his fame and the electropop sounds he currently listens to.<ref>[http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1627127/20091125/lambert_adam_american_idol_.jhtml?rsspartner=unknown Adam Lambert Had An Identity Crisis Before Recording For Your Entertainment MTV November 30, 2009]</ref> 2009 saw a rise in popularity of female electropop artists, particularly in the UK,<ref name=UK>[http://www.kuwaittimes.net/read_news.php?newsid=NzM1NzEwNTk5 UK gaga for electro-pop, guitar bands fight back The Kuwait Times January 28, 2009]</ref> United States, France, Italy, and Sweden.{{Citation needed|January 2010|date=January 2010}} In the [[Sound of... (BBC poll)|Sound of 2009]] poll of 130 music experts conducted for the [[BBC]], ten of the top fifteen artists named were of the electropop genre.<ref name=UK/> [[Lady Gaga]] had major commercial success in several countries in 2008 and 2009 with her debut album ''[[The Fame]]'' achieving massive success worldwide.<ref>[http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/entertainment/7823068.stm Number one single for Lady GaGa BBC 11 January, 2009]</ref><ref>[http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/entertainment/7971012.stm Lady GaGa holds onto chart crown BBC 29 March, 2009]</ref><ref name=BillboardApril2009>[http://www.billboard.com/search/?Nty=1&Ntx=mode%2Bmatchallpartial&Ntk=Keyword&Ns=FULL_DATE|1&Ne=125&N=126&Ntt=Lady+GaGa&page=2#/news/lady-gaga-calvin-harris-top-u-k-charts-1003961739.story Lady GaGa, Calvin Harris Top U.K. Charts Billboard 13 April, 2009]</ref><ref>[http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/article5477059.ece 25 faces to watch in 2009 The Times 8 January, 2009]</ref><ref>[http://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/4307251/Lady-GaGa-pop-meets-art-to-just-dance.html Lady GaGa: pop meets art to just dance The Telegraph 21 January, 2009]</ref> Music writer [[Simon Reynolds]] noted that "Everything about Gaga came from [[electroclash]], except the music, which wasn't particularly 1980s".<ref>[http://www.guardian.co.uk/music/musicblog/2010/jan/22/eighties-revival-decade The 1980s revival that lasted an entire decade] by [[Simon Reynolds]] for [[The Guardian]] 22 January, 2010</ref> Other female electropop acts that emerged were [[Ladyhawke (musician)|Ladyhawke]],<ref name=NewGeneration>[http://www.smh.com.au/news/entertainment/music/gaga-for-girl-power/2009/02/27/1235237908240.html?page=fullpage#contentSwap1 Gaga for girl power Sydney Morning Herald 28 February, 2009]</ref> Elly Jackson of [[La Roux]]<ref name=NewGeneration /> and [[Perfume (group)|Perfume]].<ref>{{ja icon}} {{cite web|url=http://www.oricon.co.jp/news/confidence/53959/full/|title=Perfumeが1位獲得！YMO以来約25年ぶりの快挙|publisher=Oricon|date=2008-04-22|accessdate=2009-10-17}}</ref> A video by [[Little Boots]], who topped the BBC poll for 2009, showed her using a [[Tenori-on]].<ref name=UK/> Other acts include [[Ladytron]], [[The Knife]] and [[Pixie Lott]].{{Citation needed|January 2010|date=January 2010}} In 2009 James Oldham, head of [[artists and repertoire]] at [[A&M Records|A&M Records (UK)]] was quoted as saying "All A&R departments have been saying to managers and lawyers: 'Don't give us any more bands because we're not going to sign them and they're not going to sell records.' So everything we've been put on to is electronic in nature."<ref name=NewGeneration/><ref> [http://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/music/rockandpopfeatures/5978573/La-Roux-Lady-Gaga-Mika-Little-Boots-the-80s-are-back.html La Roux, Lady Gaga, Mika, Little Boots: the 80s are back The Telegraph 5 August, 2009]</ref> ==2010 Developments== The BBC "Sound of 2010" list was again dominated by electropop acts and female singer songwriters although the feel was more dreamy and escapist. The one man United States act [[Owl City]] who had a number 1 hit there in 2009 was described as representative of this feel. <ref name=Sound2010/> ==See also== *[[Dance-pop]] *[[Electro house]] *[[Synthpop]] *[[Wonky Pop]] *[[Electro]] ==Notes== {{reflist|2}} ==References== *''Depeche Mode & The Story of Electro-Pop'', Q/Mojo magazine collaboration, 2005. * ''Electronic Music: The Instruments, the Music & The Musicians'' by Andy Mackay, of [[Roxy Music]] ==External links== * [http://www.cbc.ca/arts/media/blogs/popculture/2009/08/the_futures_so_yesterday_a_syn.html Electro and Synthpop Timeline] [[Canadian Broadcasting Company]] {{synth pop-footer}} {{Popmusic}} [[Category:Electronic music genres]] [[Category:Pop music genres]] [[Category:Synthpop|*]] [[Category:1970s in music]] [[Category:1980s in music]] [[Category:1990s in music]] [[Category:2000s in music]] [[Category:2010s in music]] [[de:Elektronische Popmusik]] [[es:Electropop]] [[hr:Elektro pop]] [[it:Elettropop]] [[nl:Electropop]] [[ja:エレクトロ・ポップ]] [[ru:Электропоп]] [[sv:Electropop]] [[th:อีเลกโทรป็อป]] [[tr:Elektropop]]

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