| Electronic rock | |
|---|---|
| Other names | Electro rock, synth rock |
| Stylistic origins | |
| Cultural origins | Late 1960s |
| Typical instruments | |
| Subgenres | |
| Other topics | |
Electronic rock (also known aselectro rock andsynth rock) is amusic genre that involves a combination ofrock music andelectronic music, featuring instruments typically found within both genres. It originates from the late 1960s when rock bands began incorporatingelectronic instrumentation into their music. Electronic rock acts usually fuse elements from other music styles, includingpunk rock,industrial rock,hip hop,techno andsynth-pop, which has helped spur subgenres such asindietronica,dance-punk andelectroclash.
Being a fusion of rock and electronic, electronic rock features instruments found in both genres, such assynthesizers,mellotrons,tape music techniques,electric guitars anddrums. Some electronic rock artists, however, often eschew guitar[2] in favor of using technology to emulate a rock sound. Vocals are typically mellow or upbeat,[3] but instrumentals are also common in the genre.[4]
A trend of rock bands that incorporated electronic sounds began during the late 1960s. According to criticSimon Reynolds, examples includedthe United States of America,White Noise andGong.[5] Trevor Pinch and Frank Trocco, authors of the 2004 bookAnalog Days, creditthe Beach Boys' 1966 hit "Good Vibrations" with having "popularly connected far-out, electronic sounds with rock 'n' roll."[6]
Other early acts to blendsynthesizers andmusique concrète'stape music techniques with rock instrumentation includedSilver Apples,Fifty Foot Hose,Syrinx,Lothar and the Hand People,Beaver & Krause andTonto's Expanding Head Band.[7] Many such 1960s acts blendedpsychedelic rock withavant-garde academic or underground influences.[7]
In the 1970s, Germankrautrock bands such asNeu!,Kraftwerk,Can andAmon Düül challenged rock boundaries by incorporating electronic instrumentation.[8] In 2004,Uncut described Kraftwerk's "incalculable" impact on electronic rock as being felt on major records likeDavid Bowie'sLow (1977) andRadiohead'sKid A (2000).[9] Since the late 2000s, electronic rock has become increasingly popular.[2]
The term "progressive rock" (or "prog rock") was originally coined in the 1960s for music that would otherwise be described as "electronic rock,"[4] but the definition of "prog" later narrowed into a specific set of musical conventions as opposed to a sensibility involving forward-thinking or experimental approaches.[10]
Electronic rock is also associated withindustrial rock,synth-pop,dance-punk,indietronica, andnew wave,[4] withelectroclash,new rave,post-punk revival,post-rock, considered as subgenres.[2] Sometimes, certain other electronic subgenres are fused with rock, such astrance andtechno, leading to the use of the terms trance rock and techno rock, respectively.[11][12]
| Synth-punk | |
|---|---|
| Other names | Electropunk, techno-punk[13] |
| Stylistic origins | |
| Cultural origins | Late 1970s |
| Typical instruments | |
| Subgenres | |
| Other topics | |
Punk rock has been mixed with electronic music as well, creating subgenres likesynth-punk (also known aselectropunk) anddance-punk.[15][16]
Suicide, formed in 1970, is known as one of the most influential artists in the genre.[17] Their sound over their five studio albums mixed punk rock with various electronic-based genres such as electronic rock,[18]synth-pop, anddisco. Theirfirst album is widely regarded for setting the stage for subsequentpost-punk, synth-pop and industrial rock acts.[19]
The Screamers were labeled "techno-punk" by theLos Angeles Times in 1978.[20] Rather than the usual electric guitars, the band's instrumentation included a heavily distortedFender Rhodeselectric piano and anARP Odysseysynthesizer.
Devo, whilst better known for their 1980 synth-pop song "Whip It", also had an electronic sound rooted in punk rock.
The term synth-punk (or electropunk) was coined in 1999 by Damien Ramsey.[21]
In the early 1980s, synth-punk fused with various electronic genres to createelectronic body music, which would influence a number of subsequentindustrial dance, industrial rock and industrial metal acts. It also influenced thehardcore punk inspireddigital hardcore, which combines hardcore punk with electronic music,noise andheavy metal.[22][23] It typically features fast tempos and aggressivesound samples.[23]
In addition,pop punk fused itself with synth-punk to create a genre known asneon pop.
Later revival instances include electronic body music,[14] dance punk,[24][25] and electroclash. Other artists, likeChicago'sBig Black, put guitars back in, and helped to spawn a new wave ofmath rock,industrial rock, andnoise rock.
| Synth-metal | |
|---|---|
| Stylistic origins | |
| Cultural origins | Early 1980s |
| Typical instruments | |
| Other topics | |
Synth-metal is the fusion of heavy metal and electronic music. It was pioneered in the 1980s withIron Maiden's albumSomewhere in Time andJudas Priest's albumTurbo, both of which notably incorporateguitar synthesizers.[26][27] They were both released in 1986.
Besides synth-metal,electronicore,electrogrind,coldwave anddungeon synth, heavy metal is also sometimes mixed with other electronic genres and their subgenres, inspiring terms such as electronic metal, electronic dance metal, trance metal, techno metal, andcyber metal.[28][29][30][31][32][text–source integrity?]
The term was invented in 1999 by Damien Ramsey to retroactively name a small subgenre of punk in which the musicians used synthesizers instead of guitars.
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