Electropop (also called technopop) is a form of electronic music that is made with synthesizers The genre has seen a revival of popularity and influence since the late 2000s. "Electropop" is the short form of "electronic pop".

The term was used primarily during the 1980s to describe a form of synthpop characterized by an emphasized electronic sound — often described as cold and robotic — 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 laid the groundwork for a mass market in chart-oriented synthpop.

Electropop songs are 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, electroclash, etc. — in that songwriting is emphasized over simple danceability.

1970s and 1980s

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 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, Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark and Soft Cell in 1980–1981. The term became widely adopted in British media to set apart these bands from the previous post-punk, futurists and new wave acts which didn't use a fully electronic set-up or simply were not regarded as 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).

Despite this, electropop flourished in the United States in black culture, particularly in Detroit. Musicians such as A Number of Names and Cybotron pursued a version of the style inflected by R&B; and funk which eventually established the Detroit techno scene. Afrika Bambaata, from New York, also invented the electro style of hip-hop by sampling Kraftwerk.

2000s

Influence on mainstream pop music

Current wave of electropop artists

Male acts that have emerged included one man act Owl City who had a number 1 US single, and another one man act Kaskade, Jason Derulo and LMFAO. Singer Michael Angelakos of the Passion Pit said in a 2009 interview that while playing electro pop was not his intention, the limitations of dorm life made the genre more accessible.

In 2009 James Oldham, head of artists and repertoire at A&M; Records 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."

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Category:Electronic music genres Category:Pop music genres * Category:1970s in music Category:1980s in music Category:1990s in music Category:2000s in music Category:2010s in music

Rother's electro sound ("Sex With the Machines", "Simulationszeitalter", "Hacker") is characterized by repetitive machine-like beats, robotic, vocoder-driven vocals, melancholy, futuristic mood and lyrics that often deal with the consequences of technological progress, the relationship between humans and machines, and the role of computers in society.

In addition to electro, Rother also composes dark ambient music ("Elixir of Life", "Art Is a Technology"). He has also produced music for Sven Väth and DJ Hell.

Discography

Compilations

Remixes

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Category:Year of birth missing (living people) Category:Living people Category:German record producers Category:Electro musicians