Music that scares

When we talk about pop, we often mistakenly lump the term into the category of commercial music. This is a common misconception: today, pop encompasses almost everything: it's not just popular music, but includes every subgenre of broader macro-genres, from rock to electronic, from indie to hip-hop and beyond. Ultimately, the pop classification depends on a song's form and structure.

Let's explore this concept further by examining its parallels and closely related branches:

 

Creepy pop

Returning to the more disturbing definition, creepy pop can be interpreted as a substyle of art pop. This differs from dark pop —rooted in alt-pop, a branch of the alternative macro-genre—which incorporates elements of hip-hop and alt-rock. Although both share the intention of thinking outside the box, the fundamental difference lies in the integration of artistic theories as part of personal expression. of the creepy pop artist. In the narrative, weaknesses are transformed into strengths through a sort of personal denunciation.

Creepy pop is characterized by the unsettling tone a song, instrumental or otherwise, can convey. The narrative reflects a particular emotional tone, an act of rebellion, a cause, a complaint, or a state of unease inspired by creepy cute, an aesthetic movement that originated online between 2000 and 2011 ( Junko Mizuno, Happy Tree Friends, Kyary Pamyu Pamyu ).

It is therefore important to distinguish it from subgenres such as emo or alternative rock, which may explore similar themes but develop a different structural and sonically distinct imprint.

Creepy pop's defining characteristics include provocative storytelling accompanied by childlike, satirical, and distorted sounds; music boxes, xylophones, strings, and musical toys as part of the instrumentation; catchy rhythms geared toward a pop structure; and atmospheric elements inspired by psychological horror or surreal settings.

We can assume that the ideal rhythm for this style is, for example, the creepy kit © - from Rhea Doll 's drum kit.

Here's an A to Z list of some creepy pop artists:

• Ashnikko *
• antihoney
• Baby Bugs *
• Bambi Baker
• Baybe
• Billie Eilish *
• bludnymph *
• Britney Spears
• Chandler Leighton
• DeathbyRomy*
• The Antwoord *
• Elite*
• Ellise
• Elle Lexxa
• Jazmin Beans*
• Kerli
• Kyary Pamyu Pamyu
• Lady Gaga
• Lalleshwari
• Lana Del Rey*
• Lucy Loone
• Mad Tsai
• Melanie Martinez
• mia rodriguez
• Rebecca Black
• Rhea Key 1024
• Rhea Doll
• Slayyyter
• Poppy *
• poutyface *
• Yikii

* partly alt-pop, alt-rock and poutycore

 

Poutycore

As mentioned, poutycore can also be classified as an art pop style, but its essence is slightly different from that of creepy pop, due to its intention . It always remains faithful to childishness, expressed in a perpetually sullen yet nostalgic tone , which is still captivating and cute, if melancholic.

Poutycore may share some overlap with the nostalgic emo of the digitalized era of the 2000s and, by extension, with the parallel world of alt-pop (as in the cases of Nicole Dollanganger and Sophie Woodhouse ). This connection arises from the fact that many artists who can be traced back to poutycore have planted their roots in the more emotional alternative scene.

The distinctive features of poutycore include a sullen and sullen personality , sadness, and chronic hypersensitivity; a mix of Celtic folk and grunge influences , typically coupled with lyrics describing everyday life or the static nature of hometowns; nostalgia combined with themes of toxic love and emotional distress; and feelings of dissatisfaction with mundane or mundane situations.

Imagine being a spoiled little creature who's been living in her bubble for decades, having only had unpleasant encounters outside her room. She shuffles through the world with the same expression as always: the corners of her mouth turned down, and people ask her, "Why don't you smile? Why don't you ever smile?" or "Are you sad about something?"; each time she doesn't know how to respond. She's tired, frustrated, and feels like no one truly understands her pain. Even when she's not suffering, she finds comfort in sad stories, melancholic movies, dystopian video games, or distressing books. Well, this is the perfect depiction of a poutycore individual. – Rhea, 2023

Despite its obvious negative traits, the concept of “poutycore” can be seen as a form of aesthetic and identity self-acceptance , a celebration of human vulnerability and delicacy . In this sense, it can also express dignity and beauty .

Here's an A to Z list of some poutycore artists:

• Adeline Troutman
• Allie X
• aldn*
• antihoney
• Asi Kemera*
• Baby Bugs
• Bambi Baker
• Billie Eilish*
• carolesdaughter*
• Dillon
• Elite*
• Ethel Cain
• Flower Face
• Honey Gentry
• Lana Del Rey
• Lil bo Weep
• Lizzy Grant
• Mars Argo*
• Melanie Martinez
• Marina
• Mazzy Star*
• Mieke
• Nicole Dollanganger*
• Rhea Key 1024
• Rhea Doll
• Sky Ferreira*
• Sophie Woodhouse*
• Unaloon
• Yeule

* partly alt-pop, alt-rock (emo) and creepy pop

Creepy & pouty is an active movement that speaks to our personal monsters and needs to surface in order to defeat them . The creepy & pouty creatures that are part of it need to be seen and heard. This is a visible, perceptible voice of the rawest reality.

Help Roly Poly expand this search! Leave a comment or mention an artist/media you think might fit into these categories ♡