What do you call pop music that is pushed to its absolute limits? A sound where sugary melodies clash with distorted bass, and high-energy beats blend with surreal, pitch-shifted vocals. Some call it Hyperpop, others call it Bubblegum Bass. And some of its creators feel the genre has already burst or has become so broad that it’s lost meaning. Explore the origins, defining characteristics, and ways to include Hyperpop in your next creative project.
What is Hyperpop
Hyperpop is a microgenre known for its over-the-top or maximalist take on popular music. It typically integrates pop and avant-garde traits while drawing on elements commonly found in electronic, hip hop, and dance music. It often incorporates heavily processed vocals, harsh synthesizer melodies, and a bold, extreme production style. Born on the internet, it draws inspiration from “weird” or nostalgic references to early 2010s internet culture.
A Brief History
Like most things created on the internet, the origins of Hyperpop are unclear. As a music genre descriptor, it was used as early as 1988 in association with the dream pop duo, the Cocteau Twins, but didn’t gain traction. Later, it was sometimes used to describe Nightcore music on Soundcloud. The term became popular with the rise of PC Music, a London-based label founded in 2013 by producer A.G. Cook. Artists like SOPHIE, GFOTY, and Hannah Diamond crafted surreal, hyper-feminized soundscapes that blurred the line between satire and sincerity. SOPHIE’s groundbreaking 2018 album OIL OF EVERY PEARL’S UN-INSIDES is often seen as a pivotal Hyperpop moment. It is futuristic, emotional, and deeply influential.
In 2019, a few things happened to shape Hyperpop and help it explode. In May of that year, Hyperpop duo, 100 gecs released their album 1000 gecs, which garnered millions of streams and helped to define the style. A few months after that release, Spotify released a playlist titled “Hyperpop” that further cemented the microgenre. This corporatization may have also led to the microgenre’s demise.
By the early 2020s, with so many people stuck at home with nothing else to do and the accessibility of creating digital music, the genre exploded on platforms like SoundCloud and TikTok. Artists like 100 gecs, Charli XCX (especially with her Vroom Vroom EP and Pop 2), Glaive, and Ericdoa pushed the sound further, mashing up emo, trap, glitchcore, and more. Hyperpop became a digital free-for-all, embracing queer aesthetics, internet culture, and maximalist chaos. Some of these artists and prominent music publications started to wonder if Hyperpop was finished or if it had lost meaning by becoming a catch-all term for any music made on the internet.
Characteristics
Here are several defining characteristics of the Hyperpop microgenre:
- Exaggerated Pop Elements Blending With Other Genres: The genre takes traditional pop music components and amplifies them to create an almost surreal listening experience. The style may blend elements from many genres, including bubblegum pop, trance, Eurohouse, emo rap, nu metal, cloud rap, J-pop and K-pop, dubstep, and chiptune, among others.
- Heavily Processed Vocals: Artists often use autotune and pitch-shifting to manipulate vocals, adding a distinctive texture to the music. The microgenre’s emphasis on vocal modulation has allowed artists to experiment with the gender presentation of their voices. This is partly why Hyperpop is often linked to the LGBTQIA+ community and aesthetics.
- Brash Synth Melodies: Prominent and metallic synthesizer sounds are crucial, contributing to Hyperpop’s energetic and futuristic vibe.
- Maximalist Production: The production style is dense and layered, often incorporating elements like glitches and distortion to create a rich soundscape.
- Internet Culture References: Lyrics and surrounding aesthetics frequently draw from early 2000s internet culture, blending nostalgia with a modern, Gen Z approach.
Meet your Hyperpop Pond5 Artists for 3 creative uses in your projects
Now that we’ve explored Hyperpop Music, let’s discover some Pond5 Artists who make it. Let these joyful tunes inspire your next creative project.
- Botabateau is a prolific studio based in Thailand and a contributing Pond5 Artist since 2014. One of their 1200+ tracks, Cool Hyperpop Feeling (Full Length), starts with a slow, dream-like quality before the Hyperpop bubbling begins. Great for travel videos showcasing different paces and lifestyles in a region.
- SCORBOY is a Brazilian producer and Pond5 Artists since 2018. Hyperpop Futuristic Neon has a dark, glitchy, digital feel. Use it in the chase scene of your dystopian drama or to convey your protagonist’s descent into madness.
- PlayAgain has been a Pond5 Artist since 2013 and amassed over 1650 tracks in that time. Happy Summer Hyperpop (No Vocal) – Fun, Cheerful, Positive, Energetic, Uk Garage makes you feel like you’re floating along bursting bubbles. A great backing track for a cartoonish video game.
Take your next project to the max. Subscribe now and discover more Hyperpop tracks on Pond5.