Hyperpop is a microgenre, characterized by a maximalist or exaggerated take on pop music which may also draw on an eclectic range of influences across dance, hip hop, and electronic music. It first emerged in the mid-2010s and received notoriety once Spotify launched a ‘hyperpop’ playlist in August 2019 featuring artists such as 100 gecs, Charli xcx, and Dorian Electra. Many artists associated with the term are either connected to or influenced by the UK label PC Music, owned by producer A.G. Cook.
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Hyperpop is a microgenre, characterized by a maximalist or exaggerated take on pop music which may also draw on an eclectic range of influences across dance, hip hop, and electronic music. It first emerged in the mid-2010s and received notoriety once Spotify launched a ‘hyperpop’ playlist in August 2019 featuring artists such as 100 gecs, Charli xcx, and Dorian Electra. Many artists associated with the term are either connected to or influenced by the UK label PC Music, owned by producer A.G. Cook.
Entering the 2020s in the age of lockdowns hyperpop saw a massive wave of new artists entering the scene, some noteable of the time being glaive, underscores, and quinn, amongst many others. The scene has a large tie to LGBTQ+ with many of the big artists involved identifying as such. The ability to modulate your voice with pitch and autotune allowed many to express themselves in a way not usually possible, thus creating a connection with transgender youth for example.
The immediate roots of the genre lie in the UK label PC Music, whose influential mid-2010s output blended "exuberant melodies and eccentric electronic production." PC Music label head and producer A.G. Cook has been referred to as the "godfather" of hyperpop. Artists associated with the term include Cook's frequent collaborator Charli xcx as well as PC Music-affiliate Sophie, along with others including 100 Gecs, Rina Sawayama, and Dorian Electra. Variety and The New York Times described the work of Sophie as pioneering the style. Charli XCX's 2017 mixtape Pop 2 set a template for the style, featuring "outré" production by Cook and Sophie as well as "a titular mission to give pop – sonically, spiritually, aesthetically – a facelift for the modern age."
