House music originated in Chicago in the 1980s from club DJs, displaying traits similar to disco but being more electronic and minimalistic. The genre was pioneered by DJs like Frankie Knuckles and Phuture, emphasizing repetitive rhythms over lyrics. House music soon spread to other US states and Europe in the late 1980s. It has since blended with other genres like pop and dance, growing in popularity through artists in the 1990s and 2000s and becoming a recognized genre with subgenres like deep house. House remains popular today due to affordable music technology allowing many artists to create their own songs independently.