Synthwave and it's sub genres.

1. Synthwave

2. Outrun 80s music
Retrofuturist
Synthesizers and
pulsing beats
80s nostalgia
Kavinsky
Teddy Boy (2006)
1986 (2007)
Nightcall (2010)
Examples
80s supercars, night
drives, beachside
sunsets, and vintage
science fiction.
vibrant, retro synthesizer
tones, brightly melodic
songwriting, and
incorporation of vintage
music elements from movies,
television, video games, and
to a lesser extent, ‘80s
synthpop and electro
stiff, four-on-the-floor beat
Mitch Murder’s “Palmer’s Arcade” (2011),
Lost Years’ “Park Avenue 1989” (2012),
and Botnit’s “Hi-Score” (2013) provide
excellent examples of the inclusion of ‘80s
audio artifacts into outrun music.

3. Darksynth
horror movies, comic books, and
pulp science fiction
metal and industrial genres
Perturbator’s Terror 404,
Carpenter Brut’s EP 1, and
Mega Drive’s VHS
dubstep, drum and bass,
industrial, and metal
dense, rhythmic-oriented
gothic rock and new wave of
the late ‘70s
Examples

4. Dreamwave
Gentler style
softly sculpted textures, breathy
vocals, and
downtempo delivery
FM Attack’s discography,
including those
on the foundational
Dreamatic from 2009 and the
more meditative subsequent
albums, Deja
Vu and Stellar. Electric
Youth’s 2014 album
Innerworld and Trevor
Something’s 2014 album
Synthetic Love.
mingles with dream pop,
chillwave, indie
pop, and other styles.
Examples

5. Synthpop, House
and Nu Disco
Sunglasses Kid, Beckett, Maxthor,
and Le Cassette
80s era and the closely related
sounds of ‘80s mainstream pop
Nu disco and house music were more
directly influential on early synthwave
music, and
their characteristics have remained
apparent throughout the genre’s lifespan
Became prominent in the 1980s
Examples

6. Retro Electro
blends funk and synthpop
with turntablism
It was developed
in the early ‘80s
classic hip-hop sound into the present
day and infuses it with modern
production and the strong melodic
sensibilities of the synthwave genre.
“Retronomic Time
Adventure” and
“Electric Boogie” In 2018, retro electro is a
relatively small but vibrant
subgenre
Examples

7. Popwave
Modern mainstream
pop, alt rock, and
chillout,
Artists Gunship and The
Midnight
Combining elements of
the style and its visual
aesthetic with
modern, mainstream
sensibilities, reaching
out to a broader and
younger audience
Examples

8. Cybersynth
strong melodic hooks of
outrun and early darksynth
while incorporating
increasingly coarse effects,
prominent electric guitar,
and energetic rhythms for
an elaborate and exciting
new sound.
Cybersynth artists often mix or replace the
‘80s nostalgia of traditional synthwave with
futuristic science fiction and cyberpunk
themes
fluid song writing approach
Power Glove’s “Night
Force” (2012), Mega
Drive’s “Acid Spit” (2014),
and OGRE’s “Don’t Call
Me a Hero” (2014)
Zombie
Hyperdrive’s
Hyperion album
from 2016
Examples

9. Similarities and Differences Between the
Sub Genres
All the genres originate from 80s music and hold some
nostalgia to it. However they all have a certain sound which
represents them. For example, Cybersynth has strong melodic
hooks like outrun and darksynth but incorporates coarse
effects, prominent electric guitar and energetic rhythms.
Darksynth and outrun are alike but darksynth uses metal and
industrial sounds whereas outrun has a more bright and retro
sound. Retro electro uses sounds from synthpop and blends it
with funk and turtablism. Synthpop like outrun has a very 80s
sound.