Bedroom Pop Takes The World By Storm
Tracking the rise of a new music genre in Gen Z.
by SOPHIE SCHLOSSER ★ JUNE 21, 2020
Bedroom pop has dominated the music sphere of Generation Z. With its amplified sounds echoing a simplistic and authentic nature, this new wave of untamed music has skyrocketed in popularity throughout the last few years. Bedroom pop is loosely defined as a musical aesthetic in which artists record at home rather than traditional recording areas. Beyond the lyrics, the melodic tunes encapsulate pure originality as each sound mimics various elements of musical realism. As this past decade emphasizes the inception of lo-fi music and the DIY artist, bedroom pop is inextricably linked to these trends.
Since its birth in the early 2000s, the distinguishing characteristics of bedroom pop have mutated. Once strictly known as lo-fi music, this genre was previously defined by its unfiltered imperfections, such as inharmonious chords or other uncontrolled background sounds like the scratching of a vinyl record. These intentional defects became desirable aesthetics in music and ultimately gave birth to the present-day bedroom producer. Bedroom pop enhances lo-fi music by giving young, low-budget artists the opportunity to share their music with the world without needing prior clout. Instead, streaming resources such as SoundCloud, Spotify and YouTube have granted these hidden talents with limitless possibilities to publicize their work.
The modern-day truth is this: anyone can become an independent artist with the presence of the internet. With new popularizing technology and platforms that enable music production from the comfort of one’s home, Gen Z has been exposed to the rise of the DIY artist. Crucial to bedroom pop, a DIY artist is an independent artist entirely responsible for writing, recording and producing their own music. As the expansive wave of the DIY artist crashes upon Gen Zers, it’s important to acknowledge the roots that breached this musical awakening. If you’re looking to start listening to this unique style of music, below is a list of top five important artists that propelled the bedroom pop revolution.
One of the most iconic bedroom pop sensations to date is Conan Gray. Gray was previously bound to attend UCLA and major in film before his home-based music began stealing hearts on the internet. Exemplifying the quest of many starving artists who found passion in producing their own music and building their empire from scratch, his Spotify bio reads: “Armed with nothing more than Garageband and a cheap microphone taped to a lamp, Conan released his song “Idle Town” on his YouTube channel as an ode to his hometown of Georgetown, TX. The song went viral…” Thousands of Gen Zers find solace in Gray’s music because of the nostalgic and relatable tone that characterizes the subtle realities of teenage life.
Credit: @conangray via Instagram
Claire Cottrill, aka Clairo, is one of the most renowned teenage artists known to Gen Z and many deem her to be a bedroom pop revolutionist. Clairo is a 21-year-old singer-songwriter from Boston who attended the S.I. Newhouse School at Syracuse University until her music career rapidly took off amidst her college education. She is best known for her viral video for “Pretty Girl,” which was shot with a laptop webcam within the comfort of her own bed. Her music is centered around simplistic and angelic melodies which she creates entirely by herself, despite there being rumors of her being an industry plant. Receiving almost 95 million streams on Spotify, her original recording of “Pretty Girl” ultimately paved her way to fame.
Credit: @natalieolech via VSCO
Mac DeMarco is commonly believed to be the artist that pushed bedroom pop into the mainstream music sector. DeMarco is a Canadian indie singer-songwriter who thrives off his deep-rooted independence. He is known for creating his music alone in his bedroom, vaguely touching it up and then releasing it online for his honorable fans across the world. The quality of his music is vintage and possesses a heightened level of realness – his songs are clearly derived from the absolute depths of his heart and soul. Deemed the “Lovable Laid-Back Prince of Indie Rock” by the New York Times, DeMarco’s success is simply unmatched by that of any other bedroom pop artist in existence.
Credit: @indnoise via Instagram
Alex O’Connor, aka Rex Orange County, began his journey to stardom when he used SoundCloud to release his 2016 DIY track titled “UNO” which flaunted his soothing vocals accompanied by a jovial keyboard riff. O’Connor grew up in Grayshott, UK, where he made music alone in his bedroom for nearly three years before his popularity grew exponentially, attracting an audience that feeds off his nonchalant, realistic lyrics and vocals. O’Connor has been featured on Tyler, the Creator’s album Flower Boy, but his original songs are his most acclaimed successes. His songs “Best Friend” and “Sunflower” both exceeded 22 million streams on Spotify, with his most popular song, “Loving is Easy” surpassing the 30 million mark.
Credit: @rexorangecounty via Instagram
Dapperton began creating his own music during his earliest high school years, but his skills involving vocals and instruments developed much later. In 2016, Dapperton released his first single “Moodna, Once With Grace,” followed by two exceedingly popular EPs in 2017, and another in 2019. This singer-songwriter was born and raised in Warwick, NY and he describes his music as “80s-influenced and kind of dreamy.” His hypnotic style of music matches his distinctive physical aura in which he rocks vintage clothing, capri pants and his trademark bowl cut. His two most successful songs, “I’m Just Snacking” and “Prune, You Talk Funny” tap into the hearts of his diverse and soulful audience.
Credit: @gusdapperton via Instagram
The unfortunate reality of this budding genre is the transitory nature of the artist’s independence. Once these DIY artists have risen to stardom, oftentimes they sign with record labels that strip them of their musical self-sufficiency and expose them to the benefits of having a team of producers. Therefore, bedroom pop artists inevitably become mainstream studio artists, yet their independent titles prevail. But ultimately, these artists began their careers with a computer, a microphone, and an indistinguishable desire to succeed. And with that, they managed to find a way to alter Gen Z traditions and fuel the flames to a musical revolution along the way.
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