Thoughts on Synthwave

I like synthwave. A lot. Maybe a little too much. I also have a tendency to hoard the songs I like, and I've sorted them into different playlists depending on their style. I've listed links to them all below.

DISCLAIMER: I have no formal musical training and I've created these playlists based solely on vibes. I should not be considered an authority on this genre of music and the vocabulary I use to describe it probably isn't standard. I do, however, have a lot of thoughts on the genre and I'd like to share them! I should probably do some more reading. I'll update this page as I learn more.

Synthwave Mega Playlist: My catch-all synthwave playlist. If I find a song I like that I think fits the genre, I put it here. As of writing, this playlist has more than 400 songs on it.

Synthwave Sampler: A much shorter playlist which has songs from some of the more popular synthwave artists, covering a range of different subgenres. I created this playlist to be an accessible introduction to the synthwave genre as a whole, and the most common styles found within. Not all the songs in this playlist might appeal to you, but if you're interested in synthwave you'll probably find something to like here. You can use it as a jumping-off point to find more artists.

The Grid: I started this playlist as a fan playlist for Tron, but it also showcases the style of synthwave that is pretty standard for the genre. There's a heavy emphasis on synthesizers and catchy melodies. This style of synthwave is also commonly referred to as Retrowave, meant to capture nostalgia for the 80's, particularly 80's arcade culture. Featured artists include Lazerhawk, Lost Years, and Vector Hold. Iconography includes neon, arcade cabinets, and the synthwave sun. The aesthetic associated with this subgenre (and often applied to synthwave as a whole) is called Outrun (based on the game of the same name).

High Speed Chase: Frantic, rhythmic synthwave. The songs in this playlist are fast-paced and loud, with influences from metal and electronic music. I tried to capture the vibe of a high-energy car chase. Featured artists include Carpenter Brut, Perturbator, and Dance With the Dead. Iconography includes cars, motorcycles, and the open road. Maybe I should call this Speedwave.

Summer Synth: Relaxing, dreamy synthwave. The songs in this playlist are slow, calm, and ethereal. There is a lot of overlap here with vaporwave, however these songs lack the heavy use of sampling that is characteristic of vaporwave. The energy I tried to capture here is the lethargy of laying in your room at midnight during a summer thunderstorm. Featured artists include Com Truise, Home, and Windows 96. Iconography includes palm trees, oceans, and arcade carpet patterns. Bandcamp says this is called Chillwave, so I'll call it that.

Evil Synthwave (NOTE: Many of the songs in this playlist are NSFW): Nasty, abrasive synthwave. These songs have influences from metal and darkwave. What would be a good name for this subgenre? Horrowave? Slasherwave? I don't know. There's overlap here with my High Speed Chase playlist, however these songs have a decidedly more edgy tone. There's a significant portion of the synthwave scene which is focused on capturing the aesthetic of 80's horror (specifically slasher films), and it is reflected in their music. Iconography includes skeletons, blood, and inverted crosses. Featured artists include Carpenter Brut, Dance With the Dead, and Perturbator.

(A few of) My Favorite Synthwave Artists

(and links to their bandcamps)