Charger Music Men review the timeline of hyperpop

Gus Creter - Junior, Co-Editor / Parker Johnson - Junior, Layout Editor | Columns

One of the most exciting musical genres to surge in popularity throughout the latter half of 2010s was “hyperpop.” Coming from the deepest corners of Soundcloud to eventually finding its way onto the national charts, hyperpop’s inception into the mainstream has been one that the music industry has been awaiting for years.

In 2013, English music producer A.G. Cook began a record label called PC Music with the intent to make more unique music that can be represented by anyone. Quickly, Cook began associating with acts such as SOPHIE, a transgender producer who had been making waves in the electronic scene for years due to her avant-guard and bombastic take on electronic production, as well as the most commercially successful artist making music in the field of hyperpop, Charli XCX.

Multiple releases by Charli XCX in the mid-to-late 2010s utilized production from the PC Music team, primarily the “Vroom Vroom” EP fully produced by SOPHIE and her album “Pop 2” with production handled mostly by A.G. Cook. The album also featured guest verses from soon-to-be hyperpop stars like Dorian Electra and Caroline Polachek.

The issue with hyperpop is merely with how the genre is defined by its attributes. One of the few defining characteristics of the genre is its blindingly loud bass and crazed, action-packed instrumentals. This leads most to associate the genre with being an absurd subgenre of electronic dance music. The most notable characteristic is the high-pitched vocals that, for the listener, can either sound avant garde and meticulously done or ear-piercing.

The most popular act to assist the evolution of hyperpop is one of the most polarizing musical duos in recent memory: 100 Gecs. Whether you love or hate the music of Dylan Brady and Laura Les’ album “1000 Gecs,” the project was able to propel the genre into the mainstream consciousness, potentially giving it the ability to grow and evolve as the 2020s continue.

On Jan. 30, SOPHIE tragically passed away after complications from a fall. As she had collaborated with artists like Kendrick Lamar, Lady Gaga and Vince Staples, the music industry mourned her and praised her influence.

While artists such as Charli XCX and 100 Gecs have definitely been notable acts when it comes to pushing the genre to new heights, the quality of SOPHIE’s work earned her a nomination at the 2018 Grammy awards as well as overwhelming critical acclaim for her debut album “Oil of Every Pearl’s Un-Insides.”

The hyperpop scene is growing and expanding by the day on the internet. With artists such as the aforementioned Charli XCX and 100 Gecs influencing the more experimental pop side of hyperpop, artists such as Drain Gang’s Bladee and Ecco2k have been notable influences for the cloud rap artists fitting in the hyperpop mold. With artists such as glaive, ericdoa, and meat computer growing larger audiences through Spotify’s “hyperpop” playlist, the future of the genre looks brighter than ever.

More Reviews:

SOPHIE - “Oil of Every Pearl’s Un-Insides” G: 90% P: 75%

100 Gecs - “1000 Gecs” G: 85% P: 95%

Various Artists - “PC Music Volume 1” G: 65% P: 75%

Charli XCX - “Pop 2” G: 75% P: 80%

Caroline Polachek - “Pang” G: 80% P: 80%

Slayyyter - “Self-Titled” G: 70% P: 75%

meat computer - “social distancing from reality” G: 70% P: 65%

ericdoa - “COA” G: 85% P: 85%