Hyperpop

As an alternative extension of mainstream pop music, “hyperpop” is inherently ironic. Rising out of an era in which widespread production technology has combined with artists’ increasing ability to connect directly with fan communities, hyperpop exists to push the traditional boundaries of pop music. 

With punk’s DIY ethos, these innovators make frantic earworms more easily categorized by attitude than genre. Hyperpop often features electronic tendencies loaded with distortion, catchy choruses, compression, and angst. Touchpoints include elements of rave with golden-era synth sounds, breakbeats and frenetic, highly-processed vocals, as well as frequent nods to bubblegum pop. Nu-metal, trance, K-pop, dubstep, cloud rap, emo and big-room EDM all ring through, signifying an era in which producers have unfettered access to a vast amount of influences. These artists are creating their very own sugar-coated chaos, designed to stick in your head endlessly.

Flourishing in the early 2010s, hyperpop has thrived in an environment where traditional rules don’t apply. Innovators such as A. G. Cook, the English producer and Charli XCX’s creative director, have helped establish hyperpop on the global stage: Cook has produced tracks for Beyoncé, Caroline Polachek and Troye Sivan. Artists including Sleigh Bells and producers like Hudson Mohawke laid the groundwork, pushing boundaries and genre norms. Another pioneer, the late experimental pop icon SOPHIE, introduced her distinctive melange of sweet synth sounds over industrial and house beats.

More than a decade later, this loosely defined movement is still churning out experimental pop sounds and fostering creative environments for emerging artists to hone their talents. Florida-based hyperpop innovator glaive who got his start on SoundCloud during the pandemic continues to push things forward with selections from his sophomore album. Rapper/singer songwriter midwxst turns up the fuzzy bliss on “no handouts.” The anti-genre’s reigning rapper-producer, ericdoa, continues to drop casually infectious bangers like “search & destroy,” embodying the very ethos of hyperpop. We’ve compiled a collection of tracks that embrace the pop-laced, anything-goes flavor of this hyper-spirited movement.

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LISTEN TO THE HYPERPOP PLAYLIST ON SOUNDCLOUD NOW

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glaive - EVERYDOG HAS ITS DAY

Florida hyperpop innovator continues his upward trajectory with this earworm from his October 2024 album, ‘May It Never Falter’

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midwxst - no handouts

The Indiana rapper got some of his first recognition for his viral hit “Trying”

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WHOKILLEDXIX - Common Enemy

Experimental rap from lifelong besties Yung Skayda and Karm the Tool  

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skaiwater - play

British rapper-singer-producer formerly known as Young Skai

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underscores - Ocean, originally by Sonny

San Francisco native April Harper Grey began dropping dubstep tracks on SoundCloud at age 13

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Whethan & MKLA - CRAZY4U

The Chicago producer has worked with Dua Lipa, Tom Morello, glaive and more 

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Zheani - Sex Never Dies

Aussie artist and musician identifies as an occultist and self-styles her music as “fairy trap”

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Donatachi - I Will Be There

The Australian songwriter and producer was formerly known as Loudon

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Isabel LaRosa - Pretty Boy

Cuban-American songwriter from Maryland went viral with her 2022 track, “I’m Yours”

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2hollis - gold

From Chicago, this young singer-rapper-producer first gained attention with his 2022 album, ‘White Tiger’

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Slayyyter - No Comma

She made her latest single with Miami producer Marvy, whom she calls her “diva/brother”

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ericdoa - search & destroy

He’s from what he jokingly refers to as a “small ass farm town” in Connecticut

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Mura Masa, yeule - We Are Making Out

Collab between the singer yeule and the producer who laid tracks for much of their album ‘softscars’

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SOPHIE, Kim Petras, BC Kingdom - Reason Why

This was the lead track from the late British producer’s recent posthumous second album

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Frost Children, “FOX BOP”

Siblings Angel and Lulu Prost got their start in a family band that played in church

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slayyyter, “Purrr”

The St. Louis native released her second full-length album, “Starfucker,” in Septembe

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A. G. Cook, “A. G. Cook - Beautiful (2023 Edit)"

Besides his mainstream production work, the hyperpop architect has been a big influence with his PC Music label

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ericdoa, “dancinwithsomebawdy”

With Panamanian and Puerto Rican heritage, the Connecticut-born star prefers to think of his music as “genre-less”

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underscores, “Locals (Girls like us) [with gabby start]"

April Harper Grey got her start releasing dubstep tunes on SoundCloud at age 13

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charlixcx, “Speed Drive (From Barbie The Album)”

Charli XCX has said she grew up on Barbie dolls, so her contribution to the movie soundtrack was a “full-circle moment”

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CAKE POP, “Dylan Brady, Ravenna Golden & Lewis Grant - Boom”

Experimental pop group led by Dylan Brady, one-half of 100 gecs

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100 gecs, “Dumbest Girl Alive”

Full-throttle opening track from the duo’s second full-length album, “10,000 gecs” (2023)

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glaive, “huh”

Born Ash Blue Gutierrez, this FLA musician released his debut album, “I Care So Much That I Don’t Care at All,” in 2023

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Alice Longyu Gao ““.Sex””

Musician and performance artist based in NY and LA, she has earned Lady Gaga’s seal of approval

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babymorocco, “SXC"

From Casablanca, Clayton Pettet first made waves a decade ago with his performance art piece “Art School Stole My Virginity”

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six impala, “HEARTEATER””

Originally formed as a collective, the international members of this group are now in fact a group

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namasenda, “deathrow bby””

Born in Sweden to Ugandan parents, she’s best known for her work with PC Music

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Rebzyyx, “I'm so crazy for youuu </3””

“My mentals unsteady,” Rebzyyx sings on this boppy banger

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Ravenna Golden, “Contest prod. Dylan Brady””

A member of Dylan Brady’s Cake Pop, she put this out under her own name in 2023

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babymorocco, “Sun Sex Party””

His music is all about “heavy fun,” as witnessed in the title of this big pop production

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SEBii💫, “10<20<30<40 [p. vvspipes + kimj]””

Born and raised in Shanghai, he came to the US to attend college

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underscores, “Cops and robbers””

Storytelling jam that relates a tale of a bank teller who goes on the lam after embezzling money for years

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kmoe, “my arms again””

Last December this Canadian producer revealed that Lil Yachty cut a vocal over his track “Gloves”

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Braden Ross, “discarded””

Before coming into the hyperpop fold, this Seattleite grew up on bands like Linkin Park and My Chemical Romance

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Alice Longyu Gao, “MAKE U 3 ME””

They were supposed to meet at the Gaga show, she sings, but “when I showed up, you never showed up”

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DORIAN ELECTRA, “Puppet””

First noticed for the video “I’m in Love with Friedrich Hayek,” they started a philosophy club in high school and have remained high-minded ever since

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hoshie star, “mwould too (prod. 2040x2040)y””

"You say you miss me, yeah, I would too,” Hoshie Star sings on this four-on-the-floor tribute to audacity

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Kim Petras, “Castle In The Skyy””

Her 2022 collab with Sam Smith, “Unholy,” made Petras the first openly transgender solo artist to reach No. 1 in the US

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ALICE GAS, “ENGINE IN THE BACK (ft. Kid Trash & Kuru)””

The 100 gecs-affiliated artist is perhaps best known for her track “FERRARI”

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SEBii💫, “lie (feat. lieu) [prod. vvspipes]””

Featuring a lengthy, speedy verse from the Michigan vocalist/rapper Lieu

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Ravenna Golden, “Fireflies””

“I’d get a thousand hugs from ten thousand lightning bugs,” she sings on this sparkling track

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6arelyhuman, “Faster n Harder””

Scenecore revival pioneer who had the viral hit “Hands Up!”

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PUTOCHINOMARICÓN, “pero””

Taiwanese-born Spanish musician whose stage name leans into the insults they faced growing up

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LISTEN TO THE HYPERPOP PLAYLIST ON SOUNDCLOUD NOW