Cruise neon-lit highways with retro-futuristic synth waves. 100–130 BPM.
Synthwave is an electronic music genre that emerged in France around 2005, heavily inspired by 1980s film soundtracks, video games, and pop culture. It features nostalgic synthesizer melodies, driving drum machines, and a warm, analog sound. The genre gained popularity through online communities and is often associated with cyberpunk aesthetics.
The defining artists of Synthwave — the names that shaped the sound. Tap to hear on Spotify.
The classic anthems and current essentials that define Synthwave.
Synthwave is characterized by lush, analog synthesizer pads, arpeggiated basslines, and crisp drum machine beats (often using the Roland TR-808 or LinnDrum). The tempo typically ranges from 100 to 130 BPM, with a steady four-on-the-floor kick and snare claps. Melodies are often simple, catchy, and evoke a sense of nostalgia, with heavy use of reverb and delay to create a spacious, cinematic feel.
The rhythm is driving but relaxed, with swung hi-hats and occasional syncopation. The overall sound is warm and analog, often emulating the limitations of 80s recording equipment. Tracks frequently feature saxophone solos, vocoders, and spoken word samples from old movies.
Synthwave originated in France in the mid-2000s, pioneered by artists like David Grellier (College) and Kavinsky, who drew from 80s movie scores and video game music. The genre quickly spread via platforms like MySpace and Bandcamp, evolving into a global movement.
Throughout the 2010s, synthwave diversified into subgenres like darksynth and dreamwave, while maintaining its core retro-futuristic sound. The genre's popularity surged with the release of the film 'Drive' (2011) and the TV series 'Stranger Things' (2016), which featured synthwave-inspired scores.
Culturally, synthwave is deeply tied to nostalgia for the 1980s, cyberpunk aesthetics, and a fascination with an imagined future from that era. It has spawned a vibrant community of artists, fans, and visual artists, with festivals like Synthwave City and events worldwide.
How Synthwave is built — drum pattern, swing, and the sounds you need.
When producing synthwave, start with a solid drum pattern: a punchy kick on every beat, snare or clap on 2 and 4, and hi-hats with a slight swing. Use a drum machine plugin like the TR-808 or LinnDrum emulation. Layer your drums with parallel compression for that 80s punch.
For synths, use analog-modeled VSTs like TAL-U-NO-LX or Arturia's Prophet-5. Write simple, memorable melodies with a lot of reverb and delay. Basslines should be arpeggiated or sequenced, often playing root-fifth patterns. Add a gated reverb snare and a sidechain compressor on the bass to create a pumping effect. Experiment with tape saturation and vinyl crackle for authenticity.
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