Death pop

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Death pop is a loosely defined sub-genre of gothic rock, characterized by an emphasis on melody over spookiness and shock value. Strongly influenced by 80's New Wave artists such as New Order, The Cure, and Duran Duran, Death Pop the term was first coined in 1993 by a German music magazine called SUB LINE to describe the "Medea" album of Sex Gang Children, and was recoined in 1995 by Erin Grooms, bass player for the Columbus, Ohio darkwave band Gossamer, in response to other genres of music which use the term death, such as death metal and death rock. Other artists who have either identified themselves with the label, or have been given the label include Orgy, Deadstar Assembly, Abney Park, Bella Morte, Sunshine Blind,The Knives In The Attic, The Rasmus, Love Equals Death, and VAST. A very popular thought of the labels sound is dark punk-pop, as in Blink 182 meets 45 Grave. Bands like Alkaline Trio play a sound with an aesthetic that is akin to Death Pop.

The term Death Pop was actually used before 1995 by the Australian band the Hard-Ons, who played catchy pop-punk songs as well as heavier, metal-tinged songs. The Hard-Ons used the term on a t-shirt of theirs in the early 90's.