What Is Bedroom Pop? - Definition, History & Music Examples

Bedroom Pop is a music genre that blends pop structure with lofi sounds. The name itself explains the sound, it's pop music made by artists in their bedrooms. Poor recording conditions define the sound, making it more lo-fi and raw compared to the profesionally mixed and mastered pop played on the radio. The production, mixing, and mastering are typically all done by the main vocalist, which is why this genre can be considered DIY pop music. It all gives the music a unique vibe, making it feel very honest and at the same time fresh to the listener. 

The origins of creating music in the bedroom date back to the 1960s. Smile by The Beach Boys can be described as one of the pioneering albums of this type. Compared to other releases by this band, this album was of quite low quality, which was controversial at the time. However, this gave rise to other bands to release lower quality music without much public outcry.

In the 1990s, many artists from the alternative and rock scenes started embracing homemade "lo-fi" music in response to the increasingly polished and less authentic sound of pop. Pioneer of this movement was Beck, whose 1994 hit "Loser" was recorded at home and became a hit. Though different from today's bedroom pop, this era marked the rise of lo-fi as a distinct genre, making raw, low-quality sound "cool". 

In the mid-2010s, “bedroom pop” began to emerge as a musical genre as young artists began creating raw, lo-fi music using home equipment and software. Platforms like SoundCloud, Tumblr, and Bandcamp allowed them to reach a wide audience without the need for traditional record labels.

The genre has been influenced by artists such as Billie Eilish, who began her career with the help of her brother FINNEAS, as well as Cavetown, Clairo, Rex Orange County and mxmtoon, who gained fame for their lo-fi productions, often based on emotional lyrics and simple arrangements. 

Bedroom pop is still going strong these days, as you can see from the increasing number of playlists on spotify. This is also influenced by the growing reluctance of artists to release on major labels and the increased focus on independence. What will the future hold for this genre? Only time will tell :) If you want to create your own bedroom pop tracks, you should check out our Bedroom Pop Drum Kit Vol 1 & Vol 2, and Vital Preset Bank.