What Is Digicore Music? The Rising Hyperpop Subgenre
Aug 25, 2025
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Tero Potila
Digicore might sound like just another niche internet trend, but it’s become one of the most talked-about microgenres in online music culture. It emerged from Discord communities in the mid-2010s and carved out its own identity by blending elements of hyperpop and underground hip hop.
So what is Digicore? It’s a style of music defined by experimental production, heavy use of autotune, and a DIY community-driven approach that thrives online.
It often feels raw, fast-moving, and unpredictable. Digicore is not polished for the mainstream; instead, it reflects the energy of young artists experimenting with digital tools and pushing the limits of sound.
One of the most exciting aspects about this genre is the freedom to bend traditional song structures. When you listen to some of the key artists of the style, there’s a sense that anything goes.
What Is Digicore?
Defining Characteristics
Digicore prioritizes a DIY approach. Most tracks get recorded in home setups and show up directly on SoundCloud or Spotify.
The sound often feels raw and experimental, with artists layering autotune-heavy vocals, glitchy effects, and distorted beats. There’s also frequent use of video game sounds, chopped samples, and unconventional song structures.
Instead of aiming for polished pop production, digicore artists lean into imperfections, creating textures that feel both chaotic and personal.
A typical track might combine trap-style drums with pluggnb melodies and emotional vocals delivered through autotune.
Some tracks borrow from cloud rap’s atmospheric qualities or trance-inspired synths, making the genre hard to pin down.
Glitchcore is sometimes mentioned alongside digicore, but I see it more as an aesthetic with its chopped visuals and distorted edits, rather than a whole genre on its own.
From a producer’s perspective, I find the appeal in how freeform it is; you don’t need expensive gear or a studio to make something that stands out.
That accessibility is what keeps the scene vibrant and constantly evolving. There’s no gatekeeping, just people making what they want and sharing it.
In a way, it reminds me of the original reason we all get into music – to express our ideas freely.
Origins and Influences
Digicore emerged in the mid-to-late 2010s, when online communities of teenagers began sharing music on Discord servers and SoundCloud collectives. Many of these artists drew inspiration from the rise of hyperpop, but wanted to carve out a sound that leaned more into rap and internet culture.
The community-driven nature of Digicore is crucial. Groups like Novagang and Helix Tears helped young artists collaborate, often across countries, without ever meeting in person.
This online-first identity shaped not just the music, but the culture around it.
Influences range widely—you’ll hear traces of emo rap, trap, pluggnb, and even Chicago drill in different tracks.
The experimental layering of genres reflects how these musicians grew up online, pulling inspiration from YouTube tutorials, gaming culture, and meme aesthetics. Its growth picked up around the late 2010s, with digital spaces like Discord and SoundCloud serving as the main hubs for collaboration and discovery.
Digicore vs. Hyperpop and Related Genres
Digicore is often associated with hyperpop, but the two differ in meaningful ways.
Hyperpop emphasizes maximalist pop energy, with glossy production and exaggerated autotune.
Digicore, on the other hand, leans more toward rap-influenced flows and lo-fi experimentation.
Where hyperpop artists like 100 gecs or PC Music acts push pop into surreal extremes, digicore avoids calling itself “pop” at all.
Many digicore musicians see their work as closer to rap or emo than to mainstream electronic pop. Compared to pluggnb or cloud rap, digicore is less about smoothness and more about unpredictability.
Pluggnb tends to use dreamy melodies over trap drums, while cloud rap builds hazy, atmospheric beats. Digicore mixes those elements but adds distortion, glitches, and abrupt shifts.
Once you start working in this style, you’ll notice how flexible it is. You can pull from trance synths, trap percussion, or emo-inspired lyrics, and it still fits under digicore as long as it keeps that experimental, internet-native edge.
How to Produce Digicore
Producing Digicore is less about pristine engineering and more about capturing raw emotion through experimental digital textures. The barrier to entry is low; you can get started with just a laptop, headphones, and affordable software. That’s part of what keeps the genre alive and constantly shifting.
1. DAW and Setup
Most artists use lightweight, accessible DAWs like FL Studio, Ableton Live, GarageBand, or Soundtrap.
If you’re just getting started with Digicore, then you should check out Soundtrap and the Digicore Sample Pack they’ve put together for this style. It has everything you need to get inspired and start producing some killer tracks. You can access the sample pack here.
Soundtrap
2. Vocals and Autotune
Vocals are usually front and center, often recorded with inexpensive mics. Heavy autotune is a defining trait and sometimes pushed to robotic extremes, other times dialed back for emotional clarity. Don’t worry too much about room noise or mic quality; the lo-fi grit adds to the authenticity.
3. Sound Design and FX
Glitchy effects, pitch-shifted ad-libs, and distorted layers help create that chaotic-yet-emotional vibe. Experiment with bitcrushers, granular delays, and resampling. Many producers pull sounds from video games, internet memes, or even random YouTube clips. Anything digital and slightly “broken” can become part of the palette.
4. Drums and Rhythm
Trap-inspired drums are standard, with rolling hi-hats, punchy 808s, and snappy snares. But unlike mainstream trap, the rhythms often shift suddenly, with abrupt cuts or stutters that break the flow on purpose. That unpredictability is where Digicore sets itself apart.
5. Melodies and Atmosphere
Pluggnb-style dreamy melodies, trancey synths, and dreamy pads are often layered with harsher textures. The contrast between lush, emotional chords and distorted digital noise is what gives Digicore its emotional edge. Think of it as pairing vulnerability with chaos.
6. Arrangement and Song Structure
Traditional verse-chorus formats aren’t a requirement. Many tracks feel more like fragments or emotional snapshots, running short (often under 2 minutes). Personally, I enjoy the freedom this gives.
7. DIY Distribution
Once a track is ready, upload it directly to SoundCloud or Spotify via distributors like DistroKid. The community thrives on speed and openness, so don’t overthink “perfection.” Releasing often and engaging with collectives on Discord can matter more than polish.
At its core, Digicore production is about honesty and experimentation. If it feels raw, weird, and personal, you’re on the right track.
Key Artists and Influencers
Pioneers and Breakout Stars
Some of the earliest artists to gain traction include Quinn (formerly osquinn/p4rkr), Glaive, and Ericdoa. Their tracks blended emo-inspired vocals with glitchy electronic production, setting the tone for what digicore would become.
Quinn’s emotional delivery and melodic instincts made her one of the first to break into mainstream playlists.
Glaive, working from his bedroom in North Carolina, quickly became recognized for catchy songwriting that balanced raw emotion with experimental production.
Ericdoa followed a similar path, releasing songs that drew from rap, pop, and electronic influences while still sounding distinctly internet-born.
Other names like d0llywood1, blackwinterwells, and juno expanded the sound further.
Each brought different influences into the mix: emo, rap, trance, and even drill. I find it striking how these artists taught themselves through online tutorials and peer feedback.
They’ve proven that you don’t need studio access to create impactful music. That’s honestly pretty inspiring.
Notable Collaborations
Collaboration has been central to Digicore’s identity. Artists often feature on each other’s tracks, with Quinn and Blackwinterwells being a notable pairing.
Their songs combine heartfelt lyrics with abrasive yet melodic production, creating a balance that resonates with listeners.
Glaive and Ericdoa also became known for collaborative projects that highlighted their chemistry. Their joint releases blur the line between solo work and duo identity, giving fans a sense of shared growth.
Even artists outside the core scene, like Charli XCX and 100 gecs, were influenced or intersected with digicore. While not strictly part of the movement, their experimental approach to pop validated the genre’s maximalist tendencies.
Younger artists saw a blueprint for breaking boundaries without losing accessibility.
Conclusion
Digicore proves that music doesn’t need polish or tradition to make an impact. It thrives on raw emotion, digital experimentation, and community energy.
What began in Discord servers now influences pop, rap, and electronic music at large, showing how online creativity can shape entire genres.
I think the most exciting part is that its future is unwritten, and anyone with a laptop and an idea can help define where it goes next.
About the author
Tero Potila is a professional music composer and producer. His career combining knowledge and experience from music, TV, film, ad, and game industries gives him a unique perspective that he shares through posts on teropotila.com.
