13 Music Genres That Had a Moment — Then Vanished
These once-trending genres lit up music history like a flare — bright, specific, and gone before you could fully define them.
- Alyana Aguja
- 4 min read
Music, like fashion or slang, is often a mirror of its moment, shaped by technology, subcultures, and collective mood. The genres listed above didn’t fail — they flourished briefly and meaningfully, then left behind echoes and artifacts. Some evolved, others were absorbed, but all remind us that no sound stays still for long.
1. Bloghouse
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Between 2006 and 2009, Bloghouse was the unofficial soundtrack of MySpace parties and American Apparel stores. Fueled by MP3 blogs and remixes traded like candy, this electro-indie hybrid thrived on dirty synths, glitchy drops, and names like Justice, Simian Mobile Disco, and Boys Noize. Then Spotify, algorithmic curation, and the collapse of music blogs swept it under the rug.
2. Brostep
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Before dubstep went mainstream, Brostep was dubstep’s Americanized, musclebound cousin. Skrillex made it explode with aggressive drops, metallic wobbles, and a headbang-ready intensity that dominated 2010s festival scenes. However, EDM fatigue and the return of subtler UK bass sounds pushed Brostep back into niche territory.
3. New Jack Swing
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In the late ’80s to early ’90s, New Jack Swing fused R&B vocals with hip-hop beats, producing a slick, streetwise sound that ruled MTV and dance floors alike. Artists like Teddy Riley, Janet Jackson, and Bobby Brown led the charge. But when grunge and gangsta rap took center stage, New Jack’s shiny veneer lost its luster.
4. Riot Grrrl
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More than just punk music, Riot Grrrl was a feminist movement in the early ’90s that screamed through zines and DIY shows. Bands like Bikini Kill and Bratmobile gave young women permission to be loud, angry, and unapologetically political. While its ethos lives on, the actual sound and scene burned fast and bright.
5. Chillwave
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For a moment in 2009, Chillwave was the sound of bedroom nostalgia. With its hazy synths, lo-fi production, and sun-bleached memories of a retro summer that never happened, acts like Washed Out and Neon Indian made mood music for daydreamers. However, by 2012, the genre had been mocked to death, and its creators quietly pivoted elsewhere.
6. Swing Revival
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Thanks to Swingers (1996) and Gap commercials, swing music made a weird but infectious comeback in the late ’90s. Big Bad Voodoo Daddy and Cherry Poppin’ Daddies filled dance halls with zoot-suited energy. But once the novelty wore off, most listeners traded their swing dancing shoes for turntables or guitars.
7. Skiffle
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A pre-Beatles British craze, skiffle mixed American folk, blues, and homemade instruments like washboards and tea-chest basses. Lonnie Donegan made it mainstream in the ’50s, inspiring a generation of UK teens to start bands. However, as rock ’n’ roll matured, skiffle was quickly seen as a quaint stepping stone.
8. Freestyle
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Popular in Latin communities in NYC and Miami during the ’80s, Freestyle was emotional dance-pop with electronic beats and heartfelt vocals. Artists like Lisa Lisa and Exposé brought freestyle to the charts, often singing about heartbreak over breakbeats. By the early ’90s, the genre had faded as house and hip-hop took over.
9. Glam Rock
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In the early ’70s, Glam Rock turned rock stars into glittery aliens and androgynous icons. David Bowie, T. Rex, and Roxy Music brought theatrics and flamboyance to guitar riffs and pop hooks. However, as punk emerged, glam’s cosmic glitter dimmed into rock history.
10. Witch House
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Spooky fonts, slowed-down beats, and occult imagery defined Witch House, a dark electronic microgenre that briefly bubbled in the early 2010s. Acts like ††† (Crosses) and Salem blurred the line between art project and music. As fast as it emerged on Tumblr, it vanished like smoke in a dimly lit bedroom.
11. Crunk
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Crunk was southern hip-hop’s loud, hyped-up party cousin in the early 2000s. With Lil Jon as its screaming prophet, crunk was designed for clubs, strip joints, and getting rowdy. However, when trap took over, crunk’s energy was repackaged into something colder and moodier.
12. Merseybeat
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Before the British Invasion was a term, Merseybeat was the jangly pop sound pouring out of Liverpool clubs in the early ’60s. The Beatles, Gerry and the Pacemakers, and The Searchers defined the genre. As those bands evolved, the genre name quickly became obsolete.
13. Bebop
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Born in the 1940s in New York clubs, Bebop revolutionized jazz with breakneck tempos, complex harmonies, and improvisational genius. Charlie Parker and Dizzy Gillespie pushed boundaries, demanding that listeners really listen. However, Bebop’s intellectual rigor made it hard to dance to, and jazz gradually shifted toward cooler, smoother styles.