Gen-Z Optimism and the Bedroom Pop Era 

Maddie Bogan 

Rap/Hip-hop Journalist 

The year 2017 not only brought in the end of a decade but also introduced a new genre of music to the mainstream known as bedroom pop. With its lo-fi instrumentals and unique songwriting,  bedroom pop gained the attention of Gen-Z in the late 2010s. Many individuals associate this type of music with checkered Vans, wired earbuds, bold primary colors, and pink and blue sunsets. Hearing bedroom pop nowadays can easily transport Gen-Z back to this iconic period of time, similar to the stomp-clap music that Millennials popularized, or the Gen-X new wave strain. This article will mention several artists who have made major contributions to what we know as bedroom pop.  

It would be impossible to talk about this genre without discussing Cuco. Known for hits such as “Bossa No Se,” “Lo Que Siento,” and “Lover is a Day,” Cuco offered a memorable library of songs in both English and Spanish. The most common theme in his work is love, which reminds listeners that this feeling is universal in multiple languages. His production is simple yet effective, which is one of the key aspects of bedroom pop. 

Clairo is another musician worth bringing up. She was one of the key female artists who dominated the era. In 2017, she released “Pretty Girl,” which is one of her most popular songs to this day. Her singles “Flaming Hot Cheetos” and “Bubblegum” also gained immense amounts of traction. Following that, Clairo put out her debut EP, Diary 001, in 2018. Her first studio album, Immunity, came out the year after, which further solidified her spot on the bedroom pop Mount  Rushmore. 

Mxmtoon is another artist who deserves to be referred to. She collaborated with lo-fi hip-hop  artist known as ‘Peachy!’ to make the single “Falling For You.” As a result, more listeners started discovering her. She released her most-streamed song, entitled “Prom Dress,” in 2019.  This work was so influential online and in person that she recorded a version in Simlish to be added to The Sims, and it became the soundtrack to many prom-related TikToks during that year.  Overall, Mxmtoon became a considerable facet in pop culture among young people.  

The Norwegian indie artist Boy Pablo also had the perfect bedroom pop discography for the time. His dreamy production caught the attention of many individuals. Roy Pablo is the name of  his 2017 EP, and it included two of his most played tracks, “Dance, Baby!” and “Everytime.” Both songs were, and still are, highly listened to. He dropped his next EP, Soy Pablo, in 2018.  This project included “Sick Feeling” and “Feeling Lonely.” As a result, he became more well-known and praised. 

Tyler, the Creator has been in the music industry for a long time, and he is not strictly a bedroom pop artist, but he still has a strong presence in the genre. He released the album titled Flowerboy in 2017, which quickly became one of the fundamental works of the period. Flowerboy featured other musicians who had influence, such as Rex Orange County, Frank Ocean, and Kali Uchis. The conceptual art for this album was centered around gardens, bees, and the color yellow. This helped to define the aesthetic that Gen-Z wanted to achieve back then.  

Bedroom pop has not fully left the music industry yet. The idea of it has somewhat changed, but the style is still noticeable, especially to those who were tuned in during the end of the previous decade. This genre brings vast nostalgia and optimism to the young population, and there are way more relevant artists than the ones mentioned. If you are a part of Gen-Z and want to remember when times were way simpler, I recommend putting on some bedroom pop.