SO
SoundCloud indie
SoundCloud indie (also known as BandLab rock) is a style of indie rock that emerged in the early 2020s. The genre is defined as a form of indie and alternative rock emerging from the SoundCloud rap
Etymology#
In August 2025, music critic Kieran Press-Reynolds, writing for Pitchfork, coined the term “BandLab rock”, referring to the free online digital audio workstation, to describe “a new wave of SoundCloud indie rock” made by artists emerging from the underground SoundCloud rap scene who began to take an interest in alternative rock music while using beatmaker techniques. Press-Reynolds referred to the movement as an “online ‘indie music’ boom”.
Characteristics#
According to music critic Kieran Press-Reynolds, SoundCloud indie artists tend to be members of SoundCloud collectives and use beatmaker techniques like opening and ending songs with slowed versions of the instrumental, or “spamming sound effects like ad-libs.” Press-Reynolds noted that bedroom producers in the scene posted video tutorials on YouTube for “indie rock beats (without a real guitar)”. The scene is primarily inspired by artists Jaydes and Wifiskeleton. Artist Ayowitty stated that in 2025 a new wave of musicians began producing “Wifiskeleton type songs” and replicating his sound to the point of cliche, with fellow artist Bunii adding that artists imitating Wifiskeleton’s sound were popular across TikTok.
History#
In August 2025, music critic Kieran Press-Reynolds, writing for Pitchfork, credited musicians Jaydes and Wifiskeleton with inspiring a “new wave of SoundCloud indie rock”.
See also#
- Zoomergaze — a Gen Z revival of shoegaze
- Incelcore — an Internet music microgenre inspired by incel culture
- Internet rock — style of rock music inspired by Internet culture, which SoundCloud indie is a derivative of
- Genre family
- 2020s in music, 21st-century music genres, Internet music genres, Rock music genres