Goth subculture

Goth is a music-based subculture that emerged in the United Kingdom in the late 1970s and early 1980s. The subculture developed around gothic rock, a genre that evolved from post-punk while incorporating darker, more atmospheric elements. Key bands that shaped the early gothic sound and aesthetic include Bauhaus, Siouxsie and the Banshees, and the Cure. Other post-punk acts like Joy Division, while not strictly gothic rock, influenced the movement's melancholic and introspective approach. The subculture also drew inspiration from glam rock artists such as David Bowie and from literary and cinematic gothic traditions.

The goth subculture has survived much longer than others of the same era, and has continued to diversify and spread throughout the world. Its imagery and cultural proclivities indicate influences from 19th-century Gothic fiction and from horror films. The scene is centered on music festivals, nightclubs, and organized meetings, with major hubs in the UK, Germany (particularly through the Neue Deutsche Todeskunst movement), and Eastern Europe, where countries like Poland (Castle Party Festival), Czech Republic, and Hungary developed distinctive local scenes. The subculture has associated tastes in music, aesthetics, and fashion.

The music preferred by goths includes a number of styles such as gothic rock, death rock, cold wave, dark wave, and ethereal wave.^[1] Styles of dress within the subculture draw on punk, new wave, and New Romantic fashion.^[2] It also draws from the fashion of earlier periods such as the Victorian, Edwardian, and Belle Époque eras. The style most often includes dark (usually solid black) attire, dark makeup, and black hair.