Skip to main content

Goth

A music-based subculture that evolved out of punk in the late 70's

Besides punk rock, early musical influences for goth come from The Doors and the Velvet Underground

Staples of the genre include:
Low pitch, drawling vocals inspired by Jim Morrison; fast drum beats (often programmed), or slow, tribal drums; punk rock rhythm guitar over repetitive, high pitched bass-lines and spacy lead guitars; lyrics dealing with macabre or dramatic subjects

Gateway bands:
Bauhaus, Joy Division, Siouxsie and the Banshees and Christian Death

The visual style of goths comes from Punk, Post-Punk and Glam Rock:
Black clothes; teased, spiky hair, sometimes with the sides shaved; makeup; black nails; accessories such as studs, crosses, webs; boots; leather or denim jackets; fishnets

As far as political views go, goth is left-wing like the punk sub-culture it evolved out of
A lot of poser Goths will tell you goth is "apolitical" however being right of center is in direct contradiction to the goth subculture.
If you're a goth, you're already punk by default and if you're punk without being left-leaning, then you are a poser.

You have to be a goth music fan in order to be goth and you can't be a Nazi. Two very simple rules that no one seems to get right :)
Goth is not "a mindset"; there are goth sensibilities and common values, and the vehicle for that is goth music
Goth isn't always a style of dress. Joy Division don't "look" all that goth but I'd say early Joy Division were Goths
"my favorite Goth band is Nosferatu"
"I like your hair: it's very Goth"
"Movies such as Dracula give me heavy Goth-vibes"
by Gwen Gacy March 16, 2022
mugGet the Goth mug.

Goth

- my dad is goth.

- your dad is super cool vegan social worker.
by CC member March 24, 2022
mugGet the Goth mug.

Samuel Goth

Samuel Goth is a character that appears in The Sims 3: Supernatural, he appears as a ghost in a house with his wife Olivia, and niece Frida, who are also ghosts, they all share a house with Helen Hall (not a ghost)
Who is Samuel Goth, he is the great uncle of Mortimer, and after he died, his wife was distraught and inadvertedly electrocuted herself, starting a fire that killed herself and Frida.
by BlankCanvas742 April 4, 2022
mugGet the Samuel Goth mug.

bubble goth

a newer type of goth subculture created by estonian singer, kerli
"make the beautiful, creepy and the creepy, beautiful"
"do you know kerli? her bubble goth style is so cute!"
by 3_5h4 February 17, 2021
mugGet the bubble goth mug.

Goth x Palette

Jimmy was bored so he searched Goth x Palette,now his innocence were ruined.
by Urbanperv March 31, 2021
mugGet the Goth x Palette mug.

Goth

/ɡäTH/

"Goth" most commonly refers to the music-based subculture that began during the late 70s/early 1980s with the creation of the gothic rock subgenre, an offshoot of "post-punk". The music preferred by goths includes a number of styles such as gothic rock, death rock, post-punk, cold wave, dark wave, and ethereal wave. Although music-based, the subculture also has strong fashion aspects as well, The style most often includes dark (usually solid black) attire, dark makeup, and black hair. This subculture also appreciates the beauty in the more darker things in life. "Goth" is NOT synonymous with being depressed.

Other uses of the word "Goth" include:
1)Germanic people who played a major role in the fall of the Western Roman Empire
2) An architectural style used in medieval times and later in Victorian times.
Person 1: Why are those people over there dressed in all black like that and listening to that music?
Person 2: Those are Goths, and they're listening to Gothic rock
by nukacolas April 1, 2021
mugGet the Goth mug.

Goth

Forget the meaning of life!
The real question is,what are goths?!
As a goth girl even I’m confused about this.
Well.Here’s a list of everything we are not.
1)Vampires
2)Freaks
3)Satan Worshippers

The most popular belief is that goths are people that wear black all the time and listen to bands such as Bauhaus,The Cure,Siouxie and the banshees.Those are some good bands that you should listen to btw.
A lot of goths are like that.But sometimes it’s different.There is pastel goth and cyber goth and etc.
The other thing is,no goth band or musician actually thinks there goth,it’s just that the gothic community has sort weaseled them in to goth because we like their music.
And yes,we can actually feel happiness,contrary to popular belief.
Karen:*sees goth*
Karen(talking to her son):Jimmy cover your eyes there’s a satanic freak over there.
Goth:I don’t give a crap,crazy lady.
by mystic_shadow April 3, 2021
mugGet the Goth mug.

Share this definition

Sign in to vote

We'll email you a link to sign in instantly.

Or

Check your email

We sent a link to

Open your email