Microgenre

A microgenre is a specialized or niche genre, often used to describe narrowly defined subcategories within music, literature, film, or art. The term has been in use since at least the 1970s, particularly in the context of music, where it refers to specific stylistic offshoots of prominent genres, such as the many sub-subgenres of heavy metal and electronic music.

Originally, microgenres were labels retroactively applied by record collectors and dealers, often to increase the perceived value of rare or obscure recordings. Early examples include Northern soul, freakbeat, garage punk, and sunshine pop.

By the late 2000s and early 2010s, the creation and dissemination of microgenres had become increasingly associated with internet culture, where online platforms facilitated their rapid emergence, which was often tied to internet aesthetics and online trends. Notable internet-based microgenres include chillwave, witch house, seapunk, shitgaze, dreampunk, and vaporwave.