The Best Electropop Artists to Know

The electropop canon spans five decades and several countries, but certain artists are essential reference points for anyone exploring the genre. The list below covers the foundational figures, the revivalists, and the contemporary acts who have shaped and continue to shape what the genre sounds like.

Kraftwerk

No discussion of the genre begins anywhere other than Kraftwerk. The Düsseldorf group's records from the mid-1970s onwards — "Trans-Europe Express", "The Man-Machine", "Computer World" — established the sonic and conceptual language that has been drawn on ever since. Their influence extends to virtually every major artist in the field and beyond it.

Depeche Mode

Depeche Mode took the cold electronic textures of early electropop and loaded them with dark emotional content. Their run of albums from "Some Great Reward" (1984) through "Violator" (1990) is among the most consistent bodies of work in the genre. They remain one of the best-selling acts in its history.

The Human League

The Sheffield act produced one of the definitive records with "Dare" (1981), which contained "Don't You Want Me" — still one of the most widely recognised singles in the genre. Their trajectory from avant-garde art-pop to polished chart music represents its own development in miniature.

Robyn

The Swedish artist's return to prominence in the mid-2000s repositioned electropop as a vehicle for serious artistic expression. "Body Talk" (2010) is consistently cited among the best albums in the genre. Robyn's influence on subsequent artists is substantial and ongoing.

Carly Rae Jepsen

Jepsen's "Emotion" (2015) achieved something rare: a genuinely great record that reached mainstream audiences and also earned the sustained attention of critics and music obsessives. Her follow-up albums have built on this, making her one of the most consistent contemporary artists in the field.

Charli XCX

Charli XCX started as a conventional pop songwriter and evolved into one of the most distinctive voices at the electropop and hyperpop intersection. Her "Brat" era (2024) brought her version of the sound to its widest audience. She represents the direction in which the genre's most experimental strand is currently travelling.

Caroline Polachek

Polachek's work combines the genre's structures with avant-garde production choices and an unusual vocal style. Her albums "Pang" (2019) and "Desire, I Want to Turn Into You" (2023) demonstrate the range that remains available within the framework when a distinctive artistic sensibility is applied.

For the essential records, see the electropop albums guide. For where to start listening, see electropop for newcomers.

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