We wrote this article to introduce steampunk music to as many people as possible. You probably have a lot of questions about this musical genre. What is steampunk music? How does an artistic movement fit into music? Who are the most influential steampunk musicians? For the most impatient, scroll all the way down and you will find the 4 best bands of the genre, in our humble opinion. I am sure you will not be disappointed, enjoy. We will start with the basics ...
Definition of Steampunk music.
According to Wikipedia, steampunk music is a loosely defined genre of music. This means that you will find a lot of "similar" genres here.
Steampunk has a lot of cultural influences. You'll see that some steampunk songs reuse details from goth metal, dark metal, progressive rock, indie, and even Asian influences.
In a way, there is logic to this. Steampunk music was created in the same way that literature was created. So when you think about it, if there is a steampunk western theme in literature, there must be someone playing steampunk music like a cowboy.
Despite all that we have said, the style has a certain recurring pattern. Steampunk music always leaves a general feeling of rock opera. This is fortunate in a way, because it is easier to recognize steampunk bands from other related genres.
You should know that when you watch a steampunk band playing live, there will be a lot of vintage and retro-futuristic props and costumes. Steampunk bands usually have two to six members with styles that we like.
This rock opera theme is important because it allows the performers to bring a lot more steampunk attributes to the stage. When you go see such a band, expect a full artistic show, not just a few a capella songs.
Although not mandatory, accordions and cellos can usually be heard. What is constant is that you will probably find an exotic instrument accompanying the guitar, drums and vocals during the concert.
Steampunk music draws inspiration from the aesthetics of the Victorian era and steam engines, the industrial revolution and all the urban folklore in terms of visuals and sound.
And now it's time for the Steampunk musicians
We let them speak so that they can define themselves on this subject which is the subject of lively debates. They qualify their music and the style in general. You will then have a short video to make your own opinion.
The Clockwork Dolls.
"Steampunk music is unique in that it is not a musical style in the traditional sense. Rather, it is music that is set in a future world that never existed, a soundtrack to a universe of "retrocentric" technology that evokes the feeling of living in the perfect Steampunk environment."
Gentry's Confabulation
"I suppose that label would apply to music played by the modern folk masses who embrace the obvious superiority of steam! I, however, use the term 'punk', because I am a 'Steam-Gentleman'."
Dr. Camilla
"Steampunk is a lot of things and it's a pretty broad genre. I see a lot of people trying to be prescriptive about genres rather than descriptive - as if there's a specific sound that defines genres - but there rarely is. Not all rock albums have guitars and not all trance albums have the same synth sounds (even though people sometimes like to imagine they do)....The sound or aesthetic is constantly evolving with the artists who create it."
Escape the Clouds
"I think it's about ideas and possibilities. When I write a steampunk song or story, I want to take the audience to a place and time they've never experienced. I want to show them characters and adventures in a reimagined world that could have somehow existed. While there may be airships, goggles, and clocks, it's not really about those things.
It's about taking the listener on a memorable journey, and - if we're not careful - we'll get lost in time along the way!"
Extraordinary Contraptions
"Dimitri von Stadberg: It's anachronistic. A mixture of styles, places and things that don't go together, until we make something new out of it. Aelus Kristoff von Stadberg: It's a look, a sound, a state of mind."
Megan Jean and the KFB
"As far as I know, steampunk is an aesthetic that inspires creativity. I guess steampunk music would be one facet of that inspiration."
The Nathaniel Johnstone Band.
"Steampunk music is music made by Steampunk fans for other Steampunk fans.
In my wanderings through the world of Steampunk music, I have met many bands and solo artists who proudly fly the Steampunk flag. We all have different visions of music and lyrics, but we share a deep love for the narrative and aesthetic aspects of Steampunk. Some of us write soundtracks, some of us write drinking songs, some of us write intricate clockwork melodies if I may say so. There are elements of folk, industrial, gothic swirl, country, metal, hip hop, and there are even more textures and musical styles popping up every day.
One thing I see in a lot of these musical adventures is a mix of old and new: hip-hop beats with an old English flair, metal guitars with bluegrass mandolin, industrial beats with banjo over a Middle Eastern harmony, old-school punk with a musical saw, and I'm just scratching the surface! Luckily, we're still in a world where all the different Steampunk bands can carve their own musical paths. I hope it stays that way for a very long time!"
Painless Parker
"Ah, that's an interesting question. I play a mix of, say, folk songs, classic rock, punk, and country, and some original stuff that sometimes has steamy themes. While most of these shows aren't explicitly Steampunk, they fit well into its general aesthetic and play well at Steampunk events (which I often play at, since my friends in the community connect me with cool shows). I think of it like this: Cabernet Sauvignon isn't a steak, but they do go well together."
Unextraordinary Gentlemen
"Eric Schreeck: I thought the emphasis was and still is on the DIY aspect of people, making their own dresses and artwork. That's more of what the Steampunk ideal is. There are people who are seriously living this life in the Victorian style, using steam, fantasizing about a unique and colorful world. Steampunk music is music that is appreciated more exclusively by Steampunk culture than by other cultures.
Richard Pilawski: The stories are about machines. Musically, there should be elements of machinery—cranks, pedal strokes, heavy loops, the way gears turn. I try to symbolize that with the music. It’s crazy to find all these details that look like or are made with machines, like the drum machine. The keyboard is a canned instrument and an automaton. It’s like a band in a box, or a band. The machines should be the band. If the band only plays with an acoustic guitar and a drummer, it’s a folk band. It’s not a steampunk band. It could be Peter, Paul and Mary or John Denver. It should also have elements of the past, like the violin, which is the equivalent of a lead guitar.
Jennifer Pomerantz: I guess it's different for a lot of people. There's no music that's really Steampunk, and maybe that's the beauty of it, is that there can be all sorts of different types of musicians and bands.
Eric Schreeck: The whole subculture of Steampunk is inclusive rather than exclusive. There are no real age or gender boundaries. Some small factions can go off and do whatever they want, but for the most part, Steampunk is very family-oriented and wants to be a multicultural culture. More than, "You have to dress like this, etc. This applies to the music as well."
Valentine Wolfe
"Sarah Black: Anachronism is the predominant characteristic. This can include all aspects of the music such as lyrics, instrumentation, orchestration, costumes and stylistic elements. Much like in steampunk fashion, the music can be a melting pot of many different ideas, some of which may include but are not limited to the Victorian era.
Braxton Ballew: For me, steampunk music has three characteristics: anachronism/musicality, a DIY ethic, and an emphasis on narrative. Anachronism can be anything from ukulele playing metal, distorted guitars playing ragtime, cello rock in general, and dare I say, operatic singing paired with a distorted double bass. While I know that punk in steampunk came about a bit out of the blue, I think one of the great strengths of steampunk is the punks' greatest gift: DIY, empowering the audience to participate (and even challenge them) and, in effect, destroying the boundary between performer and spectator, turning it into a shared experience. That's vital and valuable.
And finally, the narrative: steampunk, after all, is a fantasy world with a hint of realism. I don't think the narrative has always manifested itself in the same way: it could be a story, an alternate identity, a costume, a pairing with other media, all as long as there is an element of fantasy.
And I could get in trouble for that, because in my opinion, once you have those three qualities, anything goes."
Vernian Process.
"Like Steampunk literature, cinema, movies, etc... music is simply any combination of old world styles with modern or futuristic flourishes. That's the easiest way to explain what I feel. It can range from Ragtime Hip-Hop to Music Hall Metal. Almost any modern style can be transformed into a Steampunk aesthetic. The hard part isn't doing it, it's doing it tastefully and professionally, which can be difficult to achieve. That's my personal definition, I've heard very different ideas from others, so like many things, Steampunk music has to sound right to the viewer's ear."
Steam Powered Giraffe.
I would say we are a rock band, with a touch of folk. I guess it's easier to say what our inspirations are. We listen to a lot of The Beatles, Electric Light Orchestra and Queen. We can do any genre, and we mix that aspect of harmony into everything we create, which gives us our signature sound.
When we started, a lot of criticism from other artists was that we didn't have a target audience. The idea of appealing to everyone didn't make much sense. We didn't have a musical style that you could put your finger on, and it was hard to determine whether we were more geared towards children or adults.
To this day, we have not yet defined this line. We want everyone to be interested in our universe. Whether you like Steampunk, Dieselpunk or Goth, folk music, psychedelic or rock, we believe we have something for everyone. And we would like to keep it that way. Steam giraffes look elegant and energetic enough to be fashionable and offbeat at the same time (special mention to the crazy Rihanna cover) . But because we do not focus on adult themes or bad language, we have been able to play to audiences ranging from babies to grandmothers, through all states of the human being (or almost).
Abney Park
Now here is the definition of this musical genre by the greatest, if not the first, true Steampunk group... Abney Park.
"Steampunk isn't a new aesthetic, and it's not always done well. So a lot of what you hear called Steampunk will either be an aesthetic you've heard before, or an example so poor that it also makes you think of it as "bullshit."
To confuse things further, Abney Park wasn't always Steampunk, and everything we do now is definitely not Steampunk. (If I could only write in one style of music, I'd kill myself!) So if you hear an Abney Park song, it might not be a Steampunk song, and you might be confused again.
So let's compare music to the Steampunk crafts you see online. It's "taking antique objects with a Victorian flavor and using them to decorate modern or everyday objects, like laptops, cars, watches, jewelry." It's not new. Hell, that look was everywhere in the 1960s and '70s, but Steampunk is the new name for it. Furniture, clocks, and lamps have never stopped mixing Victorian and Modern. And most modern formal wear is just plain Victorian, often unchanged in 100 years.
Another tricky part is that a lot of Victorian musical styles are still in use, like symphonic orchestrations. So when you hear that associated with the new style of Steampunk, you're not hearing anything new.
Abney Park takes the music of the Victorian era—cabaret, or vaudeville, or swing, or ragtime—and mixes it with an arrangement of modern dance and song. This fusion isn’t new, but there’s a new name for it. Steampunk, as an aesthetic, has been around for a long time, but as a subculture and musical term it’s brand new.
Here's a great quote that I think will provide perspective:
"We used to call it ragtime, then blues, then jazz. Now it's swing. Ha! Ha! White people are a mess. Ha! Ha! Swing!"
~ Louis Armstrong (to Bing Crosby)
Would anyone doubt that Louis knew what he was talking about? No, no. But would you then doubt that jazz or swing are valid and distinct genres? No, no. Names change and music evolves.
Steampunk music is the new umbrella term for vintage fusion music. There are now many subcategories like Electro Swing, or Dark Cabaret. Just like the term "Goth" has become an umbrella term for Bat Cave, and Death Rock, Black Metal, Industrial, etc. Journalists will always argue semantics, but in the end, all they are doing is arguing what everyone can clearly see.
So the short answer is that Steampunk is a fusion of vintage and modern music, focusing on styles from 1880 to 1930. If it's done well, which is rare. It's a new term, more than a new style."
So, as you can see, steampunk music is multifaceted and each band adapts its vision of the retro-futuristic universe with its tastes and musical influences. This presentation of the bands is of course not complete, we will expand it over time.
Thank you for reading and listening to these unknown bands that deserve to be known. Please share the article if you liked it.