Top 18 'For-You-Page-Famous' Microgenres to play to Sound Like You're Ahead of the Algorithm in 2025 - Goh Ling Yong
Ever felt that dizzying sensation of scrolling through your For-You-Page, only to be stopped dead in your tracks by a sound that’s utterly bizarre, yet impossibly catchy? It’s a 15-second clip of a cat looking confused, set to what sounds like a medieval lute playing over a drill beat. You’ve just stumbled into the wild, wonderful world of microgenres—the lifeblood of the algorithm.
These hyper-specific, internet-birthed genres are more than just fleeting memes. They're the cultural currency of an entire generation of creators and listeners. They pop up, dominate the soundscape for a few months, and then evolve or fade away, leaving a trail of viral videos in their wake. For musicians and producers, understanding these niches isn't just about chasing trends; it's about anticipating them. It’s about crafting the sound that everyone will be using next year.
So, how do you get ahead of the curve? How do you make music that sounds less like you’re reacting to the algorithm and more like you’re feeding it? Consider this your sonic crystal ball. Here at the Goh Ling Yong blog, we've been peering into the digital ether, and we've identified the top 18 microgenres poised to take over your FYP in 2025.
1. Glitchcore Lullabies
Glitchcore Lullabies take the sweet, simple melodies of a child's music box or a gentle lullaby and shatter them with the harsh, digital chaos of glitch music. Imagine the comforting tune of "Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star" being interrupted by bit-crushed stutters, aggressive digital artifacts, and sudden, jarring silences. It's the sound of nostalgia being corrupted by a poor internet connection, creating a feeling that is both deeply unsettling and strangely beautiful.
This genre taps into our collective digital anxiety while playing on our shared childhood memories. It's perfect for short-form content that contrasts innocence with chaos—think videos of cute animals in surprisingly dramatic situations or serene landscapes that suddenly reveal something unexpected. It’s the sonic equivalent of a sweet dream turning into a technological nightmare.
How to make it: Start with a simple, melodic VST like a celesta or music box. Record a basic, memorable tune. Then, go wild with plugins like dblue_glitch, ShaperBox, or even just manually chopping and reversing audio clips. The key is to make the glitches feel rhythmic and intentional, not just random noise.
2. Y2K Revivalism 2.0 (Cyber-Fairy)
We've already had the Y2K revival, but 2025 is about to get more specific. Cyber-Fairy (or Fairy-Trance) takes the glossy, futuristic optimism of late-90s trance and euro-pop and infuses it with ethereal, fantasy-inspired textures. Think airy vocals drenched in reverb, shimmering synth pads, bell arpeggios, and a driving, four-on-the-floor beat. It’s the soundtrack to a magical girl anime set in a utopian cyberspace.
This genre thrives on aesthetics. It’s perfect for fashion, makeup, and art-focused content that leans into iridescent colors, holographic textures, and themes of digital escapism. The blend of high-energy beats and dreamy, atmospheric layers makes it versatile for everything from GRWM (Get Ready With Me) videos to epic drone shots of fantasy-like landscapes.
How to make it: Use classic trance supersaw synths (like those in Serum or Sylenth1) for your leads, but layer them with delicate bell sounds and choir VSTs. A driving 909-style drum pattern is essential. Drench your vocals in Valhalla Shimmer or a similar crystalline reverb for that signature "fairy" sound.
3. Subaquatic Lo-fi
Lo-fi hip-hop isn’t going anywhere, but it is going deeper—literally. Subaquatic Lo-fi is what it sounds like: chill beats that sound like they were recorded at the bottom of the ocean. The signature elements are heavily low-pass filtered drum samples, warbling electric piano chords that sound water-logged, and the gentle, ambient sounds of bubbles, whale calls, or muffled sonar pings.
It evokes a sense of calm, isolated introspection. It's the ultimate "study/relax/sleep to" music for a generation that craves a digital escape from a noisy world. On the FYP, it’s the perfect background for time-lapses of rainy days, journaling videos, deep-sea footage, or any content meant to feel cozy and insular.
How to make it: Take your standard lo-fi drum loop and apply a steep low-pass filter, cutting off everything above 2-3kHz. Use a chorus or vibrato plugin on your Rhodes or piano VSTs to create a "warped" underwater effect. Find royalty-free samples of underwater ambiences and subtly layer them in the background.
4. Cosmic Folk
Folk music's raw, acoustic honesty meets the vast, expansive wonder of space. Cosmic Folk blends traditional instruments like acoustic guitar, banjo, and mandolin with the lush, reverberating soundscapes of ambient electronic music. Imagine Bon Iver or Fleet Foxes recording an album aboard the International Space Station. The lyrics often touch on themes of wonder, loneliness, and finding one's place in the universe.
This genre is a perfect match for the growing trend of astrophotography, stunning nature footage (think mountains under a starry sky), and heartfelt, philosophical monologues. It has an epic-yet-intimate quality that can make a 30-second video feel profoundly cinematic.
How to make it: Record a simple finger-picked acoustic guitar part. Instead of traditional folk production, surround it with massive, spacey synth pads and long-tail reverbs. Add subtle synth arpeggios twinkling in the background like distant stars. A touch of autotune on the vocals can add to the futuristic, otherworldly feel.
5. Baroque Breakbeat
What if Vivaldi was a 90s jungle producer? Baroque Breakbeat answers that question by smashing the intricate, ornate melodies of Baroque classical music (think harpsichords, violins, cellos) against the high-energy, complex rhythms of breakbeat and jungle. The result is a chaotic, sophisticated, and surprisingly danceable fusion.
Its high-energy, dramatic flair makes it incredible for dynamic video edits, historical fashion content, or sped-up tutorials (like cooking or crafting). The juxtaposition of old-world class and modern street energy is inherently meme-able and attention-grabbing. It has that "what am I even listening to?" quality that makes people stop scrolling.
How to make it: Find royalty-free samples of harpsichord or string quartet pieces from the Baroque era. Chop them up rhythmically in a sampler. Layer these over a classic Amen break or other fast-paced breakbeat drum loop. Don't be afraid to pitch-shift the classical samples and add modern basslines to glue it all together.
6. Anemoia House
Anemoia is the feeling of nostalgia for a time you’ve never known. Anemoia House is the musical embodiment of that feeling. It's a subgenre of deep house characterized by hazy, washed-out synth pads, muffled vocal snippets from old home movies or forgotten films, and a gentle, persistent house beat. It sounds like a memory you can't quite place.
This genre is pure aesthetic fuel. It's perfect for montages of vintage footage, "core-core" style edits, or any content that aims to evoke a bittersweet, dreamlike mood. It taps into the internet's obsession with liminal spaces and the aesthetics of the past, creating a sound that feels both personal and universally melancholic.
How to make it: The key is sampling. Dig through public domain archives for old film dialogue or home movie audio. Heavily filter and saturate these samples. Use analog-style synth VSTs for warm, detuned pads and leads. Keep the drums simple and submerged in the mix to maintain the dreamy atmosphere.
7. Post-Punk Bossa Nova
Take the melancholic, angular guitar riffs and monotone vocals of post-punk bands like Joy Division or The Cure, and lay them over the gentle, swaying rhythms of Bossa Nova. Post-Punk Bossa Nova is a genre of beautiful contradiction. It's gloomy but danceable, cool but warm, detached but intimate.
This surprisingly chill hybrid is perfect for slice-of-life vlogs, coffee shop aesthetics, and "day in my life" content that has a slightly melancholic or ironic edge. It’s sophisticated enough for fashion content but understated enough for background music, giving it broad appeal.
How to make it: The guitar is crucial. Use a clean tone with a lot of chorus effect and play simple, melodic, minor-key riffs. For rhythm, use a classic Bossa Nova drum pattern with nylon-string guitar chords. Sing in a low, deadpan style. The tension between the sad guitar and the happy rhythm is where the magic lies.
8. Gothic Drill
The raw, aggressive energy of UK/NY drill music meets the dark, orchestral grandeur of a gothic horror soundtrack. Gothic Drill swaps out the typical drill vocal samples for menacing choirs, suspenseful string sections, and dramatic church organ stabs. The lyrics often delve into darker, more theatrical themes, painting pictures of modern urban life as a gothic nightmare.
This is a powerful, attention-grabbing sound. It’s made for high-impact edits, gaming clips (especially from horror or fantasy games), and edgy fashion or street-style videos. The cinematic quality makes any video feel like a movie trailer.
How to make it: The 808s and hi-hat patterns are pure drill. But for the melody, use orchestral libraries like Spitfire Audio or Kontakt. Layer haunting choir pads, staccato string stabs that follow the rhythm, and a deep, booming church organ for the bass.
9. Tavernwave (Bardcore 2.0)
Bardcore—the trend of making medieval-style covers of pop songs—is evolving. Tavernwave is less about covers and more about creating an original atmosphere. It uses lutes, flutes, hand drums, and lyres to create instrumental music that sounds like it’s being played live in a bustling fantasy tavern. It often includes background ambiences like clinking tankards, muffled chatter, and a crackling fireplace.
This is the ultimate soundtrack for the TTRPG (Dungeons & Dragons) community, fantasy artists, cosplayers, and historical reenactors. It’s pure escapism, instantly transporting the listener to another world. It’s perfect for time-lapses of fantasy art, D&D session recaps, or any video with a rustic, historical, or magical theme.
How to make it: Use instrument libraries that specialize in medieval sounds. The real trick is the ambience. Layer multiple tracks of royalty-free "tavern ambience" audio quietly in the background. Apply a room reverb to your instruments to make them sound like they're all playing together in the same space.
10. Digital Cumbia
A vibrant fusion of traditional Latin American Cumbia rhythms and the nostalgic, lo-fi sounds of 8-bit video games. Digital Cumbia (or Cumbia-Chip) pairs the distinctive Cumbia güiro scrape and bassline with chiptune synths, simple square-wave melodies, and crunchy, digitized drum machines. It's a joyful, energetic, and highly danceable genre that connects folk traditions with nerd culture.
This genre's upbeat, playful nature makes it perfect for dance challenges, cooking videos (especially for Latin American cuisine), travel content, and pixel art animations. It’s a global sound with a retro-digital twist, giving it a unique cross-cultural appeal.
How to make it: Start with the Cumbia rhythm. The güiro and the off-beat bass are non-negotiable. For your melodies and harmonies, use chiptune VSTs like Magical 8bit Plug 2. Keep the melodies simple and catchy, just like in a classic video game.
11. Hyper-Functional Music
Less of a genre and more of a production philosophy. Hyper-Functional Music is the practice of creating ultra-short (5-10 second) musical cues designed for one specific video function: a shocking reveal, a slow-motion effect, a "wait for it" moment, or a satisfying transition. Think of the iconic "Oh No" song, but an entire ecosystem of similar purpose-built sounds.
Producers who master this will be algorithm kings. Instead of making full songs, they'll be creating the essential sonic building blocks of viral trends. This isn't background music; it's the main event, perfectly timed to a video's punchline. I've seen my friend, the talented producer Goh Ling Yong, experiment with this, creating sound packs specifically for video editors.
How to make it: Think like a video editor, not a songwriter. What does a "plot twist" sound like? Maybe a record scratch followed by a dramatic orchestral hit. What does a "glow-up" transition sound like? Maybe a rising synth sound that resolves into a satisfying bass drop. Keep it short, memorable, and sonically descriptive.
12. Scandi-Trap
The icy cool, minimalist aesthetic of Scandinavian pop (like Aurora or Sigrid) collides with the rhythmic backbone of modern trap music. Scandi-Trap features sparse arrangements, breathy and ethereal vocals, and clean, simple synth melodies, all underpinned by rattling hi-hats, deep 808 bass, and the occasional snare roll.
It's a genre that sounds effortlessly cool and modern. It’s a perfect fit for minimalist fashion, interior design, tech showcases, and any content that wants to project a clean, sophisticated, and slightly melancholic vibe.
How to make it: The motto is "less is more." Use a simple piano or synth pluck for your main melody. Record airy, layered vocals with lots of reverb. Then, build a standard trap beat underneath it. The magic is in the contrast between the delicate, beautiful top-line and the hard-hitting, urban rhythm section.
13. AI Dream Pop
As AI music generators become more sophisticated, a new genre is emerging where artists act as curators rather than creators. In AI Dream Pop, a producer feeds surreal prompts into an AI ("a shoegaze song that sounds like a melting glacier," for example), generates dozens of clips, and then artfully pieces together the best moments. The result is a surreal, disjointed, and often beautiful soundscape that feels like it was pulled directly from a dream.
This genre is for the experimentalists and the avant-garde. It’s perfect for abstract visual art, surreal animations, and any content that explores the uncanny valley. It's a commentary on creativity itself in the age of artificial intelligence.
How to make it: Experiment with AI music generation tools like Suno, Udio, or AIVA. Give them strange, evocative prompts. Don't expect a perfect song. Instead, listen for interesting 5-10 second loops or textures. Export these clips and arrange them in your DAW, adding your own effects and transitions to create a cohesive (or beautifully incoherent) piece.
14. Greyscale Shoegaze
Shoegaze has always been about lush, colorful walls of sound. Greyscale Shoegaze strips back the color. It embraces a more minimalist, industrial, and monochrome aesthetic. The guitars are still drenched in reverb and fuzz, but the textures are colder, the melodies are more dissonant, and the overall mood is less dreamy and more desolate. Think My Bloody Valentine playing in a concrete bunker.
This is the sound of urban decay and brutalist architecture. It's a perfect match for black-and-white cinematography, moody street photography, and content that explores themes of isolation and industrial beauty. It’s shoegaze for a dystopian world.
How to make it: The guitar pedalboard is key. Use classic fuzz and reverb, but add in harsher, colder effects like bit-crushers or ring modulators. Record in a space with a lot of natural reverb if possible. Use simple, repetitive drum machine patterns instead of a live-sounding drummer to enhance the mechanical, industrial feel.
15. Dystopian ASMR
This isn't about gentle whispers and tapping. Dystopian ASMR creates its tingly, satisfying effect using the sounds of a bleak future. Think the quiet hum of a flickering neon sign in a rainy alley, the precise click-clack of a cybernetic limb, the static hiss from a broken radio transmission, or the rhythmic clank of machinery in a vast, empty factory.
It’s an oddly soothing genre for a generation steeped in cyberpunk media. It’s perfect for world-building, sci-fi costume/prop making videos, or as an atmospheric backdrop for coding or studying sessions for those who find traditional ASMR too "nice."
How to make it: This is all about sound design and foley. Use a high-quality microphone to record interesting technological and industrial sounds. Layer them into a rhythmic, atmospheric soundscape. Add a deep, rumbling synth bass pad underneath to create a sense of scale and dread.
16. Eco-Grime
The aggressive energy and lyrical prowess of Grime, but with a thematic focus on the natural world, climate change, and environmentalism. Eco-Grime samples sounds from nature—birdsong, rushing rivers, thunderstorms—and weaves them into the beat. The MCs might deliver bars about deforestation with the same fire they'd use in a lyrical clash.
This genre has a powerful message and a unique sound palette. It’s perfect for environmental activists, nature documentary-style content, and any creator looking to make a statement. The contrast between the organic sounds and the hard-hitting urban beat is immediately compelling.
How to make it: Start with a standard 140 BPM grime beat structure. But instead of typical vocal chops, sample animal calls or natural ambiences. Try using a recording of a woodpecker as a percussive element or the rumble of a thunderstorm as a sub-bass.
17. Goblincore Funk
Goblincore Funk is the sound of a swamp creature learning to play a bass guitar. It's a messy, earthy, and off-kilter take on funk music. It features wonky, slightly-out-of-tune basslines, drums that sound like they're made of logs and rocks, and vocals that are more like strange goblin-like chatter than singing. It’s funky, but in a chaotic, forest-floor kind of way.
This is for the weird kids. It’s the perfect soundtrack for videos about foraging, mudlarking, creating strange art out of found objects, or any content that celebrates the beautifully imperfect and unconventional side of nature.
How to make it: Forget pristine recordings. Use found sounds for percussion by hitting pots, pans, and rocks. Play a simple funk bassline, but don't worry if it's a little sloppy. The groove should feel organic and a bit clumsy. Add weird, pitch-shifted vocal ad-libs to act as the "goblin" element.
18. Sludge Trance
Take the euphoric, arpeggiated melodies of 90s trance, slow them down to a crawl (around 80-100 BPM), and run them through a wall of distortion and saturation. Sludge Trance is hypnotic and heavy, like a beautiful memory being dragged through mud. It keeps the emotional core of trance but gives it a gritty, weighty, almost industrial feel.
This genre creates a powerful, immersive, and slightly menacing mood. It’s ideal for slow-motion footage, intense workout videos, moody night-driving scenes, or any content that needs to feel both epic and gritty at the same time.
How to make it: Write a classic, uplifting trance arpeggio using a supersaw synth. Then, slow your project's BPM way down. Heavily saturate or distort the lead synth and the drums. Add a deep, distorted sub-bass that rumbles underneath everything, giving the track its signature "sludgy" weight.
The musical landscape of 2025 won't be defined by a handful of major genres. It will be a vibrant, chaotic mosaic of thousands of these micro-communities, each with its own unique sound and aesthetic. The key for any creator isn't to master all of them, but to listen, experiment, and find the niches that resonate with your own artistic voice.
Don't just replicate these sounds; use them as a launchpad. What happens when you combine Cosmic Folk with a Gothic Drill beat? What would a Glitchcore Lullaby in a Bossa Nova rhythm sound like? The algorithm rewards novelty, and the next 'For-You-Page-famous' sound might just be the one you invent.
So, which of these microgenres are you most excited to experiment with? Got any predictions of your own? Drop a comment below and let's talk about the future of sound.
About the Author
Goh Ling Yong is a content creator and digital strategist sharing insights across various topics. Connect and follow for more content:
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