- The earliest roots of synthpop can be traced back to the late 1950s and early 1960s, with the advent of electronic music pioneers such as Daphne Oram, Delia Derbyshire, Wendy Carlos, and Raymond Scott, who experimented with electronic synthesis and musique concrète.
1960s
- The 1960s saw a number of bands and artists that made use of electronic instruments, including the Beatles, the Beach Boys, the Byrds, and Pink Floyd. Experimental German bands such as Kraftwerk, Can, and Tangerine Dream also emerged at this time. These artists began to explore the use of synthesizers and other electronic instruments, laying the groundwork for the development of synthpop.
1970s
- In the early 1970s, the Moog synthesizer became more widely available and affordable, which led to a surge of interest in electronic music. Artists such as Stevie Wonder, Herbie Hancock, and Chick Corea began to experiment with synthesizers, and the instrument quickly became a staple of funk and R&B music.
1980s
- The 1980s saw the rise of synthpop as a distinct genre, characterized by the use of synthesizers, drum machines, and sequencers. Influenced by the likes of Kraftwerk and Yellow Magic Orchestra, bands such as Depeche Mode, Duran Duran, New Order, Ultravox, and Talk Talk emerged as pioneers of the sound, and synthpop would become one of the most popular and influential genres of the 1980s.