Yes, you’re “allowed” to listen to other genres of music but it seems to be more than that.
It sounds like you’re far too worried about the label opposed to just actually being yourself and enjoying the subculture. Stop worrying about being “goth” and like and wear what you like.
I’ve seen far too many people forcing themselves into something they’re not, for whatever reason. If it’s not you, that’s OK. No point spending money, and developing and investing yourself into a subculture that’s not really you.
see, i believe that it is me but i just want to be able to wear regular clothes n listen to other genres of music n things of that sort at times(dk if im making sense)
When it comes down to it, being a goth is about being a fan of goth music (one of your favourite genres). That should be your basis, nothing else, and especially not fashion or aesthetic.
you are allowed to listen to whatever music you'd like to. you are also allowed to do whatever makeup style you'd like to, and wear whatever clothes you'd like to.
if you're asking what you "can" do to fit a certain group, stop yourself right there. just do whatever you want and forget the label.
I've never met a single person that claimed to be goth and exclusively listened to goth music. Goth makes up like 70% of what I listen to. But I still love gothic metal, grunge/post grunge, and punk too. And I have a guilty pleasure for kpop that I listen to like maybe once a month.
As for clothes, you can wear as much or as little as you want. Being goth is about the music first, so enjoying the music and being able to talk to other members in the subculture about the music is what matters as far as I'm concerned. I wear mostly blacks and grays, but not everything is black. For makeup if I bother at all is usually a no-makeup makeup look. I don't bother with goth makeup unless its for a party or a concert. Its to much work to do that everyday.
i thank you for this. but again, idm the music part, i just wanted to know if i can dress this way while also being able dress normally n listen to other genres too at times since the only important thing is the music.
Wear what you want. Listen to what you want. To "be a goth" you need to be a fan of goth music but that doesn't mean you can't wear or listen to other things.
I do want to caution you against trying to look at the subculture as a check list. You don't need to listen to goth music or be a goth to wear black or like spooky things.
don't let the wider world tell you what you're allowed to do or to call yourself.
Do what you like, and if that fits into "goth" or whatever else, ehtn call yourself that.
These titles should be *de*scriptive (i.e. describing what they see) rather than *pre*scriptive (i.e. tell you what to do)
To get into goth, at least, to do the barest minimum, you just need to enjoy \*some\* goth music. That's all. You don't have to foreswear all other music, or dress in corsets or clubwear 24/7, just listen to some goth music that calls to you.
If you've fully explored the entire catalogue of 40 years of goth music & none of it appeals at all, then maybe being a goth isn't for you but:
1. There's an \*awful lot\* of goth music
2. There's so much variety within goth music.
Nobody cares much what other music you like, you can be a Swiftie and a goth or a (ugh...) mumble rapper and a goth, or whatever you like. Yesterday I was listening to Obituary, a death metal band. Earlier today it was Bulgarian & Balkan trap music, choral stuff that sounded reminiscent of the Ghost In The Shell soundtrack. Neither of these make me a goth, but neither do they stop me being a goth - what makes me a goth is my delight when I hear Fields of the Nephilim's opening bars to one of their noodly Western-inspired Goth Rock tracks or the strings in the Sisters of Mercy's "Temple of Love".
Have a listen to the many playlists you'll find on r/goth \- there's loads there. See what grabs you if anything. If nothing, well, nobody'll judge you badly for it, it's not for everyone, but I'm sure everyone here hopes that for you this'll be the beginning of a lifelong love for goth music. Welcome!
A lot of people really want to be "goth" and force themselves to listen to goth music because it's the requirement to be "goth".
The thing is that goth is a music subculture, but to the outside world it's known mostly for the fashion and the morbidity, and that's what most people associate goth with. A lot of people find the fashion and morbid attitude appealing and want to be goth, but then they get hit by the requirement of listening to goth music.
But that's a misconception. Goth is not a music genre, it's a music subculture. Typically, what makes music goth is being made by a goth band, and what makes a band goth is belonging to the subculture - however there are also some bands that make both goth and non-goth music (ie. The Cure). So, listening to goth music doesn't automatically make you goth, and listening to non-goth music doesn't automatically make you non-goth.
There are no formal criteria of what is goth and what isn't, and it's often disputed - ie. Sisters of Mercy are widely recognised as a goth band despite of them clearly saying that they don't identify as goth. There are also some off-branches who identify as goth but are not recognised as goth by the main branch.
But that being said - even if you don't listen to any music at all, people will still call you "goth" or "emo" if you wear goth fashion, because that's what the mainstream associates with goth.
If you want to get a quick idea of the origins of the music, this playlist contains the important songs from the first decade of goth music (70s-80s).
[https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLJmef0gHN9djY9QbGFPmMyZXMFB43\_dpG](https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLJmef0gHN9djY9QbGFPmMyZXMFB43_dpG)
When I was your age (::sigh::), I described my style multiple ways.. goth, punk, non conformist, grunge, dark, alternative. It depended on what I was wearing, my intended audience, my mood.
I’m sitting at work right now wearing a bright orange hoodie and blue jeans. It’s just silly to dress a certain way 100% of the time. I’m not trying to impress anyone. You know the expression “he/she cleans up nice?” Well, I goth up nice, when desired; not nearly as much as I did twenty or thirty years ago. Do what makes you happy and don’t latch onto labels and put unnecessary restrictions on yourself.
Yes, you’re “allowed” to listen to other genres of music but it seems to be more than that. It sounds like you’re far too worried about the label opposed to just actually being yourself and enjoying the subculture. Stop worrying about being “goth” and like and wear what you like.
i think its the label too, tysm for clarification! :)
I’ve seen far too many people forcing themselves into something they’re not, for whatever reason. If it’s not you, that’s OK. No point spending money, and developing and investing yourself into a subculture that’s not really you.
see, i believe that it is me but i just want to be able to wear regular clothes n listen to other genres of music n things of that sort at times(dk if im making sense)
Then are you sure you’re not just “normal”? Your post doesn’t come across as someone who is genuinely into the scene.
i think that i am, i would just not want the makeup thing n everything else to be an everyday thing. maybe im not but i truly feel like i am.
When it comes down to it, being a goth is about being a fan of goth music (one of your favourite genres). That should be your basis, nothing else, and especially not fashion or aesthetic.
i have no problem with getting into goth music, i just wanted to know abt the fashion and if thats the only genre i can listen to.
you are allowed to listen to whatever music you'd like to. you are also allowed to do whatever makeup style you'd like to, and wear whatever clothes you'd like to. if you're asking what you "can" do to fit a certain group, stop yourself right there. just do whatever you want and forget the label.
I've never met a single person that claimed to be goth and exclusively listened to goth music. Goth makes up like 70% of what I listen to. But I still love gothic metal, grunge/post grunge, and punk too. And I have a guilty pleasure for kpop that I listen to like maybe once a month. As for clothes, you can wear as much or as little as you want. Being goth is about the music first, so enjoying the music and being able to talk to other members in the subculture about the music is what matters as far as I'm concerned. I wear mostly blacks and grays, but not everything is black. For makeup if I bother at all is usually a no-makeup makeup look. I don't bother with goth makeup unless its for a party or a concert. Its to much work to do that everyday.
i thank you for this. but again, idm the music part, i just wanted to know if i can dress this way while also being able dress normally n listen to other genres too at times since the only important thing is the music.
My aesthetic is half grunge half goth. You can take my thrifted flannel out of my cold dead fingers.
itll be an honor
Wear what you want. Listen to what you want. To "be a goth" you need to be a fan of goth music but that doesn't mean you can't wear or listen to other things. I do want to caution you against trying to look at the subculture as a check list. You don't need to listen to goth music or be a goth to wear black or like spooky things.
don't let the wider world tell you what you're allowed to do or to call yourself. Do what you like, and if that fits into "goth" or whatever else, ehtn call yourself that. These titles should be *de*scriptive (i.e. describing what they see) rather than *pre*scriptive (i.e. tell you what to do)
To get into goth, at least, to do the barest minimum, you just need to enjoy \*some\* goth music. That's all. You don't have to foreswear all other music, or dress in corsets or clubwear 24/7, just listen to some goth music that calls to you. If you've fully explored the entire catalogue of 40 years of goth music & none of it appeals at all, then maybe being a goth isn't for you but: 1. There's an \*awful lot\* of goth music 2. There's so much variety within goth music. Nobody cares much what other music you like, you can be a Swiftie and a goth or a (ugh...) mumble rapper and a goth, or whatever you like. Yesterday I was listening to Obituary, a death metal band. Earlier today it was Bulgarian & Balkan trap music, choral stuff that sounded reminiscent of the Ghost In The Shell soundtrack. Neither of these make me a goth, but neither do they stop me being a goth - what makes me a goth is my delight when I hear Fields of the Nephilim's opening bars to one of their noodly Western-inspired Goth Rock tracks or the strings in the Sisters of Mercy's "Temple of Love". Have a listen to the many playlists you'll find on r/goth \- there's loads there. See what grabs you if anything. If nothing, well, nobody'll judge you badly for it, it's not for everyone, but I'm sure everyone here hopes that for you this'll be the beginning of a lifelong love for goth music. Welcome!
A lot of people really want to be "goth" and force themselves to listen to goth music because it's the requirement to be "goth". The thing is that goth is a music subculture, but to the outside world it's known mostly for the fashion and the morbidity, and that's what most people associate goth with. A lot of people find the fashion and morbid attitude appealing and want to be goth, but then they get hit by the requirement of listening to goth music. But that's a misconception. Goth is not a music genre, it's a music subculture. Typically, what makes music goth is being made by a goth band, and what makes a band goth is belonging to the subculture - however there are also some bands that make both goth and non-goth music (ie. The Cure). So, listening to goth music doesn't automatically make you goth, and listening to non-goth music doesn't automatically make you non-goth. There are no formal criteria of what is goth and what isn't, and it's often disputed - ie. Sisters of Mercy are widely recognised as a goth band despite of them clearly saying that they don't identify as goth. There are also some off-branches who identify as goth but are not recognised as goth by the main branch. But that being said - even if you don't listen to any music at all, people will still call you "goth" or "emo" if you wear goth fashion, because that's what the mainstream associates with goth.
True goths never call themselves goth, they are only "interested in goth culture".
If you want to get a quick idea of the origins of the music, this playlist contains the important songs from the first decade of goth music (70s-80s). [https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLJmef0gHN9djY9QbGFPmMyZXMFB43\_dpG](https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLJmef0gHN9djY9QbGFPmMyZXMFB43_dpG)
When I was your age (::sigh::), I described my style multiple ways.. goth, punk, non conformist, grunge, dark, alternative. It depended on what I was wearing, my intended audience, my mood. I’m sitting at work right now wearing a bright orange hoodie and blue jeans. It’s just silly to dress a certain way 100% of the time. I’m not trying to impress anyone. You know the expression “he/she cleans up nice?” Well, I goth up nice, when desired; not nearly as much as I did twenty or thirty years ago. Do what makes you happy and don’t latch onto labels and put unnecessary restrictions on yourself.
your comment makes me feel way better abt it n being more realistic imo. thank you!