Overview Most musical revolutions center on a new technological breakthrough. For modern synth pop it's definitely autotune.

For the 1950's Rock it was the simultaneous invention of the electric guitar and the multitrack recorder. For blue grass it was the invention of the record player, and for the late Baroque/neo-Classical period it was absolutely the invention of the phonograph. Even before that the invention of the hammer piano radically changed classical music forever. The ultimate technological discovery in music for Shadowrun is the SynthLink. A SynthLink is a piece of cybernetics that converts thoughts into music. The simplest way to use it is to just think about what you're hearing in your head and it gets recorded, but there are more interesting and subtle uses. The device actually converts all thoughts, dreams, emotions and perceptions into listenable frequencies. This invention has created two entirely new overarching genres of music: Thought and Dream. These are subdivided into ThoughtRock, DreamCore, DreamO, ThoughtPunk, DreamPop, et cetera, but there are some dedicated genius music-monks that leave their SynthLinks running 24/7 and have teams of mixers and producers combing through their every thought, emotion, dream and perception for usable bits to turn into music. Dubbing and multitracking background static with the harsh notes of physical pain, the delicate strains of lovemaking and any other sound you can think of are quickly becoming the newest sensation in music. As with everything else in the Sixth World, music is dominated by the megacorps. While the ubiquitous nature of the matrix allows for any artist or producer to distribute their sound and become famous, the vast marketing apparatus of the megacorporations coupled with their bleeding edge technological advantage means that your average denizen of the Sixth World has probably only heard corporate sponsored music. While every mega has some presence in the various entertainment industries, 80% of music in the Sixth World is produced by one of four major corps. Horizon recently exploded onto the scene through the purchase of Renraku Music Entertainment, itself a merger of Warner and Universal in 2019. NeoNET acquired a huge chunk of the music industry through the Sony-Fuchi-Novatech-NeoNET transconglomeration. Shiawase purchased several independent and vanity labels in the early 21st century to consolidate a potent force in the music industry that continues to be very strong. Aztechnology established itself as a major player in the music industry with the first breakthroughs in mass produced matrix music download bundles after the Crash 2.0. Notable Genres Chrome Rock An outgrowth of early 21st century speed metal, Chrome Rock is known for its ultra-fast rhythms and melodies. Chrome Rock resonates especially well with the cybernetically enhanced, especially those with sped up reactions and reflexes.

GobRock Loud, and pumping rhythms and angry lyrics sung by deep guttural voices, this genre of music is Ork and Troll music not for the faint of heart. A related genre, GobRap, is similarly politically and socially motivated but with a tighter focus on lyricism and faster beats. Staticore Composed from dubbed and multi-tracked background thought static over a hardcore bass line, Staticore is especially popular with BTL addicts and druggies. Artifusion Music composed by artificial intelligences, Artifusion is rapidly gaining popularity with hackers and technomancers. Artifusion encompasses a wide variety of genres and styles coming together to form an entirely new brand of synthetic music unlike anything ever heard before. Magisynth The hottest new music on the market is being produced by mages who have installed Synthlinks in order to record the sound of magic and astral space. Magisynth artists are exceedingly rare given the essence loss of cybernetic enhancements, but the phenomenon is growing as young and less talented magicians are realizing that they can potentially make millions of nuyen in the novahot music scene. Traditionalist mages argue that no piece of technology will ever accurately record the sound of magic and the astral, but that doesnt stop the legions of people buying every Magisynth track they can get their hands on. BollyPop Fast-paced and high pitched Indian Pop Music influenced by Indian Folk Music and mostly produced for Bollywood Trids has become the next big thing amongst UCAS teenagers. Voodoo Blues A late generation of blues mixed with Yoruba tribal music. Compositions feature percussion instruments such as the dundun and bata as rhythmic support for blues-type instruments such as the harmonica and sax. C-Pop and J-Pop Chinese and Japanese pop music, respectively, making use of synth lines and beats overlaid with traditional Chinese and Japanese instruments such as the yangquin (Chinese plucked instrument), the biwa (Japanese plucked instrument) the huqin (Chinese bowed instrument), bangu (Chinese drum), hotchiku (Japanese flute instrument), and shou (Japanese woodwind instrument). Fractal Phase Mathematically inspired synthetics merge with highly technical musical writing to create this bizarre genre of musical nerdity popular among hackers, tech junkies and out-and-out geeks. Notable Sublabels Rhino Entertainment A sublabel of Horizon, Rhino is the biggest name in the GobRock genre. Rhino has a reputation for treating its clients well and paying performers above the standard rate.

Nettwerk Music A major producer of Staticore, Chrome Rock and Artifusion that is a sublabel of NeoNET. SuperPop Records A sublabel of Aztechnology that produces some of the most famous (and forgettable) pop music offerings. SuperPop receives a lot of criticism from music aficionados who say that they create shallow pop starlets with no real talent. Chrome Connection A formerly independent label of Chrome Rockers and former Shadowrunners now under the Aegis of Shiawase. Drachen Entertainment A vanity label from Germany now wholly owned by SaederKrupp, Drachen focuses primarily on real instrument music with genres in classical, neo-classical, industrial and metal. Trademarked as the preferred music of Lofwyr. Notable Artists Maria Mercuriale An Aztlander Chrome Rocker known for her fast, angry music and her use of real-time synthlink sounds while dancing. Her amazing body control, spectacular cybernetic enhancements and natural physical beauty make her a huge hit with crowds. Trllreii Prounounced Trollreth and literally meaning Troll Wrath, this Icelandic GobRock band is famous for its vile, angry lyrics and outrageous, dangerous stage antics. Trllreii shows often take place in badlands where law enforcement doesnt dare show its face in order to avoid legal scrutiny. DeGauss An elusive and mysterious A.I. Artifusion musician known for creating exceedingly complex music utilizing instruments as primitive as rocks clacking together to the sound of HERF gun blasts. Some of DeGausss music cannot be heard in the normal range of human hearing, making his music especially interesting to metahumans, the awakened and entities with cybernetically enhanced hearing. Anhedonia An all elf Chrome Rock band, Anhedonia was made famous by the soulful and pain-filled lyrics of its front man, Billy Oz-Man Ossian. Slower and more balladic than many other Chrome Rockers, Anhedonia is famous for referencing known Shadow events in their songs, revealing that many of the bands members still have contacts in the Shadows. Astral Lightning A Seattle based trio of magicians, theyre known for their use of live instrument recordings and magical special effects. Calling themselves WizPunk, Astral Lightnings music is steampunk influenced and astral based, not to mention chock full of rebellion and cool. There biggest claim to fame is using summoned and free spirits in recordings and on stage as supporting musicians and featured performers. Christy Dace Christy Dace is the stage name of Christina Daikatsu, a sansei (third-

generation Japanese American) J-Pop musician from Los Angeles whose amazing voice and city-life schoolgirl troubles speak to legions of teenage fans. Blaine Garvey The singer who broke the glass ceiling for trolls, Blaine Garvey is a gigantic man with a beautiful baritone croon. His down-home New Orleans charm win over many non-troll audiences, leading some prominent troll musicians to call him just another Tusky Zanger. Buzz Kill An underground insect spirit shaman whose brand of Insectodustrial is staggeringly popular among rebellious teens and cynical adults. Despite his criminal record (Buzz Kill is wanted by the UCAS and the Pueblo Corporate Council for insect related crimes), Buzz Kill remains popular and continues producing his strange brand of music. Concrete Dreams The undisputed Kings of Chrome Rock, Concrete Dreams has been performing and producing music for almost 40 years. They first exploded onto the scene in 2035 with Sons of Thunder, a bonafide classic Chrome Rock anthem to the hopes and dreams of Shadowrunners everywhere. After several breakups, re-organizations and hiatuses, the original lineup of Concrete Dreams did a Sumer of 69 reunion tour, proving to the Sixth World once again that the old guys and gals still got it. Crimetime Russian GobRapper Crimetime is famous for introducing OrZet (the socalled ork language) to the music industry. His combination of Russian, OrZet and English lyrics about running from police, pushing BTLs, knocking over corp controlled interests and thumbing his nose at the syndicates laid over hardcore thrash beats is a fan favorite among dispossessed youth and older runners alike. The Latch-Key Kids Four good-lookin kids from Bollywood singing about drinking all night and partying until dawn with all the sex, drugs and synthehol that entails. While certain sections of the UCAS moral guardians view TLKK as immoral, trashy filth, that doesnt stop their music from being outrageously popular. Orxanne Female ork musicians are rare since the megas dont consider them marketable commodities, but Orxanne is the exception that tests the rule. Her genre bending music, incorporating influences from rock, industrial, pop, punk, rap and trance, covers a wide range of themes from orc rights and feminism to love and the loss of innocence. Her most famous song is a ballad to disenfranchised and oppressed orc youth sung in OrZet titled Be Ork. Big Foot Slim No one knows why Big Foot Slim, an Appalachian Sasquatch, produces music. His people are notoriously reclusive, living in small mountain tribes far away from civilized lands. Big Foot Slim is different, playing Appalachian Sasquatch folk music on home made instruments for no pay. In rare interviews he talks about singing to Father Mother Earth and preserving songs that will be lost before they can be forgotten forever.