Gothic

Gothic culture is a subculture that emerged from the punk and new wave scene in the early 1980s and is made up of several splinter cultures. It existed in the 1980s and 1990s as part of the dark wave movement and formed the hub of the so-called black scene until the turn of the millennium. The basic element that enabled the development of gothic culture was the combination of music (gothic rock), a fascination with themes such as death and transience and the resulting self-presentation. Literature and film (gothic fiction) had a major influence here, and their themes had a significant impact on the appearance of the scene. The followers of Gothic culture are referred to as Goths across all countries, although this term is rarely used within the scene, is even rejected by many members of the scene and is often questioned. The reasons for this can be found in the attempt to preserve one's own individuality.[1] In German-speaking countries, the term Grufti(e) is also commonly used. In the first decade of the 21st century, the term Gothic was misappropriated as a marketing label by the music industry, but also by the commercial media, which gave rise to a further reason for its rejection as a scene name. Bands from non-scene music cultures, such as metal, medieval rock, Neue Deutsche Härte or visual kei, were increasingly marketed as gothic, while the centre of the gothic movement gradually fell into obscurity.