Noise Music

Synonyms:	Construction music, messy music
See also:	K-Pop, Christian Horse Girl Music
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In K-pop, noise music is a subjective, often derogatory term used by some fans to describe songs they perceive as unpleasant, disjointed, or chaotic sounding. It does not refer to the avant-garde musical genre of the same name.

Songs labeled as "noise music" in K-pop often have some of the following elements:

• Busy, layered instrumentals with many different sounds occurring simultaneously
• Heavy emphasis on EDM, hip-hop, and experimental elements rather than conventional pop melodies
• Prominent use of rapping, chanting, or shouting rather than singing
• Frequent beat and rhythm changes or "switch-ups" in song structure
• Unconventional sounds, dissonance, or atonal qualities that can sound jarring to some listeners

Boy groups known for this style include Stray Kids, NCT, and ATEEZ, though many of their songs do not objectively fit the actual noise music genre. The term is often used in a dismissive way by antifans to insult groups they dislike by implying their music is low-quality or unlistenable.

Examples

Some K-pop songs that have been labeled as "noise music" by listeners include:

• Stray Kids - "God's Menu", "Side Effects"
• NCT - "Chain", "Simon Says", "Cherry Bomb", "Sticker"
• ATEEZ - "HALA HALA", "Guerrilla"

Artists' Response

In response to the term, Stray Kids have attempted to embrace "noise music" as a positive descriptor for the group. In an interview with Teen Vogue, Stray Kids leader Bang Chan said, "We actually thought the term 'noise music' was something that we could use as our own weapon." They deliberately titled their album NOEASY (wordplay on Noise Music) as a response to antifans.