Recently a new style of music has erupted over social media that is coupled with high energy ‘edits’ in short cinema form, such as on Ticktock and Instagram. These edits have become paired with specific styles, mostly including topics like cars, powerful quotes and high intensity gym training. But it is by far more popular with the car scene.
“What’s that sound you hear – a combination of down-tempo hip-hop, menacing bass, distorted drums and plucky synths? It’s phonk!”(Ward et al, 2024)
“Phonk today is actually a sub-movement called “drift phonk”, championed by Russian producers in the early 2020s. The name comes from the marriage of the music with TikTok videos of drift car racing.”(Ward et al, 2024)
Although the phonk that is popular today is technically ‘drift phonk’, it has taken over the term ‘phonk’ and is even the title of their verified playlist by Spotify.
“Drift phonk’s ominous rhythms and detuned (shifted from the original pitch) melodies are a perfect match for the adrenaline-fuelled culture of underground street racing. The relationship between phonk and racing videos helped spread the style across social media. It even extended to the Fast and Furious franchise, with the release of Drift Tape (Phonk Vol 1). (Ward et al, 2024)
“Much like hip-hop and punk before it, phonk’s use of distorted and aggressive sounds engages young audiences struggling with anxiety brought about by the state of the world. It’s a subversive soundtrack to a generation rallying against authority in a challenging geopolitical landscape.” (Ward et al, 2024)
“Its dark, hypnotic beats have become the go-to sound for creators looking to add energy and moody vibes to their content. You’ll often see health creators using the intense drift phonk beats to soundtrack gym workouts. Similarly, the almost EDM-like energy of 808 cowbell tracks fit perfectly with fast-paced car edits. And as drift phonk becomes more popular, creators are getting ever more inventive with how they use its intensity to make footage feel even more dramatic.”(McKenna 2024)
Phonk is used mostly in car edits, showing off their cars or their skills or even just driving with their cool cars to show off. There is something about this art form of music that makes car enthusiasts want to show off cool cars with it. Another thing to notice is that there is a very common theme of purple in playlists and album covers that is to express the strong aesthetic ties to the underground and urban night life with LEDs to capture that mysterious and dark style the music has.
References:
Bmw3. (2023). BEST Phonk music. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLkNxJuECtLXtDyUOXg6s-WUNBprMslM2Y
Andy Ward, Briony Luttrell, Lachlan Goold. April 15, 2024. How a global crisis, drift racing and Memphis hip-hop gave us phonk – the music of the TikTok generation. https://theconversation.com/how-a-global-crisis-drift-racing-and-memphis-hip-hop-gave-us-phonk-the-music-of-the-tiktok-generation-224960
Shane McKenna. August 19, 2024. What is phonk music? The hip hop subgenre to add intensity to your videos. https://uppbeat.io/blog/music/what-is-phonk-music#
Lithuanian Phonk. (Oct. 5, 2022) DRIFT PHONK MIX | Phonk 2022 | Фонк. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R2_aXRq8Qds
