Webcore / Internetcore

Overview

Webcore, also referred to as Internetcore, Enacore and Old Web, is an aesthetic and a music genre defined by elements of 1990s and early 2000s Internet culture, with the era spanning roughly from introduction of Windows 95 in 1995 to introduction of Windows Vista in 2007. The aesthetic is inspired by system and application sounds, pixelized graphics and web design of the 1995-2005 era. Internetcore found its reflection in music and animation and shares certain similarities with Weirdcore and Vaporwave.

History

While elements of Webcore existed in many aspects online culture and other aesthetics such as Vaporwave earlier, the aesthetic did not achieve public recognition until 2020. In music, Graham Kartna's 2013 track Browser History is one of best recognized compositions within the aesthetic (music audio shown below).

The popularization of Webcore as an aesthetic is tied to the viral popularity of ENA, an animated YouTube series following the adventures of titular protagonist in a "very colorful world where nothing makes sense."

The series, which premiered in May 2020,^[1] combine multiple elements that define late 1990s software and web design, such as simple, colorful graphics, simplistic 3D elements and deliberately clunky animations. Additionally, the series contained multiple elements inspired by early internet culture, such as browser windows and objects similar to assets from early 3D video games.

The popularization of the series through 2020 resulted in appearance of inspired artworks and thematic music playlists, with terms "Internetcore," "Webcore" and "ENAcore" all being used to refer to the aesthetic.

Fandom

In 2021, multiple Webcore playlists were created by users on YouTube and Spotify. For example, on January 7th, 2021, YouTube user chickpea posted a playlist featuring Graham Kartna, Oliver Buckland, Lemon Demon and other artists that gained over 1.9 million views on YouTube^[2] and 6,600 likes on Spotify^[3] (shown below, left). On January 31st, 2021, YouTube^[4] user idonttrustatoms posted a playlist that received over 315,800 views (shown below, right).

In art, the trends saw minor popularity with users on Twitter, Tumblr and DeviantArt, with artists posting various artworks inspired both by Old Web and by the ENA series (examples shown below).

Search Interest

External References