Goth

Like the creeping death, Goth comes in waves, each variously tinged with shades of punk, ethereal, industrial, electronic, or rockabilly sounds. Make no mistake, the church of Goth is broad, united under universally accepted colors: black, purple, and ghostly white. Start with the music's pioneers, Bauhaus and Siouxsie & the Banshees.

The roots of Goth can be traced to two incubators: the Batcavers of London and the Death Rockers of Los Angeles. Both sects were imaginative offshoots of punk and nurtured a fascination with horror movie culture. Melbourne's Dead Can Dance had punk roots (via guitarist Brendan Perry), and added depth and sophistication to Goth.

In the lesser visited corners of Goth's expansive musical crypt, you'll find "My Love Paramour" by the Cocteau Twins, a shimmering, bass-y track spun round the vocal brilliance of Elizabeth Frazer, alongside "Fatman" (an underground hit in U.K.) by the Southern Death Cult, fronted by Ian Astbury, who would go on to form the Cult.

Of all rock's subcultures, Goth is arguably the most distinctive. White face, black clothes, purple nails . . . you're a Goth — and although you probably share a liking for the supernatural with 19th-century aesthetes, your taste in music is far more encompassing than most of the non-Goth community assumes. Our Goth playlist reflects the movement's variety, from indie rock superstars the Cure to underground heroes the Chameleons. All in all, an eclectic kind of darkness.