Out-of-Touch Adults’ Guide to Kid Culture: What Is ‘Loser Core’?

This week’s Out of Touch Guide delves into the musical genre/sub-culture of “Loser Core,” a pointed response to overly polished music and Instagram-polished fashion. We also define some slang, so if a young person says you have EBK or nods and says “GiGis” to you, you’ll know whether you’re being insulted or complimented. And then there’s Biddy Blas, Star Wars fandom’s newest Glub Shitto.

What is Loser Core and the Loser Core Playlist?

Loser Core is a growing subculture and musical style among young people. The music is influenced by indie, alternative, and lo-fi, with lyrics that tend toward depressing. They’re usually about alienation, teen angst, and how hard it is to talk girls. Loser Core is like emo, but more homemade and more hopeless, or like grunge with less anger. Prominent Loser Core artists include Memo Boy and Wifiskeleton. Notable influences include Radiohead and Weezer.

The Loser Core look is anti-fashion: over-size, slouchy hoodies, anime T-shirts, digital watches, and beat-up sneakers. The personality type is alienated nerd with niche hobbies and few friends. So basically, depressed young people who gravitate to depressing music and a slobby look. No matter your age, I’m sure you knew (or were) this type of person when you were 17.

Here’s a video that explains it a bit more:

So that’s Loser Core, the genre and lifestyle. Explaining the prominence of the Loser Core Playlist is a little more complicated. Created on Spotify by depay178, LOSERCORE is a playlist of 155 songs in the Loser Core genre. Back in June, a TikTok user called @user406398991 started posted AI-generated cartoons to promote the LOSERCORE playlist. The videos feature a recurring cast of characters, are usually about music, and end with a recommendation to visit the LOSERCORE playlist. Here’s an example:

The videos started appearing on a lot of people’s feeds in October, raising the profile the musical genre and generating reenactment videos like this:

…as well as videos from artists who are confused at their own inclusion on the list, people selling rip-off merch, and people gate-keeping what Loser Core is and questioning the inclusion of some songs on what is becoming the canonical list. Also: a ton of videos asking, “why does this keep showing up on my feed?”

Online chatter about the playlist revolves around the perceived lack of quality of the videos, and why, exactly, someone would spend so much time promoting a playlist on Spotify when you can’t monetize the followers it gets.

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It’s a good question. There are indirect ways this list could be making someone money—maybe there’s a connection between the promotion and the bands on the list who get paid per stream—but I like to think it’s just kids who identify with these artists and want other kids to hear what they’re into, like people did with zines in the old days. We don’t have to monetize everything, right?

What does “EBK” mean?

EBK stands for “Extreme Baller Knowledge.” It goes beyond the sports reference to apply to to anyone who has deep knowledge of a subject. It’s usually used ironically.

What do you think so far?

What does GiGis mean? 

Pronounced like the name Gigi, “GiGis” comes from sports by way of gamer culture. The post game pleasantry “good game” has been a staple in sports since forever. Gamers adopted it and shortened it to “GG” in text. So GiGis is a way of saying “good game.”

Viral video of the week: Biddy Blas

This week’s viral video comes by way of a video game cut-scene. Star Wars: Galactic Racer was released on Oct. 6, and its breakout star has emerged: Biddy Blas. You won’t find him in any of the Star Wars movies or TV shows. Biddy is only in this one game, and basically only exists as an opponent to be beaten in a race. But Biddy is too great to go out in obscurity. Just check him out:

Soon after the release of the game, fans dubbed Biddy the “best Glup Shitto (Star Wars background character with a silly name)” and started making memes to celebrate him, like these:

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Biddy Blas’ popularity is the result of voice actor Richard Summers-Calvert’s spirited performance, particularly his reading of Biddy’s catchphrase, “scrib doon,” (i.e.: “Write that down.”). The phrase gets caught in your brain:

and there are so many occasions when “scrib doon” is the perfect thing to say:

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