Electro is a genre of electronic music characterized by its prominent use of drum machines, particularly the Roland TR-808, and often features synthesized or vocoded vocals. Emerging in the early 1980s, primarily influenced by funk, early hip hop, and the electronic sounds of artists like Kraftwerk, Electro typically has a robotic, futuristic feel with strong, often syncopated, beats and a focus on synthesized basslines and melodies. While its mainstream popularity has ebbed and flowed, Electro remains an influential genre, having contributed to the development of hip hop, techno, and various other electronic music styles.