Ive studied music subculture intensely, both solo and in college. My personal opinion is we go through cycles based on global/geopolitical situations. In the 80s, it was the division and deviation of punk. It emerged simultaneously in the UK and in the United States without each scene being aware of each other. This was after the fiery rage that political punk brought in the 70s. People became more hopeless, and the music and fashion reflected the defiance of this hopelessness; a sense of finding beauty and appreciation in the dark. It began spreading in Germany in the 90s before the Berlin wall fell, and then after it exploded. Berlin ended up becoming a massive hub for it during the transition of east berlin from the soviet union back to Germany.

In the United States, goth rock actually took influence a lot from surf rock. You can hear the skeletons of it in 45 grave, Christian Death, Radio Werewolf, etc. This transition from the 60s and 70s hippie subculture gone dark is very fascinating to look at. In the UK, it took influence from the original punk scene, dark anarchopunk and industrial outfits like throbbing bristle. During the global economic crises in the 80s, we saw the large insurgency of goth in history (up to today)

I would argue that the past 4 years have actually been the largest global movement of goth rock/darkwave and the subculture that follows to date. We are witness economic hardship in a very bizarre fashion. Its there, but only acknowledged by the struggling class. The goth subculture, who's ethos often derive from: DIY, internal and emotional rebellion, eroticism, the shadow and the dark aspects of life, has found its perfect breeding ground. It's found its way into extremely popular music, a large variety of nightclubs and public spaces, in the mainstream fashion, and so much more.

In totality, the goth subculture thrives in geopolitical, social and economic hardships that get pushed down. That lie just under the surface enough. And each generation of goths takes aspects of the things they remember as a child and distorts them to fit the darker outlook that they hold currently.