Historically, the Goth scene grew out of the post-Punk movement of the late 1970s . The separation of the two was brought about, in the main, by youth from materially-secure, well-educated families. They saw Punk as a way of revolting against the perceived mind-boggingly-boring and indifferent life of their parents. Pretty rapidly discovering that they couldn't hack Punk's extroverted lifestyle, these people went on to create their own sub-culture. Their rebellion was not political or social - it was an aesthetically-inspired one - creating a gothic lifestyle.

Since the mid-nineties, after a decline at the end of the eighties and perhaps spurred on by 'pre-millennial tension', the Goth scene has undergone something of a revival - gigs are frequently well-attended, and there are a fair number of 'big' bands on the Goth scene, although few have enjoyed real commercial success. It is frequently argued that commercialisation of Goth events destroys what is referred to as the 'family'. These events are, at times, called 'family gatherings'... a family which does not mind that there are more black than white sheep in it.

The biggest event world-wide is the Wave-Gotik-Treffen (WGT) which takes place in Leipzig, Germany, each year over Whitsun.