In art music of the last 35 years, the term minimalism or minimalist is sometimes applied to music which displays some or all of the following features: repetition (often of short musical phrases, with minimal variations over long periods of time) or stasis (often in the form of drones and long tones); emphasis on consonant harmony; a steady pulse.

Minimalist music can sometimes sound similar to different forms of electronic music, as well as the texture-based compositions of composers such as Gyorgy Ligeti. It is often the case that the end result is similar, but the approach is not.

Minimalist composers and performers include Terry Riley, La Monte Young, Morton Feldman, Tom Johnson, Jon Gibson, Steve Reich and Philip Glass (who has since rejected the term).

Minimal techno, a minimalist sub-genre of techno music, is characterised by a stripped-down, glitchy sound, simple 4/4 beats (usually around 120-135 bpm), repetition of short loops and subtle changes.