Steampunk music is very broadly defined. Abney Park’s lead singer, Robert Brown defined it as, "mixing Victorian elements and modern elements." There is a broad range of musical influences that make up the Steampunk sound, from industrial dance and world music^[51] to folk rock, Punk cabaret to straightforward punk,^[85] Carnatic^[86] to industrial, hip-hop to opera (and even industrial hip-hop opera),^[87][88] darkwave to progressive rock, barbershop to big band.

[89] Joshua Pfeiffer (of Vernian Process) is quoted as saying, "As for Paul Roland, if anyone deserves credit for spearheading Steampunk music, it is him. He was one of the inspirations I had in starting my project. He was writing songs about the first attempt at manned flight, and an Edwardian airship raid in the mid-80’s long before almost anyone else…".^[90] Thomas Dolby is also considered one of the early pioneers of retro-futurist (i.e., steampunk and dieselpunk) music.^[89][91] Amanda Palmer was once quoted as saying, "Thomas Dolby is to Steampunk what Iggy Pop was to Punk!"^[92]