Genre story · Alternative
New Wave
A post-punk-era name broad enough to include clipped guitar bands, stylish synth-pop and radio-ready experiments.
New wave first circulated as a label for some of the new music that arrived alongside punk in the later 1970s. In Britain and the United States it covered artists who rejected an older mainstream rock style while remaining more pop-oriented, rhythmically playful or studio-conscious than much straight punk. Talking Heads, Blondie and the Cars all became prominent references, although they sounded quite different. By the early 1980s the term had expanded to include synthesizer-led pop and many acts associated with music television.
A restless pop vocabulary
New wave often favors tight, memorable songs with sharp rhythms. Guitars can be clipped and dry, while synths, drum machines and unconventional vocals offer other directions. Some records are sardonic and nervous; others are glossy and overtly danceable. The term's breadth is part of its history, so the definition must identify a period and musical culture rather than insist on one instrument.
Beyond punk
New Wave shares an origin period and personnel with Post-Punk but does not mean exactly the same thing. Post-Punk usually points toward a more exploratory approach; New Wave increasingly included pop and commercial production. Darkwave and Synth-Pop also share part of its vocabulary. Influence and historical proximity are more reliable here than an exclusive strict child relationship to Punk Rock.
Essential recordings
- 1977Talking HeadsTalking Heads: 77Quirky songs and nervous rhythmic precision.
- 1978BlondieParallel LinesPop hooks moving through the New York punk milieu.
- 1981The Human LeagueDareA later synthesizer-centered moment with strong pop construction.