New wave music
Pop-oriented genre branching from punk, popularized by MTV.
New wave is a music genre encompassing pop-oriented styles that emerged in the United States and United Kingdom in the mid- to late 1970s. Initially synonymous with punk rock, it soon branched off into a lighter, more melodic 'broadening of punk culture,' in contrast to the more atmospheric sounds of post-punk. Over time, new wave became a catch-all for several musical styles that emerged after the initial popularity of punk rock, such as synth-pop, power pop, and two-tone ska.
- field
- Music genre
- era
- Mid-1970s to late 1980s, with revivals in the 1990s and 2000s
- origin
- United States and United Kingdom
- known_for
- Pop-oriented, quirky, electronic sound; music video prominence on MTV; one-hit wonders
- subgenres
- Synth-pop, power pop, two-tone ska, minimal wave, darkwave, Neue Deutsche Welle, coldwave
Lore & Background
New wave commercially peaked from the late 1970s to mid-1980s with an abundance of one-hit wonders. Regional new wave scenes developed across Europe, particularly the Netherlands' ultra; Germany's Neue Deutsche Welle; Spain's La Movida Madrileña; France, Poland, and Belgium's coldwave; and Yugoslav new wave. The movement also inspired subgenres such as minimal wave and darkwave. By the early 1980s, the original new wave movement was considered over in the UK, being succeeded by the new pop and New Romantic movements. Despite this, the US continued using 'new wave' as an umbrella term for these new pop and New Romantic acts, such as on MTV. By the late 1980s, new wave's US popularity declined as other genres gained commercial success, such as glam metal, dance-pop, and alternative rock. In the 1990s and 2000s, new wave experienced brief revivals, labelled the 'new wave of new wave' and 'new new wave' by the press.
Reader's Guide
New wave's significance lies in its bridging of punk's energy with pop songwriting, its embrace of electronic sounds, and its visual style that became central to the MTV era. The genre influenced later internet microgenres such as bloghouse, new rave, chillwave, synthwave, vaporwave, and devocore. Common characteristics include a humorous or quirky pop approach, the use of electronic sounds, and a distinctive visual style in music videos and fashion. Musicians often played choppy rhythm guitars with angular riffs and fast tempos, keyboards, and synthesizers, with stop-start song structures and jerky rhythms. Vocalists were often high-pitched, geeky, and suburban. A nervous, nerdy persona was common, taking forms such as robotic dancing, jittery high-pitched vocals, and fashion choices like suits and big glasses. The term has been described as so loose and wide-ranging as to be 'virtually meaningless,' according to the New Rolling Stone Encyclopedia of Rock.
Did You Know?
- The term 'new wave' was popularized by Seymour Stein of Sire Records as a catch-all for styles emerging after punk rock.
- New wave's visual style became important for success due to the rise of MTV, which played British new wave music videos because most American hit records lacked videos.
- Regional new wave scenes included Germany's Neue Deutsche Welle, Spain's La Movida Madrileña, and Yugoslav new wave.
- New wave influenced later internet microgenres such as synthwave, vaporwave, and chillwave.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is New wave music?
New wave is a pop-leaning genre that grew out of the punk scene in the US and UK during the mid-to-late 1970s. It kept punk's energy but leaned toward catchier melodies, quirky arrangements, and electronic instrumentation rather than raw aggression.
How does New wave differ from punk rock?
While punk rock favored stripped-down, aggressive three-chord songs, New wave embraced synthesizers, polished production, and more experimental song structures. Think of it as the melodic, danceable cousin that branched off once punk's initial shock wore off.
What subgenres fall under the New wave umbrella?
The label covers a wide range, including synth-pop, power pop, two-tone ska, minimal wave, darkwave, coldwave, and Neue Deutsche Welle. Essentially, any post-punk style that prioritized pop sensibility or electronic textures over post-punk's darker atmospheres got filed under New wave.
Why was MTV so central to New wave's popularity?
MTV gave New wave artists a visual platform where quirky fashion, elaborate music videos, and stage presence could sell records just as much as the songs themselves. This made one-hit wonders and image-driven acts far more viable than in the pre-video era.
When did New wave music exist, and did it come back?
The genre was most active from the mid-1970s through the late 1980s, though it experienced notable revivals in both the 1990s and the 2000s. Its emphasis on electronic production and pop hooks kept it relevant as new artists cycled back to its sonic palette.
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