Etymology and usage New wave music

blondie, 1976. l–r: gary valentine, clem burke, deborah harry, chris stein , jimmy destri.

the catch-all nature of new wave music has been source of confusion , controversy. 1985 discography s new wave in music listed artists in on 130 separate categories. new rolling stone encyclopedia of rock calls term virtually meaningless , while allmusic mentions stylistic diversity .

new wave first emerged rock genre in 1970s, used critics including nick kent , dave marsh classify such new york-based groups velvet underground , new york dolls. gained currency beginning in 1976 when appeared in uk punk fanzines such sniffin glue , newsagent music weeklies such melody maker , new musical express. in november 1976 caroline coon used malcolm mclaren s term new wave designate music bands not punk, related same musical scene. term used in sense music journalist charles shaar murray in comments boomtown rats. period of time in 1976 , 1977, terms new wave , punk interchangeable. end of 1977, new wave had replaced punk definition new underground music in uk.

—john foxx

in united states, sire records chairman seymour stein, believing term punk mean poor sales sire s acts had played club cbgb, launched don t call punk campaign designed replace term new wave . radio consultants in united states had advised clients punk rock fad, settled on term new wave . filmmakers of french new wave movement (after whom genre named), new artists anti-corporate , experimental (e.g. ramones , talking heads). @ first, u.s. writers exclusively used term new wave british punk acts. starting in december 1976, new york rocker, suspicious of term punk , became first american journal enthusiastically used term starting british acts, later appropriating acts associated cbgb scene. part of attracted stein , others new wave music’s stripped style , upbeat tempos, viewed needed return energetic rush of rock , roll , 1960s rock had dwindled in 1970s ascendance of overblown progressive rock , stadium spectacles.

talking heads performing in toronto in 1978

music historian vernon joynson claimed new wave emerged in uk in late 1976, when many bands began disassociating punk. music followed anarchic garage band ethos of sex pistols distinguished punk , while music tended toward experimentation, lyrical complexity or more polished production, came categorized new wave . in u.s., first new wavers not-so-punk acts associated new york club cbgb (e.g. talking heads, mink deville , blondie).

cbgb owner hilly kristal, referring first show of band television @ club in march 1974, said, think of beginning of new wave. furthermore, many artists have been classified punk termed new wave. 1977 phonogram records compilation album of same name (new wave) features artists including dead boys, ramones, talking heads , runaways.

us/uk differences

new wave more closely tied punk , came , went more in united kingdom in united states. @ time punk began, major phenomenon in united kingdom , minor 1 in united states. when new wave acts started getting noticed in america, punk meant little mainstream audience , common rock clubs , discos play british dance mixes , videos between live sets american guitar acts.

post-punk music developments in uk became mainstream , considered unique cultural events. 1980s, british journalists largely had abandoned term new wave in favor of subgenre terms such synthpop . 1983, term of choice music industry had become new music , while majority of fans still new wave reacting album-based rock.

synonym of synthpop


—music critic bill flannigan writing in 1989

new wave died out in mid-1980s, knocked out guitar-driven rock reacting against new wave. of remainder of 1980s term new wave applied every new pop, dance pop or pop rock artist predominantly used synthesizers.

duran duran in 1981. top line: nick rhodes (keyboards), simon le bon (vocals); middle: john taylor (bass); bottom line: roger taylor (drums), andy taylor (guitar).

in 21st century united states, new wave used describe artists such morrissey, duran duran, cyndi lauper , devo. late 1970s new wave acts such pretenders , cars more found on classic rock playlists on new wave playlists there. reflecting british origins, 2004 study popular music genres: introduction had 1 paragraph dedicated 1970s new wave artists in punk chapter in contrast 20-page chapter on 1980s synthpop.