New Wave

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New Wave is a broad music genre that encompasses numerous Pop-oriented styles from the late 1970s and early 1980s. The term derived from the unrelated "French New Wave" and was originally used as a catch-all for the music that emerged after Punk, including punk itself, but may be viewed retrospectively as a less challenging counterpart of Post-Punk.

Although new wave shared punk's DIY-philosophy, the artists were more influenced by the lighter strains of 1960s pop while opposed to mainstream "Corporate" rock, which they considered creatively stagnant, and the generally abrasive and political bents of punk rock. Common characteristics of new wave music include the use of keyboards, angular guitar lines, agitated or jittery vocals and song structure, and a distinctive visual style featured in music videos and fashion.

Definition and Terminology[]

Much confusion has arisen over the term's usage in the United Kingdom, where it was coined, versus the United States. In the UK, New Wave referred to primarily guitar-based acts of the late 1970s such as The Jam, The Stranglers, XTC, and Elvis Costello and the Attractions, who created music in a punk-inflected pop style.^[1]^[2] In the early 1980s, colourful pop groups like Duran Duran and Spandau Ballet were referred to as New Romantic or synthpop, and often derided by former punk/new wave fans as 'chartpop' or 'Thatcherite pop'.^[3]^[4]^[5]^[6] For those more inclined to poptimism, especially in the music press, 'New Pop' was the term de rigeur (inciting attacks from Paul Weller himself on the 'New Pop Aristocracy').^[7] Most American music critics used New Wave in a similar manner as it was used in the UK throughout the 1980s, as an historical term to refer to punk-affiliated acts of the late 70s, while many in the US general public referred to British New Pop acts as 'New Wave' after the term had gone out of critical favour, further muddying the waters.^[8]^[9]^[10]

Subgenres and regional variants[]

Terms such as Coldwave and Darkwave have been used retrospectively to describe various goth-adjacent developments in post-punk/new wave, particularly in continental Europe, during the 1970s and 80s. NDW (Neue Deutsche Welle) was a contemporary term used in West Germany, typically applied to quirkier, more avant-garde German new wave acts like Trio.

Coldwave[]

Coldwave is a loosely defined music genre that emerged in Europe in the late 1970s, characterized by its detached lyrical tone, use of early electronic music instruments, and a minimalist approach and style. It emerged from punk rock bands who, influenced by early electronic groups such as Kraftwerk, made use of affordable portable synthesizers. The term can also refer to music otherwise described as "darkwave", "goth", "deathrock", "minimalwave" or "minimal synth".

Darkwave[]

Darkwave is a music genre that emerged from the new wave and post-punk movement of the late 1970s. Darkwave compositions are often dark, romantic, and bleak, with an undertone of sorrow. The genre embraces a range of styles including coldwave, etherealwave, gothic rock, neoclassical darkwave, and neofolk.

Neue Deutsche Welle[]

Neue Deutsche Welle (meaning literally "New German Wave") like New Wave was more a genre linked by a common aesthetic than any particular sound, although the intentionally simplistic and quirky lyrics (in German) and hyper-minimalism were certainly key characteristics of the German sound. Musically, the early Neue Deutsche Welle underground began with Punk roots but featured styles of electronic, post-punk, early dance-punk, and the earliest EBM. Neue Deutsche Welle began to find commercial and Pop music success by the beginning of 1982 with a batch of new artists and by the mid 80's was used to describe many other German pop acts with tenuous connections to the genre's original underground nature. A few artists in neighboring countries were included in the grouping (such as Switzerland and Austria) and a handful of NDW had international success in America with most songs still in their native tongue.

Fashion[]

70s-80s new wave fashion was highly individualized, but specific trends included:

Skinny ties
Mod suits
Big suits
Thick glasses
Sunglasses
Bright colors
Vests and jackets
Pins and badges
Teased hair
Band tees
Drainpipe jeans
Leather jeans
Baggy trousers
Trainers or sneakers
Plimsolls
Pencil skirts
Thick belts
Skinny belts
Dramatic eye makeup
Eye-catching patterns
Chunky jewelry
Unconventional layering
Polka dots

Music[]

Guides and Lists[]

Playlists[]

70s Punk and New Wave Singles by GorK
UK Punk/New Wave 77-80's by Nivenz
This is the Modern World: the New Wave in Britain (1977-1981)
new wave & post punk by Cleg_Official
80s Alternative and New Wave by Troy Brazile

Artists[]

*As explained in the Terminology section, many UK artists were only referred to as 'New Wave' in the United States. At home, most were simply regarded as mainstream pop of the synthpop, New Romantic, or New Pop variety. British/Irish artists considered part of 'the New Wave in Britain' are in bold.