From the moment I first discovered bands like Blonde, The B-52’s, and Talking Heads, I instantly fell in love with the quirky, unique style of New Wave art bands. Their music was nothing like I had ever heard before, but when I usually tell people about it, they look at me like I'm speaking a foreign language. Even though it's probably one of the strangest genres in the history of music, it's also a genre that dominated an entire decade and has influenced bands in the modern era.
When will you ever see people making weird animal noises on stage or sing while wearing flower pots on their heads? Probably never! New Wave was all about experimenting with sounds, colors, clothing, and just generally being weird and ‘artsy’. Many New Wave bands were made up of drop-out art students with only a synthesizer and a few guitars, and their broke-ness inspired them to push the boundaries and make themselves known with as little knowledge or equipment as possible. How else would we have the iconic Flock of Seagulls haircut if not for the pressure and competition for maximum weirdness?
These artists had to produce styles and ideas no one had ever heard before and created a culture that both shocked and excited the musical world of the early 1980s.
First off, we must discuss New Wave’s origins. Back in the late ‘70s and early ‘80s, around the time that punk bands were in their prime, many people wanted to enjoy the rapid tempos and choppy guitar sounds of punk bands, but were scared of its aggressive culture and lyrics. So, artists began to incorporate synthesizers, disco, and pop styles with the exciting punk genre while also appealing to a wider and younger demographic and Viola! New Wave was born!
Of course, people weren't always super pumped about it. After all, it basically ripped off a genre and is essentially punk for preps, but hey, a lot of people like to get down to a funky synth once in a while, so who cares how washed-out and “out there” it is? New Wave was all about making a genre for people who just wanted to have fun, not get mild concussions in mosh pits or put safety pins through their noses, leather jackets, and other loose extremities.
During the '80s, other acts emerged like the Go-Gos, the Cars, Devo, Squeeze, and Duran Duran. Thanks to the power of MTV, New Wave had a platform to share their fun and creative ideas with boring, suburban teenagers looking for an image to call their own. Without this music, the '80s music would not have its iconic sound, nor the fantastic success and power of MTV.
The reason I fell in love with this genre is because I identified with being the “weird kid” on the block that many of these bands felt like in the music world. They didn't always fit in, and their musical expression wasn't always received well, but they loved what they did, and they weren't afraid to stand out or refuse to conform to the regular, pop ideals that many other genres followed. New Wave isn't a genre for everyone; it's an acquired taste that only the weirdest music fans can truly appreciate. Still, its unpopularity doesn't reduce its value and talent. It still rages on in our parent’s music libraries, probably hidden by Bon Jovi and Def Leppard cassettes in the back of their closets, and just because some of our parents have outgrown it doesn't mean we have to.
In the 2000s, bands like The Strokes and The Killers have drawn inspiration from this era, and are often coined as “the new wave of New Wave." Some may view this genre as a passing fad that was memorable and quite awkward at times, but even through all the cringe-worthy moments we found style, the history of musical integration between England and America like back in the 1960s during the British Invasion (The Beatles, Rolling Stones, etc.), and a style with vibrant music, colors, personalities, and under appreciated talent.
So, if you'd like to check out a few wacky New Waves bands, here are a few for your viewing pleasure!
