New wave music

New Wave (or New Wave music) is a style of rock music that developed in the late 1970s and early 1980s. New wave music was inspired by the punk rock movement.

New Wave
Stylistic originsPunk rock, glam rock, power pop, pub rock, garage rock, funk, electronica, disco, ska, reggae, bubblegum pop, progressive rock, art rock
Cultural originsMid to late 1970s, United Kingdom and United States
Typical instruments
Derivative forms
Fusion genres
  • Synthpunk
  • 2 Tone
  • Electroclash
  • Nu Rave
  • Mod revival
Regional scenes
Other topics
Post-punk

New Wave music is rock music mixed with other types of music, such as punk rock music, funk, disco, ska and pop.

In essence, New Wave maintained the rebellious and energetic side of punk rock, yet was less raw and aggressive. Whilst a lot of New Wave was lyrically complex, much New Wave was pop-based, containing simple melodies and catchy hooks. Additionally, New Wave music was also very electronic in nature, and made strong usage of synthesizers. New Wave is a broad term, and as such, New Wave artists varied greatly in style, ranging from pure rock, to synthpop, to reggae-influenced music. New Wave, as a genre, additionally had a strong visual aesthetic, and is noted for the colourful fashions which New Wave artists would sport in the 1980s.

When MTV started broadcasting in 1981, many New Wave bands had their music videos played on television. This made New Wave music more popular. A well-known New Wave video is Whip It by Devo.

Notable artists
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