What is shoegaze? Well, according to Underground, the term was coined by a description of bands whose shoes used pedals into oblivion. A slight mixture of indie and alternative rock that presents as a heavy reverb, as well as some elongated, wispy vocals. When you hear music that is under the genre of shoegaze, think about music that is dreamy, almost ethereal in the sense that you feel as if you’re floating away. Making its start in the 80’s, shoegaze music has its origins in the UK. Initially an instant hit, shoegaze simmered down in the late 90’s, but is now thankfully making a strong comeback.
For those who are familiar with the genre, you may already know that “My Bloody Valentine” has essentially paved the way for future bands to come. Forming in 1982, Dublin, Ireland’s “My Bloody Valentine” has gotten to work. Releasing EP’s quite frequently, the band reached their peak when the album Loveless was released in 1991. Their top song, When You Sleep, has since been their most successful song to date, with an average of 34.6 million all time plays on Spotify. For a band like “My Bloody Valentine,” others have followed suit in creating hazy, timeless music.
Popular social media platforms such as TikTok play a part in catapulting the rise of shoegaze back into the mainstream, with users that can use artist’s music as their audios in the backgrounds of their videos. Out of any of the other social media platforms that exist, TikTok creates the easiest avenue for artists to be discovered, and rediscovered. Some notable bands to consider listening to include the “Cocteau Twins” with their most recognizable song Heaven or Las Vegas, or “Slowdive’s” When the Sun Hits, which have heavy inspirations from shoegaze. An additional notable artist that does not fall into this specific genre, but has slight influences includes Deftones’ Minerva.
While different genres come and go throughout the years, a genre like shoegaze is making its way into the limelight again, and I can’t be the only one happy about it. Bands that have been around to create shoegaze, and bands that are up and coming to preserve the essence of the genre all have a place in the music industry.