NEW WAVE

New Wave is one of the 80s fads that originated in Britain, though it’s unclear where the term came from. Sex Pistols manager Malcolm McLaren used it as an alternate label for punk music. The term also referenced an avant-garde film movement out of France, which occurred during the 1960s.Wherever the term started, it was adopted by British punk fanzines and later made its way into mainstream music publications.


In the early days, New Wave and punk were used interchangeably as labels for anti-pop music. But by the end of 1977, New Wave had come to define a more specific breed of underground music out of the UK.In time, New Wave would evolve closer to pop than its punk predecessor, eventually becoming a genre for rock-based pop dance music emblazoned with synthesizers.New Wave music had a sound that was reminiscent of punk but had too much pop flavor for the punk genre. 


The New Wave scene was less centered around anarchy and far more experimental in its music artistry. Song lyrics tended toward complexity that was almost poetic.Well-known artists who were associated with early New Wave include Nick Lowe, Patti Smith, Blondie, Elvis Costello, and Joe Jackson. Other artists, who were originally considered punk, were moved into the New Wave category.Outliving most 80s fads, New Wave continued to evolve. In time, it marked a genre that was less noisy than punk. In fact, many New Wave songs were soft. They were usually heavily laden with synthesizers and New Wave bands were eventually manufactured by record labels.In its maturity, New Wave came to include acts such as Spandau Ballet, Flock of Seagulls, Depeche Mode, and Soft Cell. Darker New Wave bands were considered post-punk. 


These included Siouxsie & the Banshees, The Cure, and The Psychedelic Furs.According to Wikipedia: “Although distinct, punk, New Wave, and post-punk all shared common ground: an energetic reaction to the supposedly overproduced, uninspired popular music of the 1970s.” In many ways, New Wave was a rebellion against disco.All good things come to an end and 80s fads are no exception, though we here at Total 80s Remix hope fervently that many 80s fads will see a revival (soon). By the end of the 80s, New Wave was becoming even more electronic and helped feed the development of house music and techno. The independent spirit of New Wave continued to influence music of the 90s, feeding styles such as college rock and grunge, as well as alternative rock.By the mid-90s, the grunge fad had passed and 
New Wave saw a mini-rebirth with bands like
 Elastica and Smash. No Doubt and Gwen Stefani 
as a solo artist both encapsulated New Wave and
cited New Wave as a dominant influence.