Noise pop
Encyclopedia
Noise pop is a subgenre of alternative rock
developed in the mid 1980s in the UK and US, that mixes atonal noise or feedback
, or both, with the melodic instrumentation and production elements more often found in pop music
, making it more melodic and angst-free than noise rock
.
. The Velvet Underground
were a major influence on the genre, with their experiments with feedback
and distortion
on their early albums. Early American alternative rock bands like Sonic Youth
and Dinosaur Jr., who mixed rock song structures with guitar distortion were immediate forerunners. The first noise pop band is considered to be The Jesus and Mary Chain
and their debut album Psychocandy
(1985). Other major bands include Yo La Tengo
. In the later 80s noise pop was the major inspiration for the British shoegazing
movement, which employed gentler melodies and more introspective lyrics. Noise pop continued to be influential in the indie rock scene into the 1990s.
Alternative rock
Alternative rock is a genre of rock music and a term used to describe a diverse musical movement that emerged from the independent music underground of the 1980s and became widely popular by the 1990s...
developed in the mid 1980s in the UK and US, that mixes atonal noise or feedback
Audio feedback
Audio feedback is a special kind of positive feedback which occurs when a sound loop exists between an audio input and an audio output...
, or both, with the melodic instrumentation and production elements more often found in pop music
Pop music
Pop music is usually understood to be commercially recorded music, often oriented toward a youth market, usually consisting of relatively short, simple songs utilizing technological innovations to produce new variations on existing themes.- Definitions :David Hatch and Stephen Millward define pop...
, making it more melodic and angst-free than noise rock
Noise rock
Noise rock describes a style of post-punk rock music that became prominent in the 1980s. Noise rock makes use of the traditional instrumentation and iconography of rock, but incorporates atonality and especially dissonance, and also frequently discards usual songwriting conventions.-Style:Noise...
.
History
Noise pop has been described as "the halfway point between bubblegum and the avant-garde". It combines conventional pop song writing with white noise, distorted guitars and dronesDrone (music)
In music, a drone is a harmonic or monophonic effect or accompaniment where a note or chord is continuously sounded throughout most or all of a piece. The word drone is also used to refer to any part of a musical instrument that is just used to produce such an effect.-A musical effect:A drone...
. The Velvet Underground
The Velvet Underground
The Velvet Underground was an American rock band formed in New York City. First active from 1964 to 1973, their best-known members were Lou Reed and John Cale, who both went on to find success as solo artists. Although experiencing little commercial success while together, the band is often cited...
were a major influence on the genre, with their experiments with feedback
Audio feedback
Audio feedback is a special kind of positive feedback which occurs when a sound loop exists between an audio input and an audio output...
and distortion
Distortion
A distortion is the alteration of the original shape of an object, image, sound, waveform or other form of information or representation. Distortion is usually unwanted, and often many methods are employed to minimize it in practice...
on their early albums. Early American alternative rock bands like Sonic Youth
Sonic Youth
Sonic Youth is an American alternative rock band from New York City, formed in 1981. The current lineup consists of Thurston Moore , Kim Gordon , Lee Ranaldo , Steve Shelley , and Mark Ibold .In their early career, Sonic Youth was associated with the No Wave art and music scene in New York City...
and Dinosaur Jr., who mixed rock song structures with guitar distortion were immediate forerunners. The first noise pop band is considered to be The Jesus and Mary Chain
The Jesus and Mary Chain
The Jesus and Mary Chain are a Scottish alternative rock band formed in East Kilbride, Glasgow in 1983. The band revolves around the songwriting partnership of brothers Jim and William Reid...
and their debut album Psychocandy
Psychocandy
Psychocandy is the debut album by the Scottish alternative rock band The Jesus and Mary Chain, released in November 1985. Psychocandy combined the concepts of pop songs and searing guitar chords....
(1985). Other major bands include Yo La Tengo
Yo La Tengo
Yo La Tengo, sometimes abbreviated as YLT, is an American alternative rock band formed in Hoboken, New Jersey in 1984. Since 1992, the lineup has consisted of Ira Kaplan , Georgia Hubley , and James McNew .Despite achieving limited mainstream success, Yo La Tengo has been called "the quintessential...
. In the later 80s noise pop was the major inspiration for the British shoegazing
Shoegazing
Shoegazing is a subgenre of alternative rock that emerged from the United Kingdom in the late 1980s. It lasted there until the mid 1990s, with a critical zenith reached in 1990 and 1991...
movement, which employed gentler melodies and more introspective lyrics. Noise pop continued to be influential in the indie rock scene into the 1990s.