Shoegaze was a genre of alternative rock that originated in the United Kingdom in the late 1980s and gained a strong following around the world. It is known for its '''ethereal-sounding music''', often characterized by significant use of guitar effects and indistinct lyrics. The name of the genre is said to be derived from the performers being engrossed in the creation of their own "sonic landscape," and thus often standing still on stage with feet planting towards the ground rather than the audience. The shoegaze sound was a direct aesthetic reaction against the hostility of the rock and punk musical aesthetic of the 1970s and the 1980s which had dominated the alternative music scene at the time.
Bands in the psychedelic rock genre which began in England in the 1960s including Cocteau Twins and The Jesus and Mary Chain largely created the shoegaze sound. At the end of the 1980s, bands such as Moose, Slowdive, and Lush developed the genre further. Slowdive became the most famous and defining of these, with their indie pop-influenced dream pop music.
Slowdive released their first EP ''Slowdive'' in 1990, helping to ignite the burgeoning indie rock scene. Their 1991 album Souvlaki showcased a more atmospheric, dreamy sound which drew widespread critical acclaim. Slowdive's 1993 album Pygmalion further refined this ethereal, guitar-driven sound, but the band's growing disdain for their rise to international fame led them to disband the following year.
Shoegaze reached its peak in popularity between 1990 and 1995, with the most successful bands achieving international cult status and mainstream recognition, such as Boo Radleys, Adorable, Chapterhouse, Bailter Space, My Bloody Valentine, Bedhead, Kitchens of Distinction, The Verve, dEUS, The Boo Radleys, Swervedriver, Slowdive, Alison's Halo, Soon, Seefeel, Flying Saucer Attack, Catherine Wheel, Mazzy Star, Telescopes, Chapterhouse, Loveliescrushing, Curve, Medicine, Swirlies, Aerial, The Swirlies, Ash, Velocity Girl, Drop Nineteens, Ride, Adorable, Lush and Moose.
However, shoegaze wasn't solely a uk British phenomenon. It had a strong following in Australia, where bands like pgate, Automation, Smudge, Scope, Underground Lovers, North Pole, and Datura Seeds gained traction and produced their own take on the genre.
Shoegaze's popularity began to wane after Radiohead's hit album The Bends in 1995 and the rise of the British electronica music scene. However, shoegaze remained a potent force in the indie music scene, with the style being referred to in a derivative neologism, coined 'post-shoegaze' by alternative music publications. Post-shoegaze featured a more stripped-down and lo-fi sound than traditional shoegaze, with pared-down production and a less polished approach.
Shoegaze had a significant influence on subgenres such as dream pop, nu gaze, dub gazing, and post-rock, as well as math rock, indie rock, and pop music. Many of these genres incorporated the use of heavy psychedelic distortion, reverb and delay effects, and ambient drones. The genre's legacy is evident in the successful careers of bands such as Mogwai, Sigur Rós, Slowdive, Alcest, and Deafheaven.
Today shoegaze finds itself in robust health, with its artists including My Bloody Valentine, Ride, Slowdive, Blonde Redhead, Jesu, Swervedriver, and many others. The genre has also found a new audience with the hipster crowd and on the internet, where it has acquired a cult like status. The genre's influence continues to expand to new musical territories which blur the boundaries between rock, electronic and classical music.
