Opinion of the musical genre round 17: Shoegaze

[I spent the winter writing songs about getting better]

Score so far:
College rock: 92.9% FG-7.1% HG
Post-punk: 92.3% FG-7.7% HG
Prog rock: 83.3% FG-16.7% HG
Grunge 77.8% FG-22.2% HG
Country: 77.3% FG-22.7% HG
Pop-punk: 70.6% FG-29.4% HG
Opera: 65.6% FG-34.4% HG
Riot grrl: 65% FG-35% HG
Rap: 61% FG-39% HG
Techno 52.2% FG-47.8% HG
Hardcore punk: 45.5% FG-54.5% HG
Emo: 43.8% FG-56.3% HG
K-Pop: 38.5% FG-61.5% HG
Metalcore: 33.3% FG-66.7% HG
Powerviolence: 22.2% FG-77.8%
Nu-metal: 17.6% FG-82.4% HG

[Progressive Pessimist]

I'm very unfamiliar. I could use some examples.

[Bleach Blonde Bad Built Butch Bodies for Biden]

I'm very unfamiliar. I could use some examples.

Here are some fundamentals:

It gets its name from the fact that musicians would constantly be staring down at distortion pedals during their performance. The last example is more of a metal song, but still a staple among shoegazers.

[Pheurton Skeurto]

Generally cannot get into shoegaze bands. I like a few bands that incorporate elements of shoegaze, but I find that bands of that style do not really have much to contribute to the genre that hasn't already been made.

[LAKISYLVANIA]

My favourite genre

[Benjamin Frank 2.0]

Mazzy Star - Fade Into You

Apparently the snob purists say this isn't shoegaze though.

[🦀🎂🦀🎂]

I'm very unfamiliar. I could use some examples.

Listen to "Loveless" by My Bloody Valentine

[Joe Haydn]

Ok I guess, but not really my thing and definitely overrated imo. All the noise usually seems like cover for not having much to say really. My taste is definitely more to the "boring" pre-shoegaze (and pre-baggy) indiepop stuff like the Housemartins, or 90s indie clearly indebted to mid-80s shambling like Sarah Records.

[Bleach Blonde Bad Built Butch Bodies for Biden]

Ok I guess, but not really my thing and definitely overrated imo. All the noise usually seems like cover for not having much to say really. My taste is definitely more to the "boring" pre-shoegaze (and pre-baggy) indiepop stuff like the Housemartins, or 90s indie clearly indebted to mid-80s shambling like Sarah Records.

Overrated?! My brother in Christ, it's arguably one of the most underground genres that exist. There aren't that many "popular" artists beyond My Bloody Valentine, Slowdive, Cocteau Twins, etc. and the genre was largely abandoned and forgotten after being briefly popular in the early '90s. I disagree with you on the quality of the lyrics and what it wants to say as well, but to each their own. Still, I think the fact that the vast majority of people have literally no idea what shoegaze is today is proof that it's a mostly dead art. There's something of a revival in some circles thanks to the internet, but it's not been successful in reaching the mainstream.

[President Punxsutawney Phil]

I had never heard of shoegaze before this poll was created.

[LAKISYLVANIA]

I had never heard of shoegaze before this poll was created.

Two albums everyone needs to have listened in their life:

My Bloody Valentine - Loveless (1991)
Slowdive - Souvlaki (1991)

These two are genre classics and shoegaze defining.

What emo means for BRTD, is what shoegaze means for me.

[LAKISYLVANIA]

Ok I guess, but not really my thing and definitely overrated imo. All the noise usually seems like cover for not having much to say really. My taste is definitely more to the "boring" pre-shoegaze (and pre-baggy) indiepop stuff like the Housemartins, or 90s indie clearly indebted to mid-80s shambling like Sarah Records.

Overrated?! My brother in Christ, it's arguably one of the most underground genres that exist. There aren't that many "popular" artists beyond My Bloody Valentine, Slowdive, Cocteau Twins, etc. and the genre was largely abandoned and forgotten after being briefly popular in the early '90s. I disagree with you on the quality of the lyrics and what it wants to say as well, but to each their own. Still, I think the fact that the vast majority of people have literally no idea what shoegaze is today is proof that it's a mostly dead art. There's something of a revival in some circles thanks to the internet, but it's not been successful in reaching the mainstream.

Couldn't have said this better myself, every single word said here nails it.

[vitoNova]

Is My Bloody Valentine the Shoe Gazes?  Like "Only Shallow" and "When You Sleep"?

If yes, 10/10.

Y'all can't handle it.

[LAKISYLVANIA]

Is My Bloody Valentine the Shoe Gazes?  Like "Only Shallow" and "When You Sleep"?

If yes, 10/10.

Y'all can't handle it.

Yes

[vitoNova]

Is My Bloody Valentine the Shoe Gazes?  Like "Only Shallow" and "When You Sleep"?

If yes, 10/10.

Y'all can't handle it.

Yes

Okay, I should probably read things before responding (which I never do), and see that band has already been mentioned.  

Along with Cocteau Twins.  Massive Attack--on the Kraut radio waves,--first introduced me to Elizatheth Frazier, which subsequently introduced me to the Cocteau Twins rabbit hole.  

"When Mama Was Moth" is one of my favorite songs of all time.  

[LAKISYLVANIA]

Is My Bloody Valentine the Shoe Gazes?  Like "Only Shallow" and "When You Sleep"?

If yes, 10/10.

Y'all can't handle it.

Yes

Okay, I should probably read things before responding (which I never do), and see that band has already been mentioned.  

Along with Cocteau Twins.  Massive Attack--on the Kraut radio waves,--first introduced me to Elizatheth Frazier, which subsequently introduced me to the Cocteau Twins rabbit hole.  

"When Mama Was Moth" is one of my favorite songs of all time.  

Cocteau Twins is in my top 5 most listened artists on last.fm. Though i don't use last.fm as often anymore. But yeah absolutely my thing obviously - without saying. But i wouldn't really clasify them as exclusively shoegaze or stereotypical shoegaze.

Heaven or Las Vegas - the album - def a dream pop / shoegaze classic too



mbv, slowdive, cocteau twins all in top 12

[vitoNova]

Is My Bloody Valentine the Shoe Gazes?  Like "Only Shallow" and "When You Sleep"?

If yes, 10/10.

Y'all can't handle it.

Yes

Okay, I should probably read things before responding (which I never do), and see that band has already been mentioned.  

Along with Cocteau Twins.  Massive Attack--on the Kraut radio waves,--first introduced me to Elizatheth Frazier, which subsequently introduced me to the Cocteau Twins rabbit hole.  

"When Mama Was Moth" is one of my favorite songs of all time.  

Cocteau Twins is in my top 5 most listened artists on last.fm. Though i don't use last.fm as often anymore. But yeah absolutely my thing obviously - without saying. But i wouldn't really clasify them as exclusively shoegaze or stereotypical shoegaze.

Heaven or Las Vegas - the album - def a dream pop / shoegaze classic too



mbv, slowdive, cocteau twins all in top 12

When I was stationed in Heidelberg, I used to devour Depeche Mode, the Cure, Love and Rockets, South Central Cartel, James Brown, Die Fantatischien Vier, all that sh1t at the MediaMarkt down the street from Patton Barracks.  

Those were the days, mang.