Stoner rock, also called stoner metal or stoner doom, is a type of rock music that mixes elements from doom metal, psychedelic rock, and acid rock. It began in the early 1990s and was first created by Kyuss and Sleep.

Characteristics

Stoner rock is usually played at a slow or medium pace and has a sound that is heavily distorted, full of rhythm, and focuses on the bass. It includes melodic singing and uses a style of music production that feels old-fashioned. Because stoner rock and sludge metal share similar features, some bands mix elements from both genres. This mix includes parts of both styles but often does not include the relaxed feel or psychedelic influences found in stoner metal. Bands like Weedeater, High on Fire, and Electric Wizard combine these styles creatively.

The term "stoner rock" might have come from the title of a 1997 music collection called Burn One Up! Music for Stoners by Roadrunner Records. The term "desert rock" is sometimes used to describe the same style and was created by an intern at MeteorCity Records around the time they released a 1998 stoner rock collection called Welcome to MeteorCity. However, not all stoner rock bands would be called "desert rock" because desert rock bands often include more hard rock features.

Some bands in the stoner rock/metal genre use the idea of cannabis in their music, while others do not. For example, the band Sleep included cannabis as a central theme in their albums and songs. Some stoner rock/metal bands allow cannabis use during live performances, and Electric Wizard is known for concerts where band members and fans smoke cannabis together. The band Sleep faced controversy over their 60-minute song Dopesmoker (previously called Jerusalem), which is about cannabis, leading to conflicts with their record company. Some musicians in the genre say, "Stoner rock is a style, not a lifestyle," meaning they do not use cannabis or let it influence their music, even though their sound matches the "stoner rock/metal" style. Bands like King Caravan and Sea of Green agree with this statement. Matt Pike, a member of High on Fire, said, "It's a very strong scene, but I don't think any of the stoner rock bands want to be labeled as stoner rock… I might use the word 'stoner' in my lyrics, but I think we're metal… I'd say I was crossover metal or progressive metal. It's hard to put into one category, but we get the stoner-rock label because of the connection to cannabis."

History

The origins of stoner rock are difficult to trace, as is true for many music styles. However, several bands and songs are widely recognized for helping shape the genre. Blue Cheer is considered one of the earliest creators of the style. AllMusic author Greg Prato notes, "When discussions about 'stoner rock' arise, one band that is often overlooked is Blue Cheer." Critic Mark Deming describes Blue Cheer's first album, Vincebus Eruptum, as "a celebration of early rock music played through powerful amplifiers, similar to the heavy sound of MC5's Kick Out the Jams and the Velvet Underground's White Light/White Heat."

Rolling Stone states that stoner rock "slows down and magnifies the riff, a lasting influence from Mississippi blues." Led Zeppelin and Black Sabbath are credited with making this style prominent. Sir Lord Baltimore is called "the godfathers of stoner rock" by Classic Rock magazine, which also notes that Leaf Hound influenced many bands in the genre, including Kyuss and Monster Magnet. James Manning of Time Out London says The Beatles' song "I Want You (She's So Heavy)" helped lay the foundation for stoner rock with its long, repeating guitar section.

Buffalo's 1973 album Volcanic Rock is considered the first great stoner rock record. The song "Sunrise (Come My Way)" has been widely used by later bands. Tracks like "Till My Death" and "The Prophet" are compared to later stoner rock songs. Primevil's album Smokin' Bats at Campton's is called a key example of the genre. Jim DeRogatis says stoner rock bands look back to the psychedelic and early heavy metal sounds of bands like Cream, Black Sabbath, Deep Purple, and Hawkwind.

DeRogatis also points to Black Sabbath's Master of Reality, Hawkwind's 25 Years On 1973–1977 box set, Blue Cheer's Vincebus Eruptum, Deep Purple's Machine Head, and Blue Öyster Cult's Workshop of the Telescopes as roots of stoner rock. The 1970s band Captain Beyond is also called a pioneer of the genre. Black Sabbath's Master of Reality is often seen as the first album of the genre. Martin Popoff says, "When 'Sweet Leaf' begins, stoner rock is invented." AllMusic describes stoner metal as a mix of long, complex guitar solos and heavy riffs from bands like Black Sabbath and Hawkwind, combined with the sound of early grunge. Kyuss members Josh Homme and John Garcia, however, say their influences include punk rock and the sludgy style of Black Flag's My War.

The doom metal band Trouble added acid rock elements to their 1990 self-titled album, which became more prominent on their 1992 album Manic Frustration. The British band Cathedral also moved toward a psychedelic/stoner sound, culminating in their 1993 album The Ethereal Mirror. During the same time, heavy metal band White Zombie achieved success with their major label albums, expanding the audience for heavy music with their "psychedelic horror" style.

In the early to mid-1990s, southern-California bands helped define stoner rock. In 1992, Kyuss released Blues for the Red Sun from the Palm Desert Scene. Critics called it a major milestone in heavy music. Around the same time, San Jose's Sleep released Sleep's Holy Mountain, and both Kyuss and Sleep were seen as leaders of the emerging stoner rock scene. These bands introduced a psychedelic groove to their doom-influenced sound. A year earlier, New Jersey's Monster Magnet released their debut album Spine of God, which had fewer metal influences but was psychedelic and sludgy. Southern-Californians Fu Manchu, who released their self-titled album in 1994, are also credited with shaping the genre. In 1994, Acid King and Acrimony released their debut albums, both using a psychedelic approach to doom metal. Soundgarden, more closely tied to grunge, was also called "stoner metal" or influential on the genre, with their 1994 album Superunknown described as a "stoner rock classic." Other influential bands from this era include Clutch, Sons of Otis, and Corrosion of Conformity.

Kyuss disbanded in 1995 after their fourth album, with members later working on new projects in the stoner and desert rock scenes. In 1997, Kyuss' Josh Homme started The Desert Sessions at Rancho De La Luna in California. This project brought together artists for impromptu recordings, producing ten albums between 1997 and 2003. Participants included members of Kyuss, Fu Manchu, Soundgarden, Monster Magnet, and others. In 1997, Roadrunner Records released the stoner rock compilation Burn One Up! Music for Stoners, featuring bands like Kyuss, Monster Magnet, and Fu Manchu, as well as a track by Josh Homme's new band, Queens of the Stone Age.

In 1997, Jadd Shickler and Aaron Emmel founded All That's Heavy, an online store in New Mexico, to sell rare releases from Kyuss, Monster Magnet, and Fu Manchu. They later created MeteorCity Records, releasing the compilation Welcome to MeteorCity in 1998. This album included established desert and stoner rock bands and new artists, such as Sixty Watt Shaman, Lowrider, The Atomic Bitchwax, Dozer, Goatsnake, and Los Natas. MeteorCity signed bands from the Palm Desert Scene, including Hermano, Unida, and Swedish groups like Lowrider and Dozer. Other bands like The Hidden Hand and Spirit Caravan also gained popularity.

In 2000, Queens of the Stone Age released their breakthrough album Rated R, which brought stoner rock to a wider audience, even though the band rejected the label. Their 2002 album Songs for the Deaf included a single that reached No. 1 on the US Modern Rock Tracks chart. Small Stone Records, another label, focused on international stoner rock artists.