Shoegaze is a type of music that comes from indie and alternative rock. It is known for dreamy sounds, vocals that are hard to hear clearly, and the use of many guitar effects that make the music sound fuzzy. This style began in the United Kingdom, especially in London and the Thames Valley area, during the late 1980s and early 1990s. It was influenced by the music of Phil Spector in the 1960s and the sounds of psychedelic pop. The term "shoegaze" was created by music executive Andy Ross. It was later used by music journalists to describe how shoegaze musicians often looked down at their guitar pedals while performing on stage.
In the early 1990s, a group of shoegaze bands and related artists in London were called "The Scene That Celebrates Itself." These artists were influenced by the dream pop band Cocteau Twins and the music of the Irish band My Bloody Valentine, especially their 1988 EP You Made Me Realise and their first album Isn't Anything.
Shoegaze became most popular in 1991 with the release of My Bloody Valentine's album Loveless. However, it was later overshadowed by the rise of the American grunge music scene and the Britpop movement in the UK. In the 2000s, shoegaze returned in a new form called "nu gaze" or "second-wave shoegaze." During the 2010s, new styles like blackgaze and grungegaze appeared, and other music genres, such as witch house, used some of shoegaze's sounds. In the 2020s, a new wave of shoegaze music was led by artists from Generation Z, sometimes called "zoomergaze."
Etymology
The term "shoegaze," originally called "shoegazing," was created by Andy Ross. He was a part-time writer for the music magazine Sounds and the head of Food Records, a label that promoted the band Blur. On March 15, 1991, Ross attended a concert by the band Lush at the Venue in New Cross. At the event, other bands, including Blur and Moose, also performed. Ross joked that Moose was a "shoegazer" after noticing their singer, Russell Yates, looking down at his shoes during the performance. Later, Moose’s guitarist, Kevin McKillop, explained that Yates was actually reading lyric sheets on the floor because he had not memorized the lyrics. A story claimed that Ross first used the term "shoegazing" in a review of the concert published in Sounds, but this was not true. Polly Birkbeck, Ross’s assistant at the time, and Nathaniel Cramp, a music journalist, confirmed that no such review existed in Sounds from that period.
The first confirmed use of the term "shoegaze" appeared in the May 25, 1991, issue of NME, where Steve Lamacq, a music journalist, used it to describe the band Slowdive’s third EP, Holding Our Breath. This use happened before Andy Ross later claimed in a 2016 article that he introduced the term to Lamacq and another NME writer, Simon Williams, during a lunch meeting on October 9, 1991. According to writer Ryan Pinkard, the earlier use of the term in print suggests that Ross may have remembered the timeline incorrectly.
At first, the term "shoegaze" was used as a negative label, leading some musicians and journalists to criticize it. Mark Gardener of the band Ride said the term was an "English label" that did not exist in other countries like Japan or America. He argued that it unfairly portrayed passionate bands as uninterested. Other musicians, such as those in the band Moose, were also divided about the term. A similar term, "The Scene That Celebrates Itself," was later introduced in Melody Maker in June 1991.
By the 2000s, the term "shoegaze" no longer carried negative meanings after the genre was rediscovered by new listeners through the internet. British journalist Paul Lester noted that the term was meant to be dismissive from the start. Another journalist, Chris Roberts, called it a casual comment made in a pub and questioned its usefulness as a label for the genre. Musician Greg Ackell pointed out that other bands, such as The Cure and The Jesus and Mary Chain, also stood still on stage, and even The Velvet Underground, a different band, had a similar style.
Characteristics
Shoegaze music uses soft, flowing vocals and many guitars that sound twisted or changed using special effects. These effects include reverb, delay, chorus, tremolo, and distortion. Together, these elements create a sound where each instrument is hard to tell apart.
According to Pitchfork, shoegaze focuses on exploring the unique sounds of guitars and creates music that feels personal and dreamlike. While shoegaze and dream pop are sometimes compared, they are different styles. Dean Wareham, who started the band Galaxie 500, said shoegaze often has a loud, overwhelming sound, like a wall of noise. Dream pop, however, leaves more space for melodies in vocals, keyboards, or guitars.
Victor Provis noted that the visual style of shoegaze music and album covers matches its sound. He described the artwork as using close-up photos of objects that become blurry and colorful shapes. These images often mix different visuals, use colored filters, and include swirling camera movements. Rolling Stone Australia listed Loveless as one of the "100 Best Album Covers of All Times," highlighting that abstract art was common for shoegaze bands in the 1990s, such as My Bloody Valentine, Ride, Slowdive, and Swervedriver. Slowdive member Simon Scott mentioned that Robert Smith, while playing guitar with Siouxsie and the Banshees in 1983, stood still and let the music flow, creating a calm and unshowy performance.
History
Shoegaze music was influenced by the sounds of the 1960s, including bands like the Beach Boys, the Beatles, and the Phil Spector "Wall of Sound" technique. Artists tried to update these sounds for their time, making music that was louder and more intense.
Shoegaze began with Phil Spector’s Wall of Sound and the psychedelic pop of the 1960s, created by bands such as the Byrds, the Beach Boys, and the Beatles. Songs like the Beatles’ "Tomorrow Never Knows" (1966) and the Beach Boys’ "All I Wanna Do" (1970) are now seen as early examples of shoegaze. Other influences include the Velvet Underground, the Stooges, MC5, and garage rock albums like Nuggets and Pebbles.
Writer Vernon Joynson said David Bowie’s song "Heroes" (1977) showed noisy production, distorted guitars, and a dreamy atmosphere, which became important parts of shoegaze. Bands like Siouxsie and the Banshees and the Cure also helped shape the genre.
Shoegaze developed in the 1980s, led by Scottish and Irish bands such as Cocteau Twins, the Jesus and Mary Chain, and My Bloody Valentine. These groups reimagined electric guitar sounds, mixing loud noises with soft, dreamy vocals.
Cocteau Twins, a Scottish band, influenced shoegaze with their 1982 album Garlands. Their music used ethereal guitar sounds created by Robin Guthrie and featured Elizabeth Fraser’s unique, hard-to-understand vocals. The Jesus and Mary Chain, another Scottish band, is seen as a direct influence on shoegaze. Their 1985 album Psychocandy inspired later shoegaze bands, including My Bloody Valentine.
At the same time, bands like Spacemen 3 and Loop brought back 1960s space rock sounds. They used simple, repeating psychedelic music instead of traditional pop structures. Peter Kember said Spacemen 3 could be called shoegaze because they focused on their music, not on stage performances.
In the United States, bands like Sonic Youth, Dinosaur Jr., and Hüsker Dü also helped shape shoegaze, especially My Bloody Valentine. In 1988, My Bloody Valentine released You Made Me Realise, showing Kevin Shields’ new guitar style called "glide guitar." Their debut album Isn’t Anything (1988) became a key shoegaze record.
Other British bands in the late 1980s, such as A.R. Kane, The House of Love, Kitchens of Distinction, Bark Psychosis, and The Telescopes, also contributed to shoegaze’s sound.
Shoegaze became a clear music scene in late 1989 and grew in 1990. Ivo Watts-Russell signed Lush and Pale Saints to 4AD Records after seeing them perform. Pale Saints’ first EP, Barging Into the Presence of God (1989), and Lush’s Scar (1989) were well received and reached number 3 on the UK Indie Chart.
In 1990, Ride became a leading shoegaze band. Their EPs Ride, Play, and Fall, along with their debut album Nowhere, helped define the genre. Their performance of "Drive Blind" on Snub TV brought them more attention.
Pale Saints’ first album, The Comforts of Madness (1990), and Lush’s Mad Love EP (1990) were praised by critics. My Bloody Valentine’s Glider EP (1990) included the track "Soon," which reached number 2 on the UK Indie Chart.
Other shoegaze bands, like The Boo Radleys, Chapterhouse, and Slowdive, released music that showed the genre’s pop potential. Swervedriver’s Rave Down EP (1990) was described as "ethereal metal" after being praised in a heavy metal magazine.
By 1990, shoegaze had gained popularity underground. Ride’s Nowhere and My Bloody Valentine’s Glider were highlighted by music critics.
Many shoegaze bands came from the Thames Valley region, including Oxford (home to Ride and Swervedriver) and Reading (home to Slowdive and Chapterhouse). These bands, along with Lush and Moose (from London), formed the core of the shoegaze scene. My Bloody Valentine, though not part of the scene, helped create the genre.
Shoegaze bands often played each other’s concerts, shared producers and labels like 4AD and Creation Records, and used similar styles for album artwork. Places like Syndrome, Camden Falcon, and the Borderline were important meeting spots.
In 1991, Melody Maker journalist Steve Sutherland called the shoegaze scene "The Scene That Celebrates Itself" after noticing many bands at a Moose concert. Though he meant it as a compliment, the term was later used negatively by critics.
Other artists, like Stereolab, were also part of the shoegaze scene, often sharing members with Moose.