by KYYX4ever » Sun Jul 10, 2011 2:45 am
Maybe it's just semantics, but after 1986-ish, it's NOT new wave anymore. Bands and songs after that were more "alternative", "indie", "next wave", or whatever label one likes.
New wave describes a specific genre from a specific era (late 70s-early 80s). But after mainstream artists jumped the shark (heh, "jumped the shark", we used to talk about this here on the NWO), and there was a general co-opting of the synth sound in Top 40 music, it was no longer new wave. Even artists that were firmly "new wave"--B52s, Duran, Depeche, etc.--evolved into a newer sound, NOT new wave any longer.
There's a ton of good "next wave" stuff out there, by bands that had nothing to do with new wave from the 80s EXCEPT for their obvious influences and style. I listen to Interpol, the Bravery, the Faint, She Wants Revenge, etc., and it's obvious that those bands sat around listening to a lot of Echo or Joy Division or Cure back in the day, but these bands are NOW. NOT new wave.
just my 2 c. !