New wave of new wave

Not to be confused with New new wave.

The new wave of new wave (also known as NWONW or New wave revival^{[citation needed]}) was a subgenre of the British alternative rock scene in the early 1990s, in which bands displayed post-punk and new wave influences, particularly from bands such as the Clash, Blondie, Devo, Squeeze, XTC, Wire, and the Stranglers.^[1]

New wave of new wave
Other names	New wave revival
Stylistic origins	Alternative rock new wave post-punk mod revival
Cultural origins	Early 1990s, United Kingdom
Derivative forms	Post-punk revival

History

The associated bands generally played guitar-based rock music often accompanied by keyboards. The movement was short-lived, and several of the bands involved were later linked with the more commercially successful Britpop, which it immediately preceded, and the NWONW was described by John Harris of The Guardian (one of the journalists who first coined the term)^[2] as "Britpop without the good bits".^[3] The NME played a major part in promoting and covering the genre, and promoted the "On" event, which featured many of the bands they had labelled NWONW.^[4]

Writing in 1996, Robert Christgau referenced 'the new wave of New Wave,' citing Elastica and American acts Hole, Foo Fighters, and Alanis Morissette as examples.^[5]

Notable examples

Record label Fierce Panda's first release, Shagging in the Streets, was a tribute to the scene, featuring S*M*A*S*H, Done Lying Down, These Animal Men, and others. Associated bands have included Elastica,^[1] S*M*A*S*H,^[1][6] Menswear,^[7] Sleeper, Echobelly, Shed Seven,^[6] These Animal Men,^[6][8] and Compulsion.^[4]

See also

• New wave music
• New rave
• Microgenre