With a name derived from the way band members would simply stare down at their shoes while playing on stage,shoegaze is a subgenre of rock musicwith a massive cult following that got its start in the United Kingdom in the late ’80s. It wasn’t really until the early ’90s, though, that it started to pick up some steam in the broader landscape ofindie rock and alternative music. By the time the mid-’90s rolled around, several shoegaze artists had gained a decent following and made a name for themselves across the globe.
Though much of theshoegaze scene existed primarily in the ’90s, it has certainly bled into the 2000s, with die-hard fans who still blast the moody and ethereal blends of bands like my bloody valentine, Ride, Catherine Wheel, and The Jesus and Mary Chain, who arestill touringand putting out new material. For anyone who knows and appreciates the genre, or who may be looking to learn a bit more about it, here are 10 essential shoegaze albums, all of which are a great place to start.
1Psychocandy
By The Jesus and Mary Chain (1985)
Psychocandywas released before the term shoegaze was coined; regardless,it is an essential album to the genre, being that it was the inspiration behind quite a few albums that came after it. Additionally, The Jesus and Mary Chain were one of the first real shoegaze bands to refine the genre as their discography progressed, experimenting with noise and feedback, complementing their whimsically moody vocals in a way that hadn’t really been done before.
The Jesus and Mary Chain were one of the first real shoegaze bands to refine the genre as their discography progressed.
I’d be remiss if I didn’t take this brief opportunity to mention that I actually believeDarklandsto be their greatest album, but personal bias aside,Psychocandyis certainly one of the original shoegaze album. With the massively successful single that still gets played in dive bars across the globe, “Just Like Honey,” this album was The Jesus and Mary Chain’s debut, making waves for both them as a band and the genre which they would go on to, with help, pioneer.
2Heaven or Las Vegas
By Cocteau Twins (1990)
Another album that just slightly predates the term for the subgenre,Heaven or Las Vegaswas Cocteau Twins' major contribution towards the foundation of shoegaze. One of the things that made Cocteau Twins, and this album in particular, so great was that they had a female vocalist in Elizabeth Fraser, whose voice could only be described as transcendental.Shoegaze has always had a pretty good balance between the genders, with a lot of legendary female vocalists at the helm, and Cocteau Twins' Elizabeth Fraser was the one to pave the way.
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This album was definitely the band’s commercial peak, as it reached number seven on the UK albums chart, and peaked at number 99 on the USBillboard200 chart. The title track, “Heaven or Las Vegas,” is regarded as one of the defining tracks of dream pop, a sister genre to shoegaze. Along with The Jesus and Mary Chain,Cocteau Twins were one of the first shoegaze artists, and are credited as a big inspiration for many of the most definitive shoegaze artists of the ’90s;Heaven or Las Vegaswas the album that solidified that legendary status for them.
3Delaware
By Drop Nineteens (1992)
Drop Nineteens might be the most unique entry on this list in thatthey are the only American band.Delawareis an album that did not garner nearly enough popularity in its home country, but got a decent amount of attention in the U.K.. given the timing of the album’s release in conjunction with the rise of shoegaze.
Vocalist Greg Ackell described his band as, “Basically the American outlier in a largely British scene” (Stereogum). He recalled that when they toured in the U.S., many people believed they were actually British, simply because shoegaze was so deeply ingrained in English culture and was generally perceived as a British genre.
Drop Nineteens formed out of Boston University, and they recordedDelawarewhile they were still students. This was the album that put Drop Nineteens on the map, and for good reason. Ackell’s vocals, alongside fellow vocalist Paula Kelley, have the same muted ethereal sound that made the genre so wildly popular in the U.K. The addition of experimental tracks “Ease It Halen,” and “Kick The Tragedy” are the cherry on top, earningDelawarea well-deserved seat at the table.
4Souvlaki
By Slowdive (1993)
Slowdive is widely recognized as one of the biggest and most influential shoegaze bands, andSouvlakiis largely responsible for that status. In their three-album prime, Slowdive certainly had some other fantastic hits, but their second studio album,Souvlaki, was, for all intents and purposes, their magnum opus. Unfortunately, it took quite some time for the world to realize the shoegaze greatness present in this album, but today it is regarded as one of the single greatest albums of the subgenre.
The only single from the album, “Alison,” combined every element of shoegaze music: long, soft, and moody vocals, crunchy guitar riffs, and droning loops of any additional sound,all blended together into a seamless dream-sequence of a song. While “Alison” is a prime example, every song onSouvlakiembodies these characteristics. This album is also representative of the integration of shoegaze into the broader musical picture, with legendary music producer Brian Eno contributing to the track “Sing.”
5Going Blank Again
By Ride (1992)
I may be letting my personal biases show by including Ride’sGoing Blank Againin this list. Many people, maybe evenmostpeople, believe Ride’s greatest album to be their debut,Nowhere, but I thinkGoing Blank Againis a more refined album, beginning with the perfect track to start a shoegaze LP: “Leave Them All Behind.” It’s an eight-minute song withlong, drawn-out vocal harmonies and signature guitar riffs,which Ride certainly played with the origin of the term shoegaze in mind.
Going Blank Againis a more refined album, beginning with the perfect track to start a shoegaze LP.
BothGoing Blank AgainandNowhereare essential to Ride’s overall sound and are equally responsible for cementing the band’s place as foundational shoegaze. Released in 1992, however,Going Blank Againcame out once the genre had already started to take flightas a concrete concept, whereNowherewas released before they had truly recognized and owned their identity as a shoegaze band. Suffice it to say, if you’re going to listen to Ride, start with the more fun album cover first, but do yourself the favor of listening to their debut right after.
6Loveless
By my bloody valentine (1991)
Almost unanimously regarded as thedefining shoegaze album, my bloody valentine’sLovelessreally is, to put it as succinctly as possible, a trip. A truly impressive feat, considering Kevin Shields' band was essentially a one-hit wonder, it’s just that the hit was an entire album. His vocals are the shining example of what makes a shoegaze vocalist; Shields is a huge part of the reason the word ‘ethereal’ is used to describe shoegaze vocals becausethere isn’t really another word that fully captures that kind of sound.
Kevin Shields' band was essentially a one-hit wonder, it’s just that the hit was an entire album
In addition to the vocals,Lovelessemploys plenty of the musical techniques that we have come to associate with the genre as well. Mass amounts of feedback and reverb, coupled with special effects and noise loops, volume shifts—the list goes on. The first song on the album, “Only Shallow,” was the only single, butany fan of shoegaze, even the most casual among us, is likely familiar with this entire album,as they 100% should be.
7Whirlpool
By Chapterhouse (1991)
I hold firm the belief that if they hadn’t broken up and had gained a little more of a following in the U.S.,Chapterhouse’sWhirlpoolwould be right up there next toLovelessin the conversation forthedefinitive shoegaze album. Though it’s not the first shoegaze album I got into,Whirlpoolis the album that convinced me to dive deeper into the genre as a whole; without this album, I never would have discovered Ride or Lush.
Chapterhouse might be the purest shoegaze band of all, mainly because they frequented Cocteau Twins and Jesus and Mary Chain shows before they started making their own music. A perfect mix of the feedback-driven noise characteristic of the Jesus and Mary Chain’sPsychocandy, and the whimsical, dreamy vocals characteristic of Cocteau TwinsHeaven or Las Vegas, I thinkWhirlpoolexemplifies the best of what shoegaze has to offer. Though the album boasted just one single, “Pearl,” I think each one of the nine tracks on this album could have been just as successful a single to promote this flawless album.
8Mezcal Head
By Swervedriver (1993)
Swervedriver is unique in that, in their earlier years, they drew a lot of inspiration from American alt-rock and grunge bands rather than the pioneering shoegaze bands who one would typically associate them with, resulting in a bit of a heavier rock sound than, say Ride, who also emerged out of Swervediver’s hometown of Oxford. After their debut LP,Raise, Swervedriver encountered a handful of bumps in the road, but recovered nicely with the release ofMezcal Head, whichswiftly denoted the band’s contribution to the development of shoegaze.
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Mezcal Headis a classic English shoegaze album whose American influences can be heard loud and clear. Overall, this album sounds a little harder than the typical shoegaze album, with more structured guitar riffs and clearly defined drum beats. That said, Swervedriver incorporates some pseudo-experimentation with feedback and effects pedals, another key element of the genre. Not to mention that Adam Franklin’s vocals are classic shoegaze; even if this album lacked the genre’s sound in every other aspect,Franklin’s vocals alone would be enough to categorizeMezcal Headas a shoegaze album.
9Spooky
By Lush (1992)
Lush is credited as one of the bands who inspired the term shoegaze as a label for the genre. They were among those who took the genre to new heights, inspired directly by shoegaze pioneers, the Cocteau Twins, one of whom actually produced Lush’s debut EP.Spookywas Lush’s second full-length LP (though the first was technically a compilation album), also produced by Robin Guthrie of Cocteau Twins, and it peaked at number seven on the UK Albums chart, proving thatLush was a band who belonged at the forefront of the Shoegaze conversation.
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Spookywas the album to put Lush on the map.In fact, Lollapalooza co-founder Perry Farrell heard the album and personally invited the band to perform on the music festival’s mainstage, allowing them to gain some international traction and contribute to the early stages of what would become one of the most iconic music festivals in American pop culture (Pitchfork). With singles “Nothing Natural,” “For Love,” and “Superblast!” this album is essential Lush, and without Lush, there would be no essential shoegaze.
10Chrome
By Catherine Wheel (1993)
While Catherine Wheel may be a bit more traditionally rooted in rock than many pioneering shoegaze artists,Chromeis definitely a must-listen albumthat absolutely qualifies as shoegaze. The lead single, “Crank,” was ultimately the song that got Catherine Wheel noticed on an international level, hitting number five on theBillboardModern Rock Tracks chart. Clearly, “Crank” did not gain them the commercial recognition they had likely hoped for, most artists aspiring to theBillboardHot 100 rather than the Modern Rock Tracks chart, but it was traction nonetheless.
The key to understanding Catherine Wheel’s shoegaze influence lies heavily in the vocals, which are prominently ethereal and mellow throughoutChrome, even when the guitar is far from it. The long-winded, flowing and light vocals that feature heavily on this album are among the most characteristic features of the genre, and vocalists Brian Futter and Rob Dickinson nail them down perfectly.
