In the ’90s, shoegaze gave us a handful of greats — and that’s not just limited to My Bloody Valentine, as much as the mass appreciation for Loveless would make you think so. A lot of those bands are still kicking around, too, as Slowdive, Ride, and Blonde Redhead have all released new albums within the past year. Now, though, those heroes are bumping up against a whole new wave — one that’s indebted to the early efforts of bands like Nothing, Whirr, and Deafheaven, who modernized the genre spectacularly. That led us to ask our readers to name their favorite shoegaze bands of all time, and they fired back with both genre OGs and modern-day acts. These are their top picks, ranked accordingly below.
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5. Deftones
Deftones aren’t exactly shoegaze, but it can be argued either way. For one, the Sacramento-bred band really know how to lean into atmospherics, like on Around the Fur’s “Be Quiet and Drive (Far Away)” and Koi No Yokan’s “Rosemary” — the latter being their most shoegaze-inspired LP yet. They also use delay, distortion, and hushed vocals — hallmarks of the genre — that make some of their songs hit so hypnotically. But they also up the heaviness, throwing metal, hard rock, and other experimentalism into the mix and making the music swell. Ultimately, Deftones can’t be defined by one sound, but shoegaze is definitely one of them.
4. Lush
When people think of classic shoegaze bands, their minds usually go to My Bloody Valentine, Slowdive, and Ride, but Lush certainly deserve a place at the table. The band formed in the late ’80s — right around when the genre was coined — but adopted more of a dream-pop sound, leaning into lighter, more heavenly aspects rather than a towering wall of sound. That made their pairing with Robin Guthrie of Cocteau Twins, who produced their 1992 debut album, Spooky, a total dream. For the uninitiated, start with that album and work your way up.
3. Nothing
Nothing are easily one of the modern greats of the genre. Led by Domenic Palermo, the band have been kicking around since 2011 and bettering themselves with every release. That includes some real masterclass albums — from the deafening, ambient fuzz of Guilty of Everything to the driftier, washed-out reverb of The Great Dismal — that can get deeply existential, telling stories of life’s darker, unrulier realities. Nothing even started their own shoegaze music festival, Slide Away, which celebrated its inaugural year in March and offered sets from both the old guard and the upcoming generation for an all-star blend across two cities.
2. My Bloody Valentine
Of course My Bloody Valentine were going to make this list — the genre begins with them. Featuring Kevin Shields’ incendiary whammy bar and Bilinda Butcher’s tender vocals, their 1988 debut, Isn’t Anything, foreshadowed early markers of the genre as they morphed the sweetness of pop with noisy guitar. But they didn’t truly make their mark until 1991’s Loveless, which became a shining light within underground rock and transformed them into an entirely different band. It’s been over a decade without new music, but at least we have three perfect albums.
1. Slowdive
Slowdive are considered part of shoegaze’s big three, so it’s no surprise that the band snagged the top spot. The band cut their teeth during alternative rock’s golden era, broke up, and reunited in 2014, to grand applause. That’s because while they were away, Slowdive gained an even bigger following for their celestial, overdriven shoegaze and were embraced by thousands when they released their self-titled album — their first in over two decades — in 2017. Their second album, Souvlaki, is considered essential listening, but you can’t go wrong with any of their modern releases, either.
