What is Shoegaze?

Shoegaze is a subgenre of alternative rock defined by walls of distorted, effects-laden guitars, indistinct vocals, and dreamlike textures. The term began as a UK music-press insult — bands like Slowdive, Ride, and Lush were said to stare at their guitar pedals onstage. My Bloody Valentine's Loveless (1991) is its canonical statement. After being eclipsed by grunge and Britpop, the genre returned via TikTok-driven Gen Z fandom in the 2020s, with Wisp, Julie, and Parannoul leading a new wave.