Shoegaze : En studie av karaktäristiska drag, ideal och autenticitet i genren shoegaze

Sammanfattning: Shoegaze reached its peak of popularity in the early 1990s and then abruptly disappeared from the limelight and was outcompeted by other indie rock disciplines such as Britpop and grunge. Although the shoegazer movement was for a relatively short period, the genre has played a significant role in related genres. But what is shoegaze exactly? Why did the uninterested stare down at their shoes? Why does the movement have an influential role? The purpose of the essay is to identify characteristic features of shoegaze. The goal is to increase the understanding of what is characteristic of the genre and how it affects the soundscape, style and values. Existing terms to put into words what shoegaze is usually a personal and authentic expression. How does the genre relate to ideals and authenticity? The aim is to place shoegaze based on ideals and authenticity and how the sound image differs with a focus on My Bloody Valentine and their album Loveless in comparison to other related genres such as punk, post-punk, noise rock, dream pop, Britpop and grunge. It is tested via a music analysis of My Bloody Valentine's song “To Here Knows When” to test the survey results with a genre-defining music example. The starting point of the essay is to start broadly and then dive deeper and deeper until only a specific song is analyzed. The survey begins with gaining knowledge about ideals and attitudes towards authenticity in indie rock. Once identified, the text narrows and focuses on the indie rock subgenre shoegaze. The aim is to identify characteristic features within that genre, so after that chapter, the essay delves deep into the next part, which is a musical analysis of My Bloody Valentine's song "To Here Knows When" from 1991.