Lmao, well djvoid1, back then we were hopeful for the future, & had no idea just how incredibly disappointing & shitty the future was gonna turn out to be, lol.
@@disarray5136 the only inspiration is to try and steal a look, and try to cash in on a resurgence of a sound, while not actually doing anything daring or inspiring; just cowardly making corporate over produced wank.
Memory Lane, wrong again. There was lots of 80s nostalgia in the 2000s. Anybody remember VH1's I Love the 80s series? I think that series was what first started this whole 80s nostalgia craze, which I'm proud to be a part of. Remember though, that the 50s nostalgia craze lasted for several decades, so why can't the 80s do it too??
Memory Lane, yeah, that's about it! Lol, other than those musical revivals, there was 0 evidence of any kind of a 70s craze, in the 2000s. The 80s craze started in the 2000s, & it's still going on today. Anybody remember the 2003 hit, Stacy's Mom has got it going on, that contained an 80s reference in the video, with the parody of the famous masturbation scene from Fast Times at Ridgemont High. This was no doubt inspired by the popularity & success of the I Love the 80s series, the most successful of all of the I Love series. There was also an I Love the 70s & I l Love the 90s series, released in the 90s, but both of those were nowhere near as popular & successful as the 80s version. Just face it, the 80s nostalgia craze started in the 2000s. Like I said, there's certainly nothing bad about that.
I mean it's called musical cohesion. They've only released one album so far, and it's one of the most specific and cohesive albums I've heard for a while. The album is all about Heather's repeated run-ins with old lovers and her own mental state when she was only 18-19. The band is young and their influences are very obvious, they just need time to develop their sound. If you think of the album as a collection of songs that all have a similar vibe, like a emotional concept album, then it's much more enjoyable too. The whole album is very story oriented and paying a lot more attention to the lyrics improves the experience a lot.
i love all music on the inside that's cool but I feel like if you played all their songs on top of each other there would be hardly any different. Compare to something like Daft Punk's albums for example where they're cohesive albums with a running theme but the songs are still distinctive. Just my five penneth worth 🤷♀️
I come back to this video essay every now and then. I find this recycling of trends/eras interesting. I saw the revival of the 80s in my teens during the mid-2010s, and now in my 20s I'm starting to see the revival of the 2000s. Interesting stuff! Great analysis!
I've listened 'Television Romance' and 'Noises' can't really hear the 80's sound really, a bit of The Cure style guitar in Noises but that's all. What I hear is early 2000's boiled down Avril Lavigne kinda pop rock with some acoustic elevation (like U2's Pop and every stadium rock band after that) However in the visuals you can see some 80's asthetics but it's everywhere now. But honestly (as Avril) I don't really find this kind of music very appealing or interesting.
@@darkwave9345 I think what is 'good' for you is highly subjective. Technically Pale Waves is good. They know their craft and create an atmosphere that a lot of people like. The point of my comment was that I can't really find the 80's aesthetic in their music that much. I even like nostalgia styles like synthwave, stoner rock, new wave or post punk revival and they heavily rely on the 80's style. I would recommend you to listen to bands like Churches (more on the new wave revival side) or if you are a bit more rock oriented All Them Witches (psychedelic folk / stoner rock), or War on Drugs (Dire Straits and Bob Dylan vibes).
When you say you don't hear the 80's sound which bit of the 80's do you mean? The aesthetic of the early 80's was different from the mid 80's, and vastly different from the late 80's. When most people talk about 80's music they mean the New Wave / New Romantic eras, which were all but over by 1985, replaced by a more commercial rock sound. The mid 80's were the era of Huey Lewis, Mr. Mister, The Outfield, and MIke + the Mechanics. Pales Waves fit that mid 80's mold extremely well. I could easily imagine "Television Romance" or "The Tide" cropping up on the radio in 1985, perhaps on a drive-home block between Til Tuesday and Scritti Politti.
@@ziweiyuan When I say 80's sound I mean the synthesizers and guitar amps, the mixing, the way that the lead singer sings etc. There are bands that use the same 10-15 sounds that were very distinct in the era. Pale Waves for example used the same guitar amp that The Cure used a lot in Noises. But besides that, these sounds and mixing technics were more common in early 2000's and because of that evoking that feeling for me. There is a big use in original 80's sounds in synth-wave or post punk revival or indie bands like The War on Drugs or White Lies who extensively use these particular tools to recreate 80's moods. For me Pale Waves not really.
They sound like they’re more influenced by middle of the road mid 80s Genesis, Belinda Carlisle, Paula Abdul, Taylor Swift and Katy Perry produced by someone who heard New Order’s “Regret” while shopping at a Target once and Shazamed it but never bothered to listen to their other work. Before listening to their stuff (this video randomly popped up and I’d never heard of this band) I was expecting something darker, edgier, more interesting sounding. This is what I assume Ashley Simpson would sound like if I listened to it.
@@ediesongbird3163 teen spirit literally straight up stole the drum pattern from a disco song that Shit would never fly in todays music landscape Music is harder to take influence from because everything can be found and tracked Before if kurt steals a style from the pixies its fine because not everyone knows the pixies Today if i steal form the pixies i get called a copycat because we have the records and anyone can go hear Just look at good for you and misery business One is clearly influenced But then look at broken belouvard of dreams by green day Its almost the exact same as good for you except it doesn't use double time drums
I'm not familiar with Pale Waves, but I do think that it's kind of great if they influence young kids who are just getting into music to check out some of the greats from the late 70's and early 80's. I was born in 88 and really only knew about 80's pop music and the hair bands up until a few years ago. My dad was into music, but always told me that the 80's sucked, and I took his word for it. He did listen to the Cure, Talking Heads and a few others who were big during that era, but I was late into my twenties before I ever discovered bands like Bauhaus, Siouxsie and the Banshees, Wire, Killing Joke, and dozens and amazing bands from that era. These post-punk, goth and early alternative bands were so exciting to me because I finally found where some of the bands I grew up with in the 90's and 2000's got their influence from. It's been years since I've dove into this era, but I'm still finding things that I never knew about.
Never heard of Pale Waves before. Listened to Television Romance and all I hear is an updated Haim. The thing is that they don't even sound like an 80's band. They sound like a pale band from the 10s. Someone on the comments here traced a paralel to Avril Lavigne and that couldn't be more accurate. Just listened to other songs from them and, well, it is pretty boring... I don't think the issue with this particular band is that they are a carbon copy of the 80's sound (which they are not). The issue is that it is mediocre. It's far from a breath of fresh air. More like recycled air from the late 00's. It's exactly the sound of this nostalgia wave. We even had better stuff from the 00s, like Interpol's first album (pure Joy Division aesthetic) or even Franz Ferdinand and their artsy Gang of Four style, which you could apply the same arguments. A good band is not defined by their influences, it should be the starting point, not the other way around.
Thing is, retrowave has been bringing synth rock and pop back long before these bands hit. The Midnight, FM-84's work with Ollie Wride, Trevor Something, Mecha Maiko, W O L F, etc, have all been spearheading a lot of this movement via NRW for years now.
I love this! You gotta make a living somehow. It's also impossible to lose any credibility when you're associated with Skinny Puppy or Pigface. That's street cred for life.
i don't like pale waves, not because they sound unoriginal, but because they sound bland and annoying. they don't sound like the cure or cocteau twins or the smiths much at all imo, they sound like a more boring the 1975.
Right?! I don't get those comparisons either, I'm certainly not hearing it. I guess if I'm being really generous they could sound vaguely 80's but more in a Kim Wilde sense. Idk, but not quite the Cure, even Robert Smith at his poppiest had more feeling and texture to his music than this band. I feel like this band is perfect for Taylor Swift fans who want an excuse to wear black. Bland is really the perfect word for them IMO.
To me, they sound inauthentic. After reading "Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance" a few years ago, I sometimes think of music in the context of "is this authentic? Is there quality here?" They don't have it. Rap music has summed up the whole idea as being "real". How many rappers have you heard telling you how "real" they are? It's the same exact idea, worded differently. It's an intangible quality, but if you apply it to any era, whether Nirvana or 2pac or 50 cent and Rick Ross, you start to see how ever present it all is.
One of the few things I'm jealous of is the ready availability of music now as compared what was around when I was younger. If you didn't have a good local indie record store you had to hope the person ordering the music for your "big box" music store had good taste. I was lucky in that regard but there was so much good music I missed simply because it wasn't available. I'm glad the younger generations can find all the good shit I grew up with and appreciate it enough to let it influence them. Even if you don't like Pale Waves, there's another band out there with the same influences that you will like. You just have to look for them.
As much as they might be unoriginal, I do really like a lot of these newer Coldwave sort of bands. It's nice to hear a newer sound with heavy 80s influence.
My criticism of pale waves isn't that they are unoriginal because I agree with this videos analysis My criticism is that they are repetitive. Like seriously all of their songs sound basically the same and follow the same exact format and it gets hard to binge listen to their songs
For their early stuff, I think this is a fair criticism, although I think it largely has to do with how fast they blew up and the pressure that was put on them to crank out "There's a Honey"- or "Television Romance"-esque hits. Imho, "Who Am I?" was a great step in the right direction; you can tell they're getting their sea legs. That said, they've also really jettisoned that 80s sound that garnered them so much attention in the first place.
I’ve seen the Pale Waves live, they were a supporting act for the 1975. Really did not enjoy them, couldn’t tell when one song ended and another began.
I saw them with Muse and I loved them personally. Might have been the atmosphere and the fact that Tom morrelo and Muse were still to come, but it was still a very enjoyable show from them
Goth Greta Van Fleet. I don't get it that you have guitar centric bands like "King Gizzard" and "The Drones/Tropical Fuck Storm" actually creating unique sounding music, and people are saying that Greta Van Fleet and Pale Waves are a breath of fresh air. Meanwhile bands like Deafheaven get called Godspeed You Black Emperor ripoffs when in reality they've just taken elements from many wells of inspiration and come out with a unique sound. Even bands that aren't necessarily doing anything wholly original like Royal Blood and Highly Suspect still make for interesting sounding radio rock. Pale Waves and Greta Van Fleet sound like cover bands with none of the favorite songs from the band they're supposed to be covering.
Thank you for figuring out why I have such an affinity for Chvrches! They are a band that I shouldn't like - but I really, really do. And now I get why. There's still only one Pet Shop Boys though... Nobody dares to copy that!
Made me upset because I thought I was gonna get bauhaus or the cure or siouxsie and the banshees but i got that quietly in the background sometimes kind of i guess under early 2000s avril lavigne... so i'm butthurt I give them chance after chance but I just don't like it...I saw someone saw it sounded like love will tear us apart and just like heaven and I was like... bitch where????
As a person who was a teen in the 80's who listened to a whole lot of post-punk during that time I think all of the modern wannabe 80's post-punk imitators to be really tiring. There are a whole lot of post-punk bands from the 80's whose music has never been reissued since that time. I would rather search out those bands than all of the imitators. I think the modern goth rock and deathrock bands are excellent and are doing many things differently from the 80's but these modern wannabe 80's post-punk bands are just jumping on the 80's nostalgia wagon.
Being a film maker and having a passion for music, I find the visuals for Pale Waves to be super solid and their sound is widely appealing. Heather has so many different different looks in their videos and she obviously films well, but also can come across with a bit of fun and a subtle sass, as you can see in Kiss, Jealousy, and of course Noises. Great band with one way to go and that's up.
I mean I feel like the 80s obsession could be trace back to M83's Saturday = Youth which released around 2007-08. That gives around 20 to 25 years after. I think this also true with the revival in shoegazing bands in mid 00s like asobi seksu, a place to bury strangers, the horrors, have a nice life, pain of a pure heart, nothing and Ringo deathstar.
First I've heard of Pale Waves, but what you played of them does not sound anything like the 80s I grew up in (Los Angeles listening to KROQ and punk). They just sound like bland contemporary pop rock. The singer has the old goth look down perfectly though. She looks just like an old crush I had back in highschool.
This is just pop music wearing Goth clothing and doesn't audibly resemble ANY of the 80's bands you mentioned. I should know, I grew up with it and none of this sounds appealing. There are other bands that are closer to that description than this band.
Very influenced by the 1975 who were in turn influenced by 80's pop but also the pop of the noughties and 10's. PW are a bit cliché atm but I think they have some catchy tracks, they are still a young band and they will mature as songwriters
white zombie's first album was... something, but with time they got a feel of what was the direction they wanted to go for. astro creep blew my ears out!
I've never really got into Pale Waves or bought into any of their hype, though I look forward to seeing them in future honing their sound and hopefully having a more unique voice. From the lead singer's short black hair and the particular inflections within her vocals, they are so clearly inspired by Matty, Siouxsie Sioux and Robert Smith. The thing with today's young pop stars trying to regurgitate 80s sounds, is that even in the process of homage it no longer feels creative. So many young people are drawn particularly to the romantic notion of the 1980s, and as the years go further away from that era, kids are less likely to critique what they're hearing as innovative, particularly if it has that immediate retro feel. When I think back to my own teen years between 2006- 2011 in the UK, the 80s throwbacks seemed nonexistent because Indie rock seemed to rule - The Charlatans, The Kooks, Razorlight, Kaiser Chiefs, Franz Ferdinand, Kasabian - all influenced by their predecessors of post punk, rock and indie but still with a sound that felt special and unique to that millenium period. I guess that today's throwback music provides almost a sense of comfort and familiarity - perhaps a welcome break from all the Cardi B and Post Malone stuff in today's age. These bands and singers use 80s guitar rhythms, synth sounds and song themes about youth and love, as it is ultimately a tried and tested formula that plays on the nostalgic and pop culture thirsty ears of our era. As the video suggests, Netflix shows like The Dirt, The Get Down, Stranger Things and movies like IT and I Tonya have further re-enforced 70s/ 80s pop and movie culture and it's a powerful influence.
Fickle Friends "Crybaby" is another good example of a new song that sounds like it's from the 80s. There is most definitely some kind of revival of 80s aesthetic, and it definitely has a very strong nostalgic driving force. I like it though.
Let's be honest: music these days isn't about "music." It's about the look. Pale Waves are plenty attractive enough to develop a huge following regardless of whether they ever make anything that is truly worth listening to. That's what is wrong with the whole pop machine- it's only about being pretty. If enough people think you're "hot," that's all that matters. We've become so shallow that it's truly disgusting. You're never going to find anything "real" in the pop world.
The Sound of the Future Comes From the Past. Also, don't forget Synthwave and bands and producers like GUNSHIP, The Midnight, Volkor X, MoTER, Yoru, Gryff, Turbo Kinight, Straplocked, yours truly etc.
Stuff like this is so bittersweet. I'm so glad Pale Waves is getting noticed. But I'm kinda sad that bands like The Birthday Massacre (while very active and with a loyal fanbase) never got the attention that Pale Waves is getting now. I found them in 2005 and it seemed like they were doing the whole 80's/shoegaze/gothy mishmash of sound before anyone else was.
they're a fairly new band and still finding their sound. they're making music that they like. if it's popular? sweet. if it's not? sweet. you like what you like shouldn't matter where they take influence from. after all, this is a theory and not fact. everyone can interpret it as they choose but only the band knows the truth of it all.
It's kinda annoying how ppl take unoriginal as a complete insult...its music. You would be dumb if by this time u didn't realize music in its heart and root is nothing but passion for another artist who came before them. Music IS unoriginal. And that's what can be so great about it sometimes
I don't really get where all the hate for these guys is coming from. Sure they're not perfect nor are they the best band ever, but I think they're pretty good compared to most of the stuff being churned out today (obviously if you compare them directly to the Cure or the Smiths you're not going to be very impressed). Also, keep in mind that these guys are just starting out and just released their first album a year or so ago. Most bands usually start off emulating their influences and doing covers, so give them some time to figure out their sound and come into their own. Coming from an old school goth who was actually around back in the 80s, I'd say Pale Waves is doing pretty good so far!
Holy shit, that band looks so contrived and cringy. That singer is the epitome of a try hard. You should do a video on Idles. They're one of the more interesting newer bands around today. Their commentaries on modern life is at least relevant and somewhat important. They actually stand for something, which is a nice change of pace.
Yo, thank you for mentioning Idles. I just looked them up and they are much, much better and I can hear the influences plus their own sound. They're great.
Your favorite band is "try hard". If you're not trying hard while making art as well as making a product for consumption then you will more than likely fail. I grew up with all the '80's goth and punk stuff and if you think those band images weren't contrived then you're crazy. That's not to say it's bad but it's silly to think Robert Smith using lots of eye shadow and lipstick isn't contrived for dramatic effect. Sure, he does it better than anyone but it's still purely an image thing. It takes a while for a musical act to find it's footing. After they find out what they're really about, that's when what they do becomes seemingly effortless. Some bands never get that far but you have to start somewhere. Being a "try hard" isn't a vice if one wants to succeed. Being derivative is what you need to worry about and I think you could easily make a strong case for Pale Waves being derivative of quite a few bands. You could also say Idles is derivative of Bauhaus. That doesn't mean Idles are bad it just means their influences are easily recognizable. Pale Waves sin is being forgettable while Idles is less so.
As much as I like their aesthetics, I dislike their music. It's very repetitive, the lead singer voice isn't my cup of tea, and their lyrics let's say they are not the best. However, when compared to nowadays crap it's way better than it. I can also see that they are trying to get better and I really hope that do, but I don't think that I would ever like them. Anyway, thanks for the video, I really liked it :)
It's another form of 80's throwback. The 80's were full of bands who looked edgy but had a really accessible sound. But you're also trying to straightjacket her. "Oh, you look like this, therefore you have to play a certain kind of music." Bullshit. Music doesn't have uniforms.
@@ziweiyuan a little late in replying but my personal gripe isn't with how a band looks different from how they're supposed to sound. I'm with you on that. Fuck uniforms. My issue is artists getting hype on their visual looks while making mediocre music. So many artists looking cool and edgy getting recognition while their music is bland at best and cringy most of the times.
I like them a bit and really like a couple of their songs, but not enough to buy their LP and put it in my collection. They are just a bit too pop and not "rock" even though they are as the narrator said "guitar based". I really do like a couple of their songs (they are on a playlist on my phone). There's just something about them that is (non-artistic) and a bit prefab. I feel kind of bad about it but there it is. The Good Natured were WAY BETTER.
I don’t see it. I don’t hear it. Aside from fashion and the look of the lead singer(which is unoriginal and derivative), this is a pop rock band. Their sound is over produced, boring, and forgettable. The comparisons drawn in this video are a real stretch.
Other than The Hurting album, TFF needs to stay right where it is: in the past. But bring on music reminiscent of Siouxsie & the Banshees, Cocteau Twins, Adam and the Ants, Devo, and Bow Wow Wow, and we gots ourselves a deal.
They don't sound 80's to me. Shit, but not 80's. Mainstream music (or culture in fact) idea of 80's is ridiculous and inaccurate., Like when i hear Pale Waves i don't think oh here's a band that ripped off the 80s, i think oh here's one more boring as fuck modern radio band. It doesn't cross my mind that they're supposed to have an 80's sound. I don't get it. Tell me what 80's song sounds like Television Romance for example... (the title though brings to mind Radio Romance by Tiffany....)
I'm speaking with some authority as an unsuccessful 40 years old musician whose output since the 90's is chiefly ripping off the 80's and while i've been unsuccessful, i think i've ripped off the 80's more successfully than Pale Waves. Sound wise, production wise, feel wise. I'd be insulted if someone listening to my music didn't immediately think "wow....you've ripped off half of my favorite 80's bands"
when i saw their hit video the first thing that came to my mind was "this is to safe and too pop to have that sad goth girl aesthetic". they look like something way more mature than the actual music they play is kinda disappointing.
@@honeythekidsarevampires i was looking for goth music and in some point i found themand is just 80's pop i hope they switch to something more melancholic the singer has the voice to deliver, they are like going to a mcdonalds specting to buy a big mac and you open the box and there is only bread and lettuce.
This video completely missed the point of the band’s criticism. Because I even came to know of Pale Waves from so many ppl calling them “The 1975 (goth edition)” or “The 1985”
@@LouKiss Don Henley is a bad ass. I can't help but quote him because he is always right. I don't think he's a jerk. He just doesn't take any bullshit. I see how you could confuse those things.
Band in 1983 - I want it to sound like the future...
Band in 2019 - I want it to sound like it was made in 1983
Sing street reference?
So people in 1983 actually predicted the future
Actually the 50s greaser aestethic was also pretty big in the 80s.
Lmao, well djvoid1, back then we were hopeful for the future, & had no idea just how incredibly disappointing & shitty the future was gonna turn out to be, lol.
i want it to sound like it was made in 1983..except time aligned and less interesting
This is what people THINK music sounded like in the 80s, not what the majority of music actually sounded like.
Probably gonna keep going til everyone thinks 80s music sounds like Oneohtrix Point Never
I know. I hear this, and I'm like, "this doesnt sound like a single damn song form that era!"
well said! it really doesnt sound 80s in the least. not even the poppier aspect of 80s music
@@disarray5136 the only inspiration is to try and steal a look, and try to cash in on a resurgence of a sound, while not actually doing anything daring or inspiring; just cowardly making corporate over produced wank.
@@josephmayfield945 at one point they were accused as industry plants because they just sound so bleh.
The 00s: "Hey the 80s is back!"
The 10s: "Hey the 80s is back!"
yeah i noticed that too.. and I don't even mind.
Memory Lane, wrong again. There was lots of 80s nostalgia in the 2000s. Anybody remember VH1's I Love the 80s series? I think that series was what first started this whole 80s nostalgia craze, which I'm proud to be a part of. Remember though, that the 50s nostalgia craze lasted for several decades, so why can't the 80s do it too??
Memory Lane, yeah, that's about it! Lol, other than those musical revivals, there was 0 evidence of any kind of a 70s craze, in the 2000s. The 80s craze started in the 2000s, & it's still going on today. Anybody remember the 2003 hit, Stacy's Mom has got it going on, that contained an 80s reference in the video, with the parody of the famous masturbation scene from Fast Times at Ridgemont High. This was no doubt inspired by the popularity & success of the I Love the 80s series, the most successful of all of the I Love series. There was also an I Love the 70s & I l Love the 90s series, released in the 90s, but both of those were nowhere near as popular & successful as the 80s version. Just face it, the 80s nostalgia craze started in the 2000s. Like I said, there's certainly nothing bad about that.
The 2000’s and 2010’s were a pop culture package deal
@@brandonpage7087 born in 2004 I grew up with vhs and many other stuff from the 80s be it movies songs bands tv shows and daily things from back then
I want to like them but all their songs sound so similar
I mean it's called musical cohesion. They've only released one album so far, and it's one of the most specific and cohesive albums I've heard for a while. The album is all about Heather's repeated run-ins with old lovers and her own mental state when she was only 18-19. The band is young and their influences are very obvious, they just need time to develop their sound. If you think of the album as a collection of songs that all have a similar vibe, like a emotional concept album, then it's much more enjoyable too. The whole album is very story oriented and paying a lot more attention to the lyrics improves the experience a lot.
i love all music on the inside that's cool but I feel like if you played all their songs on top of each other there would be hardly any different. Compare to something like Daft Punk's albums for example where they're cohesive albums with a running theme but the songs are still distinctive. Just my five penneth worth 🤷♀️
@@stanconnorstan4266 its nice to see ur comment among this sea of Pale Wave haters loll
Their songs just sound like The 1975 throwaway songs tbh
@@lilpercoskett yes
I come back to this video essay every now and then. I find this recycling of trends/eras interesting. I saw the revival of the 80s in my teens during the mid-2010s, and now in my 20s I'm starting to see the revival of the 2000s. Interesting stuff! Great analysis!
Can you make a video about Talk Talk? a tribute to Mark Hollis who recently passed away? He's one of my favorite artist and is criminally underrated..
I've listened 'Television Romance' and 'Noises' can't really hear the 80's sound really, a bit of The Cure style guitar in Noises but that's all. What I hear is early 2000's boiled down Avril Lavigne kinda pop rock with some acoustic elevation (like U2's Pop and every stadium rock band after that) However in the visuals you can see some 80's asthetics but it's everywhere now. But honestly (as Avril) I don't really find this kind of music very appealing or interesting.
then you know nothing of good music
@@darkwave9345 I think what is 'good' for you is highly subjective. Technically Pale Waves is good. They know their craft and create an atmosphere that a lot of people like. The point of my comment was that I can't really find the 80's aesthetic in their music that much. I even like nostalgia styles like synthwave, stoner rock, new wave or post punk revival and they heavily rely on the 80's style. I would recommend you to listen to bands like Churches (more on the new wave revival side) or if you are a bit more rock oriented All Them Witches (psychedelic folk / stoner rock), or War on Drugs (Dire Straits and Bob Dylan vibes).
When you say you don't hear the 80's sound which bit of the 80's do you mean? The aesthetic of the early 80's was different from the mid 80's, and vastly different from the late 80's. When most people talk about 80's music they mean the New Wave / New Romantic eras, which were all but over by 1985, replaced by a more commercial rock sound. The mid 80's were the era of Huey Lewis, Mr. Mister, The Outfield, and MIke + the Mechanics.
Pales Waves fit that mid 80's mold extremely well. I could easily imagine "Television Romance" or "The Tide" cropping up on the radio in 1985, perhaps on a drive-home block between Til Tuesday and Scritti Politti.
@@ziweiyuan When I say 80's sound I mean the synthesizers and guitar amps, the mixing, the way that the lead singer sings etc. There are bands that use the same 10-15 sounds that were very distinct in the era. Pale Waves for example used the same guitar amp that The Cure used a lot in Noises. But besides that, these sounds and mixing technics were more common in early 2000's and because of that evoking that feeling for me. There is a big use in original 80's sounds in synth-wave or post punk revival or indie bands like The War on Drugs or White Lies who extensively use these particular tools to recreate 80's moods. For me Pale Waves not really.
@@darkwave9345 Going to pretend I didn't read this comment. Yep. I just don't want to believe people like this exist.
They sound like they’re more influenced by middle of the road mid 80s Genesis, Belinda Carlisle, Paula Abdul, Taylor Swift and Katy Perry produced by someone who heard New Order’s “Regret” while shopping at a Target once and Shazamed it but never bothered to listen to their other work. Before listening to their stuff (this video randomly popped up and I’d never heard of this band) I was expecting something darker, edgier, more interesting sounding. This is what I assume Ashley Simpson would sound like if I listened to it.
Every generation does this. In the 90s, grunge basically lifted 70s hard rock and tinged it with a bit of punk. You can't call it unoriginal.
Atomic Barbarian but they had original aspects too I'm not sure I see that much here
i'm pretty sure most grunge bands were against all that 70s dad rock garbage
@@thebasedgodmax1163 they sure fuckin weren't. They were against 80s glam metal if anything.
Art is inherently transformative everything is taking inspiration from something else
@@ediesongbird3163 teen spirit literally straight up stole the drum pattern from a disco song
that Shit would never fly in todays music landscape
Music is harder to take influence from because everything can be found and tracked
Before if kurt steals a style from the pixies its fine because not everyone knows the pixies
Today if i steal form the pixies i get called a copycat because we have the records and anyone can go hear
Just look at good for you and misery business
One is clearly influenced
But then look at broken belouvard of dreams by green day
Its almost the exact same as good for you except it doesn't use double time drums
I'm not familiar with Pale Waves, but I do think that it's kind of great if they influence young kids who are just getting into music to check out some of the greats from the late 70's and early 80's. I was born in 88 and really only knew about 80's pop music and the hair bands up until a few years ago. My dad was into music, but always told me that the 80's sucked, and I took his word for it. He did listen to the Cure, Talking Heads and a few others who were big during that era, but I was late into my twenties before I ever discovered bands like Bauhaus, Siouxsie and the Banshees, Wire, Killing Joke, and dozens and amazing bands from that era. These post-punk, goth and early alternative bands were so exciting to me because I finally found where some of the bands I grew up with in the 90's and 2000's got their influence from. It's been years since I've dove into this era, but I'm still finding things that I never knew about.
(totally off topic) But I reckon a video about Neutral Milk Hotel would go down a storm.
I was wondering what happend to this video , thank you for the reupload
Never heard of Pale Waves before. Listened to Television Romance and all I hear is an updated Haim. The thing is that they don't even sound like an 80's band. They sound like a pale band from the 10s. Someone on the comments here traced a paralel to Avril Lavigne and that couldn't be more accurate. Just listened to other songs from them and, well, it is pretty boring...
I don't think the issue with this particular band is that they are a carbon copy of the 80's sound (which they are not). The issue is that it is mediocre. It's far from a breath of fresh air. More like recycled air from the late 00's. It's exactly the sound of this nostalgia wave.
We even had better stuff from the 00s, like Interpol's first album (pure Joy Division aesthetic) or even Franz Ferdinand and their artsy Gang of Four style, which you could apply the same arguments.
A good band is not defined by their influences, it should be the starting point, not the other way around.
But, just to be clear, I enjoyed the video for it's arguments, I just don't agree with it.
I can definitely hear the 80s influence in their music.
Thing is, retrowave has been bringing synth rock and pop back long before these bands hit. The Midnight, FM-84's work with Ollie Wride, Trevor Something, Mecha Maiko, W O L F, etc, have all been spearheading a lot of this movement via NRW for years now.
"Call Me Maybe' was mixed by Skinny Puppy's Rave. Fun fact.
Oh
I love this! You gotta make a living somehow. It's also impossible to lose any credibility when you're associated with Skinny Puppy or Pigface. That's street cred for life.
i don't like pale waves, not because they sound unoriginal, but because they sound bland and annoying. they don't sound like the cure or cocteau twins or the smiths much at all imo, they sound like a more boring the 1975.
Right?! I don't get those comparisons either, I'm certainly not hearing it. I guess if I'm being really generous they could sound vaguely 80's but more in a Kim Wilde sense. Idk, but not quite the Cure, even Robert Smith at his poppiest had more feeling and texture to his music than this band. I feel like this band is perfect for Taylor Swift fans who want an excuse to wear black. Bland is really the perfect word for them IMO.
I agree. They're just standard inoffensive normie-rock.
To me, they sound inauthentic. After reading "Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance" a few years ago, I sometimes think of music in the context of "is this authentic? Is there quality here?" They don't have it. Rap music has summed up the whole idea as being "real". How many rappers have you heard telling you how "real" they are? It's the same exact idea, worded differently. It's an intangible quality, but if you apply it to any era, whether Nirvana or 2pac or 50 cent and Rick Ross, you start to see how ever present it all is.
exactly.
@@lisazoria2709 yeesssssssssssss
One of the few things I'm jealous of is the ready availability of music now as compared what was around when I was younger. If you didn't have a good local indie record store you had to hope the person ordering the music for your "big box" music store had good taste. I was lucky in that regard but there was so much good music I missed simply because it wasn't available. I'm glad the younger generations can find all the good shit I grew up with and appreciate it enough to let it influence them. Even if you don't like Pale Waves, there's another band out there with the same influences that you will like. You just have to look for them.
Rip Andy Anderson
As much as they might be unoriginal, I do really like a lot of these newer Coldwave sort of bands. It's nice to hear a newer sound with heavy 80s influence.
My criticism of pale waves isn't that they are unoriginal because I agree with this videos analysis
My criticism is that they are repetitive. Like seriously all of their songs sound basically the same and follow the same exact format and it gets hard to binge listen to their songs
Connor Lennox that’s true like the song red and television romance Courses sound the same
@@joshpriest9271 nah it's television romance and there's a honey that have the same chorus melody
As some one who spent their time in the 80s being a naïve teenager, finding their way in life, I don’t mind this musical phenomenon at all.
imo the issue of pw is that their songs sound super similar to each other unlike other artists who bring this “80s sound” in multiple forms and styles
For their early stuff, I think this is a fair criticism, although I think it largely has to do with how fast they blew up and the pressure that was put on them to crank out "There's a Honey"- or "Television Romance"-esque hits. Imho, "Who Am I?" was a great step in the right direction; you can tell they're getting their sea legs. That said, they've also really jettisoned that 80s sound that garnered them so much attention in the first place.
I’ve seen the Pale Waves live, they were a supporting act for the 1975. Really did not enjoy them, couldn’t tell when one song ended and another began.
I saw them with Muse and I loved them personally. Might have been the atmosphere and the fact that Tom morrelo and Muse were still to come, but it was still a very enjoyable show from them
Goth Greta Van Fleet. I don't get it that you have guitar centric bands like "King Gizzard" and "The Drones/Tropical Fuck Storm" actually creating unique sounding music, and people are saying that Greta Van Fleet and Pale Waves are a breath of fresh air. Meanwhile bands like Deafheaven get called Godspeed You Black Emperor ripoffs when in reality they've just taken elements from many wells of inspiration and come out with a unique sound. Even bands that aren't necessarily doing anything wholly original like Royal Blood and Highly Suspect still make for interesting sounding radio rock. Pale Waves and Greta Van Fleet sound like cover bands with none of the favorite songs from the band they're supposed to be covering.
Ok, calm down music snob
@@CreepingBrutus Bro Im chill. Youre mad.
I’m still waiting for that Smiths video.
Thank you for figuring out why I have such an affinity for Chvrches! They are a band that I shouldn't like - but I really, really do. And now I get why.
There's still only one Pet Shop Boys though... Nobody dares to copy that!
Made me upset because I thought I was gonna get bauhaus or the cure or siouxsie and the banshees but i got that quietly in the background sometimes kind of i guess under early 2000s avril lavigne... so i'm butthurt
I give them chance after chance but I just don't like it...I saw someone saw it sounded like love will tear us apart and just like heaven and I was like... bitch where????
loll I searched this video 3 days ago and couldn't find it! glad you re-uploaded
As a person who was a teen in the 80's who listened to a whole lot of post-punk during that time I think all of the modern wannabe 80's post-punk imitators to be really tiring. There are a whole lot of post-punk bands from the 80's whose music has never been reissued since that time. I would rather search out those bands than all of the imitators. I think the modern goth rock and deathrock bands are excellent and are doing many things differently from the 80's but these modern wannabe 80's post-punk bands are just jumping on the 80's nostalgia wagon.
Being a film maker and having a passion for music, I find the visuals for Pale Waves to be super solid and their sound is widely appealing. Heather has so many different different looks in their videos and she obviously films well, but also can come across with a bit of fun and a subtle sass, as you can see in Kiss, Jealousy, and of course Noises. Great band with one way to go and that's up.
I mean I feel like the 80s obsession could be trace back to M83's Saturday = Youth which released around 2007-08. That gives around 20 to 25 years after. I think this also true with the revival in shoegazing bands in mid 00s like asobi seksu, a place to bury strangers, the horrors, have a nice life, pain of a pure heart, nothing and Ringo deathstar.
Gave it a shoot. I want my 15 seconds back
First I've heard of Pale Waves, but what you played of them does not sound anything like the 80s I grew up in (Los Angeles listening to KROQ and punk). They just sound like bland contemporary pop rock. The singer has the old goth look down perfectly though. She looks just like an old crush I had back in highschool.
This is just pop music wearing Goth clothing and doesn't audibly resemble ANY of the 80's bands you mentioned. I should know, I grew up with it and none of this sounds appealing. There are other bands that are closer to that description than this band.
what bands
ok boomer
Very influenced by the 1975 who were in turn influenced by 80's pop but also the pop of the noughties and 10's. PW are a bit cliché atm but I think they have some catchy tracks, they are still a young band and they will mature as songwriters
Elephants have great memories
well, they’re not hurting anyone so just let them do whatever they’re doing whether you like them or not. simple.
white zombie's first album was... something, but with time they got a feel of what was the direction they wanted to go for. astro creep blew my ears out!
I am quite fond of this melted resurgence of Goth-industrial-coldwave-dreampop-shoegaze scene we have going on right now.
Their debut album is literally just ctrl + c and ctrl = v over and over agian
2021: who the fuck are the Pale Waves?
30 years cycle... does that mean that 90s European Electronic Music will be the main focus of the 2020s?
3 yrs later and this is the first time I’ve heard of them, interesting
I want bands to sound like Dio and Queensryche again.
so, shit?
Sylvie P. We should but some people call that trap music so it’s difficult to know what is meant by ‘original’.
And now for something completely different. I just flat out like your analysis.
Check out the Midnight, it's jarring, you'll swear they were from the early 80s and wonder how you never heard them before
I actually looked for this a couple of days ago. Glad it’s back. Just booked tickets to see Pale Waves and The 1975 in April. Can’t wait.
Jethro Bronner me and my girlfriend have seen them twice, alone and with the 1975 and they’re unreal!
I've never really got into Pale Waves or bought into any of their hype, though I look forward to seeing them in future honing their sound and hopefully having a more unique voice. From the lead singer's short black hair and the particular inflections within her vocals, they are so clearly inspired by Matty, Siouxsie Sioux and Robert Smith.
The thing with today's young pop stars trying to regurgitate 80s sounds, is that even in the process of homage it no longer feels creative. So many young people are drawn particularly to the romantic notion of the 1980s, and as the years go further away from that era, kids are less likely to critique what they're hearing as innovative, particularly if it has that immediate retro feel.
When I think back to my own teen years between 2006- 2011 in the UK, the 80s throwbacks seemed nonexistent because Indie rock seemed to rule - The Charlatans, The Kooks, Razorlight, Kaiser Chiefs, Franz Ferdinand, Kasabian - all influenced by their predecessors of post punk, rock and indie but still with a sound that felt special and unique to that millenium period. I guess that today's throwback music provides almost a sense of comfort and familiarity - perhaps a welcome break from all the Cardi B and Post Malone stuff in today's age.
These bands and singers use 80s guitar rhythms, synth sounds and song themes about youth and love, as it is ultimately a tried and tested formula that plays on the nostalgic and pop culture thirsty ears of our era. As the video suggests, Netflix shows like The Dirt, The Get Down, Stranger Things and movies like IT and I Tonya have further re-enforced 70s/ 80s pop and movie culture and it's a powerful influence.
Fickle Friends "Crybaby" is another good example of a new song that sounds like it's from the 80s. There is most definitely some kind of revival of 80s aesthetic, and it definitely has a very strong nostalgic driving force. I like it though.
Let's be honest: music these days isn't about "music." It's about the look. Pale Waves are plenty attractive enough to develop a huge following regardless of whether they ever make anything that is truly worth listening to. That's what is wrong with the whole pop machine- it's only about being pretty. If enough people think you're "hot," that's all that matters. We've become so shallow that it's truly disgusting.
You're never going to find anything "real" in the pop world.
The problem isn't that they're unoriginal. The problem is they're not very good.
Some good songs, but nothing awful tbh. The Ninth Wave do this a lot better I think.
0:08 I know that guitar all to well.
The Sound of the Future Comes From the Past.
Also, don't forget Synthwave and bands and producers like GUNSHIP, The Midnight, Volkor X, MoTER, Yoru, Gryff, Turbo Kinight, Straplocked, yours truly etc.
I kinda love this updated version lol. This is edited differently isn't it? Lol
A pop group with a banshees veneer
Stuff like this is so bittersweet. I'm so glad Pale Waves is getting noticed. But I'm kinda sad that bands like The Birthday Massacre (while very active and with a loyal fanbase) never got the attention that Pale Waves is getting now. I found them in 2005 and it seemed like they were doing the whole 80's/shoegaze/gothy mishmash of sound before anyone else was.
they're a fairly new band and still finding their sound. they're making music that they like. if it's popular? sweet. if it's not? sweet. you like what you like shouldn't matter where they take influence from. after all, this is a theory and not fact. everyone can interpret it as they choose but only the band knows the truth of it all.
It's kinda annoying how ppl take unoriginal as a complete insult...its music. You would be dumb if by this time u didn't realize music in its heart and root is nothing but passion for another artist who came before them. Music IS unoriginal. And that's what can be so great about it sometimes
I don't really get where all the hate for these guys is coming from. Sure they're not perfect nor are they the best band ever, but I think they're pretty good compared to most of the stuff being churned out today (obviously if you compare them directly to the Cure or the Smiths you're not going to be very impressed). Also, keep in mind that these guys are just starting out and just released their first album a year or so ago. Most bands usually start off emulating their influences and doing covers, so give them some time to figure out their sound and come into their own.
Coming from an old school goth who was actually around back in the 80s, I'd say Pale Waves is doing pretty good so far!
cant believe matt likes this.
What do you think of She Wants Revenge? People say it is less of a homage or callback and more like stealing.
As much of a hit Tear You Apart is the lyrics don't sound great coming from a monotone listless vocal.
My fav band at the moment 💜
Now I just want to go and listen to tears for fears
Can you do a vid in Crystal Castles? 🧡✨✨
The 1975 have some 80s influence, mostly texture, not the bits Pale Waves copied. And Chvrches are just like Depeche Mode?! Just no.
Amazing
Holy shit, that band looks so contrived and cringy. That singer is the epitome of a try hard. You should do a video on Idles. They're one of the more interesting newer bands around today. Their commentaries on modern life is at least relevant and somewhat important. They actually stand for something, which is a nice change of pace.
Yo, thank you for mentioning Idles. I just looked them up and they are much, much better and I can hear the influences plus their own sound. They're great.
Your favorite band is "try hard". If you're not trying hard while making art as well as making a product for consumption then you will more than likely fail. I grew up with all the '80's goth and punk stuff and if you think those band images weren't contrived then you're crazy. That's not to say it's bad but it's silly to think Robert Smith using lots of eye shadow and lipstick isn't contrived for dramatic effect. Sure, he does it better than anyone but it's still purely an image thing. It takes a while for a musical act to find it's footing. After they find out what they're really about, that's when what they do becomes seemingly effortless. Some bands never get that far but you have to start somewhere. Being a "try hard" isn't a vice if one wants to succeed. Being derivative is what you need to worry about and I think you could easily make a strong case for Pale Waves being derivative of quite a few bands. You could also say Idles is derivative of Bauhaus. That doesn't mean Idles are bad it just means their influences are easily recognizable. Pale Waves sin is being forgettable while Idles is less so.
As much as I like their aesthetics, I dislike their music. It's very repetitive, the lead singer voice isn't my cup of tea, and their lyrics let's say they are not the best. However, when compared to nowadays crap it's way better than it. I can also see that they are trying to get better and I really hope that do, but I don't think that I would ever like them. Anyway, thanks for the video, I really liked it :)
that Pale Waves lead singer is cringe asf bro
Moo Moo she’s hot tho
@@Octorock48 maybe for 15 year old goth wannabes
Yes....
It's another form of 80's throwback. The 80's were full of bands who looked edgy but had a really accessible sound.
But you're also trying to straightjacket her. "Oh, you look like this, therefore you have to play a certain kind of music." Bullshit. Music doesn't have uniforms.
@@ziweiyuan a little late in replying but my personal gripe isn't with how a band looks different from how they're supposed to sound. I'm with you on that. Fuck uniforms.
My issue is artists getting hype on their visual looks while making mediocre music. So many artists looking cool and edgy getting recognition while their music is bland at best and cringy most of the times.
I love this band
They're making it cause the record company thinks it 'll make the most money.
Its a project.
I've watched this video twice now.._and it's still good :)
a band with good taste in music yay
I like them a bit and really like a couple of their songs, but not enough to buy their LP and put it in my collection. They are just a bit too pop and not "rock" even though they are as the narrator said "guitar based". I really do like a couple of their songs (they are on a playlist on my phone). There's just something about them that is (non-artistic) and a bit prefab. I feel kind of bad about it but there it is. The Good Natured were WAY BETTER.
I liked this video -- but it was a bit similar to other videos I've seen before.
The music sounds so static and lifeless, where's the M E L O D E
Melody didn’t exist in the 2010’s remember
idk coming from house, hearing people complain about songs sounding similar is pretty funny. peoples expectations are so different
Washed Out is catching the 80's sad guitar sound much better than Pale Waves. No offence, but this is as similiar to the Cure as Tokyo Hotel.
One of the worst guitar based bands about at the moment imo.
It sounds like all they're nostalgic for is tumblr.
I don’t see it. I don’t hear it. Aside from fashion and the look of the lead singer(which is unoriginal and derivative), this is a pop rock band. Their sound is over produced, boring, and forgettable. The comparisons drawn in this video are a real stretch.
Not really. Their music sounds heavily 80s influenced, & that's not a bad thing.
@@brandonpage7087 not at all, god not at all.
@@brandonpage7087 you need to listen to 80s music from all genres
Joy Devision, i do listen to 80s music of all different genres, & have been, since i was a kid.
Ok Alana
Nostalgic Pop? Those choruses sound like every other overproduced contemporary pop act.
Well said.
Crappier version of the 1975
A crappier version of crap. Truly amazing
Pale waves sound more like a pop band rather than an 80s copycat. There’s currents bands that actually sound like they’re from the 80s
exactly that.. weird pick indeed
Other than The Hurting album, TFF needs to stay right where it is: in the past. But bring on music reminiscent of Siouxsie & the Banshees, Cocteau Twins, Adam and the Ants, Devo, and Bow Wow Wow, and we gots ourselves a deal.
They don't sound 80's to me. Shit, but not 80's. Mainstream music (or culture in fact) idea of 80's is ridiculous and inaccurate., Like when i hear Pale Waves i don't think oh here's a band that ripped off the 80s, i think oh here's one more boring as fuck modern radio band. It doesn't cross my mind that they're supposed to have an 80's sound. I don't get it. Tell me what 80's song sounds like Television Romance for example... (the title though brings to mind Radio Romance by Tiffany....)
I'm speaking with some authority as an unsuccessful 40 years old musician whose output since the 90's is chiefly ripping off the 80's and while i've been unsuccessful, i think i've ripped off the 80's more successfully than Pale Waves. Sound wise, production wise, feel wise. I'd be insulted if someone listening to my music didn't immediately think "wow....you've ripped off half of my favorite 80's bands"
Don't mind them at all, literally the only problem is that Heather can't sing live at all, once they get that sorted they'll be great
when i saw their hit video the first thing that came to my mind was "this is to safe and too pop to have that sad goth girl aesthetic". they look like something way more mature than the actual music they play is kinda disappointing.
you literally copy pasted this comment lmaoo
@@honeythekidsarevampires i was looking for goth music and in some point i found themand is just 80's pop i hope they switch to something more melancholic the singer has the voice to deliver, they are like going to a mcdonalds specting to buy a big mac and you open the box and there is only bread and lettuce.
I like only one song of Pale Waves, my brain don't support too much happiness and high school girl lyrics.
I'm not sure Pale Waves ever sounded that 80's, they just have a really contrived version of the dirty hit sound. Album 1 is essentially a 1975 album
Wow was NOT expecting this. I'm so conditioned to elitist takes on music.
Nice
This video completely missed the point of the band’s criticism. Because I even came to know of Pale Waves from so many ppl calling them “The 1975 (goth edition)” or “The 1985”
They came, they went.
Influences of The Glove too
Do one on sleaford mods
I'd be fine with 80s pop culture being so prevalent if it didn't come with the repetition of 80s style historical events too.
Don Henley...the Steven Seagal of the music industry
I need a good laugh so explain the joke
@@pearlspacejam8639 Don Henley is one of the biggest jerks in music and not easy to work with.
@@LouKiss Don Henley is a bad ass. I can't help but quote him because he is always right. I don't think he's a jerk. He just doesn't take any bullshit. I see how you could confuse those things.
Haha you didn't really think you would get away with a don Henley sample, did you?