In the late 80s and early 90s, dream pop emerged from the UK. Along with shoegaze, an adjacent and associated genre, these bands featured ethereal vocals and distorted guitar effects, creating a “wall of sound.” Dream pop has re-emerged in recent years, with bands catering to Gen Z listeners. Here are three dream pop bands of the 90s that may find a second life with Gen Z.
Cocteau Twins
One of the main pioneers of dream pop is the Cocteau Twins. In 1983, their debut album, Garlands, is one of the earliest examples of dream pop. Their single “Pearly-Dewdrops’ Drops” peaked at No. 29 in the UK. Throughout the 80s, the band expanded on the new genre with Treasure in 1984, Victorialand in 1986, and Blue Bell Knoll in 1988. Victorialand became the band’s first top ten album in the UK, and Blue Bell Knoll broke the band into the US market. Their 1988 single, “Carolyn’s Fingers”, peaked at No. 2 on the Alternative Airplay chart.
Cocteau Twins’ sixth album, Heaven Or Las Vegas, became the band’s biggest success in 1990. It went to No. 7 on the UK Albums Chart, their highest charting position. The album marked the rise of shoegaze, which peaked in 1991. Many shoegaze bands credited Cocteau Twins’ 80s releases as a major influence on the genre.
Mazzy Star
In recent years, the 90s alternative band Mazzy Star has seen renewed interest and popularity. The band formed out of the remains of the late 80s psychedelic rock group Opal. Hope Sandoval took over as the new singer for Opal, but pushed the band to write new material. This resulted in a new direction and name for the group, landing on Mazzy Star. They released their debut in 1990, She Hangs Brightly. Their single, “Blue Flower”, peaked at No. 29 on the Alternative Airplay chart, proving they could tap into the commercial mainstream.
They did just that in 1993, with their single “Fade Into You”. It became one of the biggest dream pop hits of the 90s in the US, peaking at No. 3 on the Alternative Airplay chart. Hope Sandoval’s vocals and stage presence are reminiscent of modern artists such as Olivia Rodrigo, which could easily appeal to Gen Z.
The Sundays
Formed in 1998, The Sundays were also among the pioneers of the dream pop movement of the 1980s. Their 1990 debut, Reading, Writing, and Arithmetic, was a moderate success. Ahead of the debut album, the band penned a minor hit with “Can’t Be Sure”, peaking at No. 45 in the UK. Following the album’s release, their third single, “Here’s Where The Story Ends”, went to No. 1 on the US Alternative Airplay charts. With this, they became one of the first UK dream pop bands to break into the US mainstream. Their 1992 follow-up album, Blind, peaked at No. 15 in the UK. It drew comparisons to the Cocteau Twins, with fans of one band easily gravitating towards the other.
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