If Gen Z isn’t close to discovering these underrated shoegaze bands, then they really should be. Several 90s shoegaze/nu-gaze icons like Slowdive and Deftones have already had a resurgence for a new generation thanks to TikTok. In fact, the subgenre as a whole has earned renewed attention in recent years, with Gen Z listeners discovering classing shoegaze but also starting their own bands. These young musicians put their own spin on the genre, but it never hurts to know the history.
The Radio Dept.
The Radio Dept. formed in Sweden in 1998 as the dream pop/shoegaze duo of Johan Duncanson and Martin Larsson. Several other members joined in 2001, but the lasting lineup remains Duncanson, Larsson, and Daniel Tjäder. They released their debut album, Lesser Matters, in 2003, so The Radio Dept. technically doesn’t quite fall within the 90s shoegaze time frame.
However, some of their influences and sound stem from that time, when shoegaze was emerging from the dregs of post-punk. Early on, The Radio Dept. earned some international attention as well. Three of their songs were featured on the soundtrack to Sofia Coppola’s 2006 film Marie Antoinette. Still, the majority of their audience is in Sweden and the U.K., where they returned to live performing in 2026. The Radio Dept. is allegedly working on new music, so it’s a great time for younger fans to discover their alt-rock adjacent, dreamy-style shoegaze.
Monster Movie
Monster Movie started in 1989 as an early shoegaze project of future Slowdive guitarist Christian Savill and Sean Hewson. However, Monster Movie didn’t really do anything substantial until the late 90s, when the band reformed with Rachel Goldstar. Savill had been in Slowdive until 1995, which spawned the band Mojave 3 around the same time. In 1999, Savill joined up with Monster Movie again, which released its debut around 2002.
The band put out five more albums between 2003 and 2017, along with three EPs. In 2012, they put out a split EP with Whirr, a 2010s-era shoegaze band that often comes up in recommendations. Monster Movie doesn’t make those lists enough, even with the new attention on Slowdive. But they put out some delightfully atmospheric shoegaze with subtle hints of jangle pop that’s worth a listen.
The Veldt
The Veldt is a shoegaze band that always pushed boundaries, but that wasn’t their initial goal. They just wanted to play music like everyone else. Twin brothers Daniel and Danny Chavis formed the band in 1986, and signed an ill-fated deal with Capitol Records. The label shelved their debut album because, essentially, they made music within a predominantly white genre. Their sound didn’t match their image, and when they pushed back at the label, they were called “difficult”.
The Veldt had to forge their own path in shoegaze, something that other bands didn’t have to do. They released three albums between 1994 and 1998, eventually putting The Vedlt on hiatus in the late 90s. The Chavis brothers released the album White Music for Black People in 2007 under the name Apollo Heights, then brought The Veldt back with the 2022 album Entropy is the Mainline to God. They’ve toured with everyone from the Cocteau Twins to The Pixies to Chuck D. And if you listen to alternative R&B, you essentially have The Veldt to thank.
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