The difference, by ear
Jangle is the guitar sound indie inherited, revived from folk rock in the early 1980s and then handed on.
Both are sung cleanly and move at much the same pace, around 100 to 150 bpm. To hear the difference, play Pavement next to R.E.M. They share a root in rock, and jangle pop came first, by five years.
In figures
Indie rock
Where it sits
Rock › Alternative rock › Indie rock
In short
Originally an economic description - independent labels - that hardened into an aesthetic: modest production and total freedom.
How it sounds
- Modest production, with a small budget treated as an aesthetic choice.
- Clean or lightly saturated guitars; solos are rare.
- Untrained, natural vocals, often deliberately vulnerable.
Key acts
- Pavement
- Sonic Youth
- Arcade Fire
- The National
Start here
The pickPavement - Slanted and Enchanted. Studied indifference, excellent songs.
Full page →Jangle pop
Where it sits
Rock › Folk rock › Jangle pop
In short
Clean, chiming Rickenbacker guitars and melody everywhere. The building block of indie rock.
How it sounds
- Compressed Rickenbacker guitar with no distortion - the jangle itself.
- Melodic bass with its own lines, often moving in counterpoint.
- Clear melodies, with vocals sometimes mixed lower than radio expected.
Key acts
- R.E.M.
- The Smiths
- The Go-Betweens
Start here
The pickR.E.M. - Murmur. Don't try to decipher the lyrics; the band didn't want you to.
Full page →