The difference, by ear
New wave is what the industry signed instead of punk, and what several punk musicians did once they wanted a chorus and a keyboard.
Punk rock is shouted where new wave is sung cleanly, and faster: 160 to 200 bpm against 120 to 160. To hear the difference, play Talking Heads next to Ramones. New wave grew out of punk rock, four years later.
In figures
New wave
Where it sits
Rock › Punk rock › Post-punk › New wave
In short
Post-punk's commercial face: synthesizers, hooks and jerky rhythms. Punk without the rage, but with the same ideas.
How it sounds
- Polyphonic synthesizers and drum machines alongside rock instruments.
- Jerky, staccato rhythms, often with funk or reggae influence.
- Clean production, radio-ready choruses and strong visuals for MTV.
Key acts
- Talking Heads
- Blondie
- The Cars
- Devo
Start here
The pickBlondie - Parallel Lines. Perfect pop with a CBGB past.
Full page →Punk rock
Where it sits
In short
Three chords, two minutes and zero patience for solos. A full reset of rock, and the second major source of extreme metal.
How it sounds
- Three or four chords, open position or power chords, strummed in eighths.
- Songs of ninety seconds to two and a half minutes, with no long intro and no guitar solo.
- Fast, cheap production with the vocals up front and simple drums on two and four.
Key acts
- Ramones
- Sex Pistols
- The Clash
- Buzzcocks
Start here
The pickRamones - Ramones. Fourteen songs in twenty-nine minutes, not a wasted note.
Full page →