| Slacker rock | |
|---|---|
 Stephen Malkmus in pioneering slacker rock bandPavement's 2010 reunion tour | |
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| Stylistic origins | |
| Cultural origins | Late 1980s to early 1990s, United States |
| Derivative forms | Bedroom pop |
| Other topics | |
Slacker rock (originally known aslo-fi orlo-fi indie) is asubgenre ofindie rock that emerged in the United States during the late 1980s to early 1990s. The genre was originally associated withGeneration Xslacker culture. However, experienced a resurgence during the 2000s and 2010s amongstMillennials andGen Z.
Notable acts includePavement,Built to Spill,Sebadoh,the Microphones,Silver Jews andGuided By Voices.
Slacker rock was initially intertwined with "slacker" culture which emerged in the 1980s and 1990s amongstGeneration X, with its association with a specific cultural attitude being primarily popularized by directorRichard Linklater's 1990cult film,Slacker.
The term "slacker" described a teenager that showcased a nonchalant attitude and general blasé approach to life. Slacker rock became musically reflective of slacker culture, employing less emphasis on technical proficiency and production quality, in favor of stripped downlo-fi aesthetics and an apathetic singing style.[1]
Slacker rock emerged out of the Americanindie andcollege rock scene, originally drawing influence fromalternative rock bands likeSonic Youth,Pixies, andDinosaur Jr. as well as 1980scassette eralo-fi artists likeBeat Happening andDaniel Johnston,[2] earlier influences includedNew Zealand'sDunedin sound which featured bands such asthe Clean andChris Knox'sTall Dwarfs.[3][4]
During the 1980s, slacker rock first came to prominence through the indie rock scene, though initially referred to as "lo-fi", the music was associated with bands likeGuided by Voices who formed in 1983 and treatedlow-fidelityanalog recording as an intentional musical aesthetic, which had previously been viewed as a negative technological limitation.[5] By the late 1980s to early 1990s, the American lo-fi movement began to gain prominence in the alternative and DIY underground music scene, with the sound evolving into a distinct indie rock genre popularized by bands likethe Lemonheads,[6][7]Camper Van Beethoven[8] andPavement. Later bands likeBuilt to Spill,Sebadoh, andSparklehorse, further proliferated the movement.
Slacker rock saw its commercial height in the 1990s with popular artists likeBeck.[9][10]
In the 2000s, the indie music scene experienced a resurgence in analog technology and retro aesthetics brought upon by the popularity of genres likechillwave andhypnagogic pop, which brought about a re-interest in cassette culture and earlylo-fi and slacker rock bands.[11] In the 2010s, slacker rock experienced a revival spearheaded by artists likeMac DeMarco,[12]Alex G andCar Seat Headrest, as well as artists likeKurt Vile,Vivian Girls,Courtney Barnett, andOvlov.[4] Subsequently, slacker rock's resurgence would later influence thebedroom pop movement.[13][4][14]
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