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The 4 Best Shoegaze Albums From Each of the Past Four Decades

Over the years, shoegaze has reinvented itself many times over, but My Bloody Valentine’s ‘Loveless’ remains one of its best representations.

By Stephen Andrew Galiher

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Ah, shoegaze. That warm, fuzzy, often depressive guitar-led assault on my precious eardrums.

For decades, since putting down roots in the late 70s and early 80s, the genre has continued to reinvent and redefine itself. So when we talk about the “best” albums, that conversation can get tricky.

Luckily for us, I’m very confident in my ability to both choose the best ones AND infuriate traditionalists at the same time. So, please, at the risk of your own elevated blood pressure, read on and see which shoegaze albums are the best ones from the past four decades!

1980s: ‘Psychocandy’ by The Jesus and Mary Chain (1985)

The Jesus and Mary Chain’s debut album, Psychocandy, might not be the first definable shoegaze album (that honor more than likely goes to the Cocteau Twins), but it’s pretty damn close.

Released in 1985, the album was a breakout for the 80s rock scene, bringing a louder, darker New Wave sound. The band took the foundation laid by bands like Joy Division and then built some big a** walls of sound all around it.

Everything that came after........

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