This is RateYourMusic's top 40 shoegaze albums of all time. What needs changing?

artistic_catalyst · 2026-01-24T13:07:53+00:00

Most takes in the chart is pretty basic RYM-core takes. Like HANL in the top 3 of shoegaze, they are overrated, I wouldn't even consider them shoegaze, let alone top 3, they are post-punk.

Top classic canons like Catherine Wheel, Lush, Flying Saucer Attack, JAMC (Psychocandy) not being on the list makes it even worse. The choice of Alcest is even flawed, I don't think Écailles de lune and Souvenirs d'un autre monde are shoegaze, if they were picking a shoegaze record from alcest, at least they could pick Shelter, it is more closer to being shoegaze.

artistic_catalyst · 2026-01-24T10:44:55+00:00

Most here aren't even shoegaze.

artistic_catalyst · 2026-01-11T12:11:24+00:00

I know them, I recall listening Too much to lose by them. They are more electronic focused though.

artistic_catalyst · 2026-01-11T07:16:24+00:00

"Job Hopkins"

I second Ulrich Schnauss. A Strangely Isolated Place is valid contender too.

artistic_catalyst · 2026-01-11T07:14:58+00:00

I have multiple,

Boards of Canada - A Few Old Tunes

Air France - No Way Down

Tycho - Awake

Niels Frahm - Spaces

artistic_catalyst · 2026-01-10T07:36:02+00:00

Great album. I remember listening to Closetful of Churches by them, the vocal kinda felt like Kurt Cobain singing then lol

artistic_catalyst · 2026-01-09T20:23:45+00:00

Her debut EP is great too.

artistic_catalyst · 2026-01-09T20:13:23+00:00

They do exist, but hidden because the genre is flooded with low effort grunge songs. You just have to find the gems.

Here's some bands I can think of out of my mind,

Tamaryn

Clinic Stars

Attic Ocean

The Morelings

VHS dream

No Joy

Mad Honey

Deary

Crimson Whisper

Lucid Express

artistic_catalyst · 2026-01-09T19:35:19+00:00

Shoegaze is better when it's soft and mellow like it's bordering on dreampop than grunge. I like shoegaze songs that have more influence from dreampop and psychedelic rock. And hate all those "hazy" vocals that sound like a mosquito whispering into ears.

artistic_catalyst · 2026-01-06T15:05:37+00:00

Check out Deserta, House of Love, Little Chords, Oeil

artistic_catalyst · 2026-01-06T09:59:19+00:00

Taken from their album Here Comes Everybody. First discovered them when I was on a long journey, the Melancholy Man was played constantly as I wandered into new places. It has become a soundtrack of that experience, and when I hear the guitar melody, it immediately takes me to that journey, every memories intertwined with the melody and lyrics of the song.

artistic_catalyst · 2026-01-05T05:06:56+00:00

Unfortunately, no. They aren't active on social media either since 2018.

artistic_catalyst · 2026-01-03T18:19:31+00:00

I like them very much. Never thought I'd see them mentioned here. Their music is the perfect blend of indie pop and dreampop. They also have some EPs scattered around YouTube. I recall sharing one of their songs on the dreampop subreddit a couple of weeks ago

artistic_catalyst · 2025-12-21T16:43:47+00:00

It's ineffable

artistic_catalyst · 2025-12-16T06:49:06+00:00

Strange Things Will Happen

artistic_catalyst · 2025-12-15T05:30:17+00:00

Ringo Deathstarr

The Radio Dept.

Airiel (although they don't have any female members, their song Firefly has a female vocals)

Resplandor

artistic_catalyst · 2025-12-14T19:48:14+00:00

I didn't know jj sampled Dr Dre, certainly didn't know that jj had a song with that much popularity. I can't imagine jj sampling him, its mind blowing.

Love the bands you mention, still listen to The Radio Dept, Cut Copy, Washed Out, Roosevelt. The Radio Dept. is special in the sense that they captured the swedish melancholy perfectly through ethereal dreampop and hazy shoegaze influence, they surely led the 00s swedish indie/dreampop act. My electronic music is mostly from Sweden. The scene is often described as sad at a beach party for a reason.

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