These shoegaze bands show how many sounds you can get from a guitar and a room full of pedals. Start with My Bloody Valentine for chords that bend under the vocal, Slowdive for a wash you can sink into, or Swervedriver…
Items 42 The creator’s order
1 My Bloody Valentine Born Jan 1, 1983 Start with Only Shallow
Bent chords and fuzz seem to slide against the drum hits while Bilinda Butcher’s vocal keeps the tune clear. Start here for distortion that changes the motion of a chord. 0 2 Slowdive Born Jan 1, 1989 Start with When the Sun Hits
A quiet vocal and guitar pattern make room for a big swell halfway in. Use it to hear how a band can take up more space and still sound unhurried. 0 3 Ride Born Jan 1, 1988 Start with Leave Them All Behind
The guitars enter around a repeating figure, with the drums pushing straight through the sustain. This gives you one of the scene’s biggest sounds without losing the beat. 0 4 Swervedriver Born Jan 1, 1989 Start with Son of Mustang Ford
Listen for the edge of the riff as the guitars overlap. The tune keeps a garage-band drive, which makes it a good choice if the drifting end of shoegaze feels too slow. 0 5 Lush Born Jan 1, 1988 Start with For Love
Two vocal lines and bright chords give the distortion a shape. Start here if you want a melody clear enough to sing back after the guitars blur together. 0 6 Chapterhouse Born Jan 1, 1987 Start with Pearl
Percussion and a repeated figure lead you into the track before the guitar layers fill the space. Pick it to hear the dance-floor pulse that some of the original British bands brought with them. 0 7 Catherine Wheel Born Jan 1, 1990 Start with Black Metallic
The electric guitars grow to fill the track gradually, leaving the vocal exposed on the way up. The contrast between the two parts gives you a full arc inside one song. 0 8 Pale Saints Born Jan 1, 1987 Start with Sight of You
A firm bass line runs under wavering guitars, and the vocal sits close enough to hear the phrase endings. Choose it for a smaller, more brittle texture than the huge choruses of Ride. 0 9 Curve Born Jan 1, 1989 Start with Horror Head
A mechanical beat keeps the song moving while the guitars and vocal stack up. It is a way into the part of shoegaze where programmed rhythm has as much force as a live drum sound. 0 10 Kitchens of Distinction Start with Drive That Fast
Julian Swales fills the space above the bass and drums with chiming layers. The vocal stays close and clear, even when the guitar seems to stretch beyond its edge. Start here if you want moving sound and an exposed voice. 0 
My Bloody ValentineBorn Jan 1, 1983Start with Only Shallow Bent chords and fuzz seem to slide against the drum hits while Bilinda Butcher’s vocal keeps the tune clear. Start here for distortion that changes the motion of a chord.0
SlowdiveBorn Jan 1, 1989Start with When the Sun Hits A quiet vocal and guitar pattern make room for a big swell halfway in. Use it to hear how a band can take up more space and still sound unhurried.0
RideBorn Jan 1, 1988Start with Leave Them All Behind The guitars enter around a repeating figure, with the drums pushing straight through the sustain. This gives you one of the scene’s biggest sounds without losing the beat.0
SwervedriverBorn Jan 1, 1989Start with Son of Mustang Ford Listen for the edge of the riff as the guitars overlap. The tune keeps a garage-band drive, which makes it a good choice if the drifting end of shoegaze feels too slow.0
LushBorn Jan 1, 1988Start with For Love Two vocal lines and bright chords give the distortion a shape. Start here if you want a melody clear enough to sing back after the guitars blur together.0
ChapterhouseBorn Jan 1, 1987Start with Pearl Percussion and a repeated figure lead you into the track before the guitar layers fill the space. Pick it to hear the dance-floor pulse that some of the original British bands brought with them.0
Catherine WheelBorn Jan 1, 1990Start with Black Metallic The electric guitars grow to fill the track gradually, leaving the vocal exposed on the way up. The contrast between the two parts gives you a full arc inside one song.0
Pale SaintsBorn Jan 1, 1987Start with Sight of You A firm bass line runs under wavering guitars, and the vocal sits close enough to hear the phrase endings. Choose it for a smaller, more brittle texture than the huge choruses of Ride.0
CurveBorn Jan 1, 1989Start with Horror Head A mechanical beat keeps the song moving while the guitars and vocal stack up. It is a way into the part of shoegaze where programmed rhythm has as much force as a live drum sound.0
Kitchens of DistinctionStart with Drive That Fast Julian Swales fills the space above the bass and drums with chiming layers. The vocal stays close and clear, even when the guitar seems to stretch beyond its edge. Start here if you want moving sound and an exposed voice.0