What is Shoegazing Music?

Shoegazing is a style of alternative rock music that emerged from the British isles in the late 1980's and early 1990's. Characterized by overwhelmingly loud, distorted guitars and echoing reverb, the signature shoegaze sound deemphasizes the vocals, often treating the human voice as just another instrument in a wash of sonic texture.  

The “shoegazing” label is often rejected by the bands in this genre and even considered derogatory, but since no other term evolved to embrace this musical style, we seem to be stuck with it.

The British music press coined the term shoegazing to describe the relatively static stage presence of these bands, who were typically more focused on creating a particular "wall of sound" than they were on creating a lively stage performance.  The term may also reflect the extensive use of guitar effects pedals, which often required looking down at the floor.

The term nu-gaze is sometimes used to categorize newer bands, such as the Silversun Pickups, whose style is similar to, or heavily influenced by, the original shoegazers.

For a representative sample of the genre, I suggest starting with My Top 10 Shoegaze Songs of All Time.