shoegaze 

A style of rock music that emerged in England in the late 80s that featured blisteringly loud and dreamily reverberated feedback. Recently revived by electronic bands like M83 and Ulrich Schnauss.

Cocteau Twins, My Bloody Valentine, Slowdive are good shoegazer bands.

shoegaze by Corey May 13, 2005

shoegaze 

A genre originating in 80s England, now international. Defined by highly distorted guitars, and vocals, usually high-and-breathless or low in the mix, sometimes absent.

A psychedelic style, but not "trippy" psychedelic, more a dreamy, distant feel.

Pioneeered by My Bloody Valentine, but few bands actually sound like them anymore.

Loud guitars and quiet vocals is a usual dynamic.

Shoegaze is defined by a certain guitar sound, so electronic bands such as M83would NOT be considered shoegaze, but could fit into the related genre of dreampop

Shoegaze comes from the use of distortion pedals to achieve a dreamy/psychedelic sound

shoegaze by WarGoatForestWolf666 April 13, 2010

Shoegaze 

shoegaze is everything except for having sex and/or smoking Cigarettes After Sex

"Is sending a fax Shoegaze?"
"Yes. Shut up."

Shoegaze by Spinch666 March 24, 2021

Shoegaze 

Any type of music the person saying the word does not like

“Nah I don’t like duster. That shits shoegaze”
“Fuck the smiths too shoegaze for me

Shoegaze by Liluzibert March 7, 2022

shoegaze 

To play an instrument (especially a guitar) with one's head down, as though gazing at one's shoes.

That emo guy plays shoegaze at the coffee shop on Fridays.

shoegaze by eparx November 12, 2004

heavy shoegaze

I'm calling O.S.I.'s album Office of Strategic Influence the definitive beginning of HEAVY SHOEGAZE music, elements were present already in bands like Bob Dylan, Jimi Hendrix, Alan Parsons Project, Radiohead, Moody Blues, Tool, Chroma Key, Pink Floyd, Deftones, Smashing Pumpkins, King Crimson, the Fates Warning's album Disconnected, Grateful Dead songs like Touch of Grey, with the earliest beginning I suggest as early as the Miles Davis album Kind of Blue though SHOEGAZE is more of a hybrid of mellow blues jazz and mellow rock combined with more modern digitization, possibly successfully started with Radiohead's OK Computer album given music contributions in electronics by artists like Aphex Twin, but also with origins as far back as Miles Davis, but the reason OK Computer in 1997 isn't the definitive beginning is that in 2,000CE O.S.I. combined this style with the laid-back heavy edge of Tool, and Porcupine Tree that made it HEAVY SHOEGAZE. Shoegaze refers to how it's musicians are often gazing at the stomp boxes while playing the music.

Heavy shoegaze music is a long time in the making, but it sure was well worth the wait.

heavy shoegaze by Craig pronounced Keraig May 5, 2026

shoegazing

shoegazing is a form of art. this art-form is achieved by playing an electric guitar and using a pedal board, though a big muff pedal is really all that is required. one who shoegazes will generally play their guitar with an extreme reverb and sustain while turning the knobs on their pedal(s) with their feet to create a "wall of sound". thus they are staring at the pedal(s) and eloquently changing the sound constantly, there of. this sound is obnoxious to those who do not enjoy what is known as the "drone" that the shoegaze sound is famous for. "droning" is what renowned shoegazers are known best for. the tempo is typically 120 bpm but the effect that is achieved overall is a very psychedelic wash. the listener is more often then not inebriated when listening to shoegaze. when shoegazing, the musician is often lost in a trance in which the sound and the musician are all that exist on the planet. high volume is a must. though the true sound of shoegazing is not loved by most, those who tend to "space out" on a regular basis find a love for it very quickly. check out my bloody valentine, the jesus and mary chain, the pains of being pure at heart, and other related bands to get a true example of this form of music.

"holy shit! that guy is shoegazing like mad! i'm only on LSD but i also feel like i'm rolling face before God himself!"

"this shoegaze isn't working for me. let's go listen to dubstep."

wesley - you wanna shoegaze?
tallon - fuck yeah. i'm getting my nod on right now and that big muff is calling me.
wesley - well fuck, dude. let me finish this drink and i'll play a groove. we'll gaze all day.
tallon - wanna get some doses?
wesley - it wouldn't be the same without it.

shoegazing by space-cadet September 24, 2011