Canadian New Wave Bands (members section)
More Canadian Bands
There were other Canadian new wave bands that come in at different angles. Give these a spin if you can:Rational Youth
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Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet consectetur adipiscing elit quisque faucibus ex sapien vitae pellentesque sem placerat in id cursus mi pretium tellus duis convallis tempus leo eu aenean sed diam urna tempor pulvinar vivamus fringilla lacus nec metus bibendum egestas iaculis massa nisl malesuada lacinia integer nunc posuere ut hendrerit semper vel class aptent taciti sociosqu ad litora torquent per conubia nostra inceptos himenaeos orci varius natoque penatibus et magnis dis parturient montes nascetur ridiculus mus donec rhoncus eros lobortis nulla molestie mattis scelerisque maximus eget fermentum odio phasellus non purus est efficitur laoreet mauris pharetra vestibulum fusce dictum risus blandit quis suspendisse aliquet nisi sodales consequat magna ante condimentum neque at luctus nibh finibus facilisis dapibus etiam interdum tortor.Blue Peter
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet consectetur adipiscing elit quisque faucibus ex sapien vitae pellentesque sem placerat in id cursus mi pretium tellus duis convallis tempus leo eu aenean sed diam urna tempor pulvinar vivamus fringilla lacus nec metus bibendum egestas iaculis massa nisl malesuada lacinia integer nunc posuere ut hendrerit semper vel class aptent taciti sociosqu ad litora torquent per conubia nostra inceptos himenaeos orci varius natoque penatibus et magnis dis parturient montes nascetur ridiculus mus donec rhoncus eros lobortis nulla molestie mattis scelerisque maximus eget fermentum odio phasellus non purus est efficitur laoreet mauris pharetra vestibulum fusce dictum risus blandit quis suspendisse aliquet nisi sodales consequat magna ante condimentum neque at luctus nibh finibus facilisis dapibus etiam interdum tortor.Images in Vogue
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet consectetur adipiscing elit quisque faucibus ex sapien vitae pellentesque sem placerat in id cursus mi pretium tellus duis convallis tempus leo eu aenean sed diam urna tempor pulvinar vivamus fringilla lacus nec metus bibendum egestas iaculis massa nisl malesuada lacinia integer nunc posuere ut hendrerit semper vel class aptent taciti sociosqu ad litora torquent per conubia nostra inceptos himenaeos orci varius natoque penatibus et magnis dis parturient montes nascetur ridiculus mus donec rhoncus eros lobortis nulla molestie mattis scelerisque maximus eget fermentum odio phasellus non purus est efficitur laoreet mauris pharetra vestibulum fusce dictum risus blandit quis suspendisse aliquet nisi sodales consequat magna ante condimentum neque at luctus nibh finibus facilisis dapibus etiam interdum tortor.Discographies
Marth and the Muffins
Spoons
Men Without Hats
Timelines
'84 to '84
'86 and later
Influencers
Martha and the Muffins
David BowieBlended art-school intellect with pop accessibility and style
Roxy Music (Eno era)Merged sophistication and avant-garde textures into pop
Talking HeadsMarried quirky detachment with rhythmic, cerebral art-funk
Gang of FourInjected angular guitars and social critique into danceability
Men Without Hats
KraftwerkPioneered sleek synth precision and robotic rhythm
ABBAPerfected melodic pop hooks with studio polish
Talking HeadsBlended art-school irony with danceable intelligence
DevoSatirized conformity through eccentric electronic minimalism
Spoons
UltravoxFused synth drama with driving post-punk urgency
Roxy Music (post-Eno)Combined suave romanticism with artful, modern sophistication
JapanElevated pop with moody, atmospheric elegance
Simple MindsTurned introspective synth-rock into widescreen emotional anthems
Followers
Martha and the Muffins
Late '80s: Chalk CircleCarried forward artful pop with political undercurrents
'90s: Crash VegasExtended atmospheric, introspective Canadian alternative sensibility
'00s: MetricBlended cool detachment with sharp urban synth edge
'10s: Alvvayseimagined wistful pop through shimmering, melodic melancholy
'20s: Nation of LanguageRevived elegant post-punk minimalism with emotional depth
Men Without Hats
Late '80s: Kon KanBlended synthpop hooks with ironic, genre-bending wit
'90s: Bran Van 3000Mixed eclectic pop playfulness with ironic detachment
'00s: The BraveryRevived sleek, anthemic synth-rock for the 2000s
'10s: ChvrchesEmbraced bright, punchy synths with deadpan sincerit
'20s: Magdalena BayReimagined retro synthpop with playful postmodern gloss
Spoons
Late '80s: Frozen GhostCarried forward polished, synth-driven Canadian introspection
'90s: SkyContinued melodic sophistication with atmospheric electronic layers
'00s: The KillersRevived dramatic synth-rock with romantic modern swagger
'10s: ChvrchesInherited sleek synth textures and emotive clarity
'20s: Magdalena BayModernized glossy synthpop with artful, nostalgic flair
Expert & Fan Comments
Martha and the Muffins
- Saxophonist Mark Gane about his solo in Echo Beach: The one on ‘Echo Beach’ was very quirky, and the funny passing melody that works slightly against the chords – it makes it way more interesting.”
- realvj.com (about White Stations/Black Stations): The single is a departure from the new wave genre, with emphasis this time around on a Dance/Funk direction … The song’s title deals with the subject of racism in the radio industry
Spoons
- Post-Punk Monk: ‘Nova Heart’ featured a yearning, soaring melody that was impeccably produced by John … Punter. The clarity and precision of the arrangement and recording was heavily reliant on Roland equipment.
- classicrockhistory.com: The most popular hit by the Spoons was “Romantic Traffic.” … the “doot-doots” of the chorus … were an accidental filler … but turned out to be essential
Men Without Hats
- Alternative Albums blog: ‘I Got the Message’ could, and maybe should, have been another hit … a propulsive, catchy, and slightly tense synth-pop song.
- The Delete Bin (about Pop goes the World): The innocent and almost cartoony quality in this song … is actually a means of talking about more serious issues … the end of the world!