Jangle Pop

Originating from the 1960s folk-rock sound, jangle pop solidified in the early 1980s as a key strain of independent music. The genre is defined by its use of clean, treble-focused electric guitars, often a Rickenbacker 12-string, playing arpeggiated or chiming chordal patterns. It merges the melodicism of 1960s pop with a post-punk ethos, characterized by propulsive rhythms, distinct and melodic basslines, and frequently introspective or melancholic lyricism. Its influence was foundational to the development of American college rock and UK indie pop, creating a persistent framework for guitar-based songwriting outside of mainstream rock.