New wave arose in the late 1970s as a more melodic, accessible, and stylish “descendant” of punk rock. Preserving the energy and freshness of punk, it added synthesizers, danceable rhythms, pop melody, irony, and a marked attention to visual image and fashion.
New wave became the defining sound of the early 1980s, especially with the arrival of music television (MTV). The genre's classics are Talking Heads, Blondie, The Cars, Duran Duran, and Depeche Mode (on the border with synth-pop). It was colourful, optimistic, “modern” music that combined artistic experiment with commercial success. New wave defined the aesthetic of a whole decade and still influences indie and pop music, while its style regularly returns to fashion.
