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Description
New wave of new wave (often shortened to NWONW) was a short-lived UK alternative-rock revival in the early 1990s.
It reactivated late-1970s/early-1980s post-punk, punk, and new wave ideas—tight, wiry guitar parts, punchy rhythms, and catchy but acerbic melodies—often delivered with a knowingly retro, pop-aware sensibility.
The style was closely associated with British music press narratives around 1993–1994 and was frequently portrayed (and sometimes dismissed) as a media-led movement, especially once Britpop became the dominant mainstream alternative-rock story in the UK.
Sources: Spotify, Wikipedia, Discogs, Rate Your Music, MusicBrainz, and other online sources
History
New wave of new wave emerged in the United Kingdom in the early 1990s as part of the broader alternative-rock ecosystem.
It drew heavily on late-1970s punk and post-punk/new wave songwriting discipline: concise structures, prominent rhythmic drive, and sharp melodic hooks.
Around 1993–1994, the UK music press began grouping a cluster of bands under the label “new wave of new wave.”
The tag emphasized a return to angular guitars, brisk tempos, and pop-smart vocal lines reminiscent of earlier UK/US new wave and punk acts.
The movement was short-lived and is often described as a press construct rather than a stable, long-term scene.
As Britpop took over the UK mainstream narrative, many NWONW-associated bands were either rebranded, absorbed into broader alternative rock, or simply lost attention.
Even with its brief lifespan, NWONW helped keep post-punk/new wave vocabulary active in UK guitar music and provided a template for later indie/post-punk revivals built on tight, hook-forward arrangements.
