From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Wonky Pop
Wonky Pop
Wonky Pop acts to female-driven 1980s style pop music seen in the
synthpop revival of the later 2000s.[6]
Stylistic Post-punk revival, dance-pop, alternative
origins hip hop, New Wave, synthpop, electropop
Cultural Mid 2000s, Europe
List of acts
origins • Alphabeat[1][3][7]
Typical Electric guitar - Electronic keyboard - Bass • Annie[8]
instruments guitar - Computer - Drums - Vocals • The Big Pink[2]
• Dan Black[2]
Mainstream Late 2000s
• The Dolly Rockers[9][10]
popularity
• Electrelane[11]
Wonky Pop was a term used to describe a loose grouping • Empire of the Sun[2]
of musical acts that played what the BBC called "quirky, • Everything Everything [12]
catchy and credible pop", rooted in the eccentric side of • Example[2]
1980s pop music, which was briefly popular in the late • Flamboyant Bella[13]
2000s.[1] Acts described as being in this genre include Mi- • Florence and the Machine[2]
ka, Alphabeat and Frankmusik.[1] • Frankmusik[1][2][7]
• Girls Aloud[14]
• Lady Gaga[2][15]
Definitions • Ladyhawke[15]
"Wonky" is a British English word meaning unsteady, • La Roux[2][15]
shaky, awry, or wrong. The BBC reported that the term • Little Boots[2][15]
was both coined by and is owned by the manager of Mi- • Kid Cudi[2]
ka[2] while The Independent reported the term was coined • Master Shortie[2]
by Peter Robinson founder of the blog Popjustice.[3] • Metronomy[16]
The BBC describes a UK Wonky Pop a club night as • Mika[2]
involving "cutting-edge pop, dance, hip hop and every- • New Young Pony Club[17]
thing in between; the club organiser René Symonds • Mystery Jets [18]
states that "the iPod shuffle generation will not be limit- • Passion Pit[2]
ed to one genre and wants a return to authenticity after • Queens of Noize[19]
years of manufactured pop".[4] The Wonky Pop website • Sam Sparro[3]
sets out a manifesto that states that "We want to show • Shitdisco[20]
the world that pop is not a four letter word, and for every • The Ting Tings[3]
flaky reality TV winner there’s a myriad of cool, credible • tUnE-yArDs[21]
and weird acts".[4] • V V Brown[2][22]
A 2008 article in The Guardian contrasted Wonky Pop
performers with mainstream pop performers, noting See also
that "Wonky Pop artists are unmanufactured but
unashamedly melodic and capable of playing live without • Pop music
recourse to lashings of dry ice, troupes of dancers and • Post-punk revival
an interlude during which they fly around the stage on • New Wave
wires".[1] The Independent stated that Wonky pop caused
a change in "pop’s division of labour ...away from focus- References
grouped, production-line pop, and towards DIY [and]
[1] ^ Petridis, Alex (2008-05-02). "We are the outsiders
...fresh flavours", which is rejuvenating pop in the 2000s
with this music". London: The Guardian.
in the way that Britpop gave a shot in the arm to pop in
http://www.guardian.co.uk/music/2008/may/02/
the 1990s.[5] Major influences cited for Wonky Pop acts
popandrock.alexispetridis. Retrieved 2 July 2009.
include David Bowie, Kate Bush, Kylie Minogue, Prince
[2] ^ Youngs, Ian (2009-01-01). "Electric dreams for
and Madonna[2][1] Wonky Pop was credited with causing
pop in 2009". BBC News. http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/
a shift in popular musical tastes from male-driven guitar
1
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Wonky Pop
hi/entertainment/7784486.stm. Retrieved reviews/2011/08/electrelane&referring_uri=/
2009-02-06. concept/wonky-
[3] ^ Price, Simon (2008-12-28). "Pop and rock in 2008: pop-0x3a2cb3&referring_title=Evri
Keep it wonky ... it worked for Leonard". London: [12] ""Everything Everything in their right place"".
The Independent. http://www.independent.co.uk/ http://epigrammusic.blogspot.com/2010/01/
arts-entertainment/music/reviews/pop-and-rock- everything-everything-in-their-right.html.
in-2008-keep-it-wonky--it-worked-for- [13] Altsounds Interviews: With ... FLAMBOYANT BELLA
leonard-1213412.html. Retrieved 2009-02-06. 7 June, 2009
[4] ^ "Club Scenes: Wonky Pop". BBC News. 2009-07-14. [14] Paphides, Pete (2006-10-20). "Girls Aloud: The
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/entertainment/ Trojan horses of pop". The Times (London: News
8142998.stm. Corporation).
[5] Price, Simon (2008-12-28). "Pop and rock in 2008: http://entertainment.timesonline.co.uk/tol/
Keep it wonky ... it worked for Leonard". The arts_and_entertainment/music/article606260.ece.
Independent (London). Retrieved 2010-05-21. "Such was the clamour to see
http://www.independent.co.uk/arts- them sing a canon of wonky pop beauties..."
entertainment/music/reviews/pop-and-rock- [15] ^ Sullivan, Caroline (2008-12-17). "Slaves to synth".
in-2008-keep-it-wonky--it-worked-for- London: The Guardian.
leonard-1213412.html. http://www.guardian.co.uk/music/2008/dec/17/
[6] "La Roux, Lady Gaga, Mika, Little Boots: the 80s are electro-pop-female-artists. Retrieved 2009-02-09.
back", The Telegraph, 5 August 2009. [16] http://livemusic.fm/gig/wonky-pop-tour-tickets-
[7] ^ Lester, Paul (2008-06-11). "New band of the day - o2-academy-newcastle-newcastle-upon-
No 331: Das Pop". London: The Guardian. tyne-30-may-2009
http://www.guardian.co.uk/music/2008/jun/11/ [17] "Club Scenes: Wonky Pop". BBC News. 2009-07-14.
popandrock2. Retrieved 2009-02-09. http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/
[8] "WonkyPop". Thisiswonky.com. 8142998.stm.
http://www.thisiswonky.com/past-events.php. [18] Dot To Dot Festival NME 5 June 2008
Retrieved 2010-09-05. [19] http://www.timeout.com/london/clubs/event/
[9] "Hello Dollies as rockers make it big in model 127320/smash-and-grab-present-wonky-pop
village". Herald Express. 12 May 2009. [20] Shitdisco NME 17 April 2010
http://www.thisissouthdevon.co.uk/ [21] http://www.noripcord.com/features/
entertainment/Hello-Dollies-rockers-make-big- top-50-albums-2011-part-two
model-village/article-984791-detail/article.html. [22] Lester, Paul (2008-07-10). "New band of the day -
Retrieved 2009-06-06. No 347: VV Brown". London: The Guardian.
[10] Lester, Paul (10 April 2009). "New band of the day: http://www.guardian.co.uk/music/2008/jul/10/
Dolly Rockers (No 525)". The Guardian (London). bandoftheday.culture. Retrieved 2009-02-09.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/music/2009/apr/10/
new-band-dolly-rockers. Retrieved 2009-06-06.
[11] http://www.evri.com/media/
External links
• Wonky pop
article?title=Electrelane+at+Scala&page=http://www.thefword.org.uk/ website http://www.thisiswonky.com/
Retrieved from "http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Wonky_Pop&oldid=469834987"
Categories:
• Pop music genres
• 2000s in music
This page was last modified on 6 January 2012 at 02:50. Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-
ShareAlike License; additional terms may apply. See Terms of use for details. Wikipedia® is a registered trademark of
the Wikimedia Foundation, Inc., a non-profit organization.Contact us
Privacy policy About Wikipedia Disclaimers
2