Students of pop music and pop culture as well as fans who have loved the music since it came into being will gain valuable insight into this genre of the 1970s and 1980s.

Listen to New Wave Rock!: Exploring a Musical Genre contains background on new wave music in general, with an overview and history of new wave rock in particular.

While the bulk of the book is devoted to analysis of 50 must-hear musical examples, which include artists, songs, and albums, the book also explores how this genre of the late 1970s and 1980s came into being, musical influences on the genre, and how the genre influenced later generations of artists. Additional chapters analyze the impact of new wave rock on American popular culture and the legacy of new wave music, including how the music is still used today in film and television soundtracks and in television commercials.

The combination of detailed examination of specific artists, songs, and albums and discussion of background, legacy, and impact distinguish this book from others on the subject and make it a vital reference and interesting read for both students and music aficionados.

Details 50 must-hear musical examples, including artists, songs, and albums

Traces the legacy of new wave rock through film, television, and television commercials from the 1980s to the present

Describes the musical materials of new wave rock that developed out of disco and punk rock

Covers both well-remembered artists (e.g., Blondie) and not so well-remembered artists that all had a major impact on popular culture in the 1970s and 1980s