Stoner Rock and Psychedelic Rock: What’s the Difference?
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Both stoner rock and psychedelic rock are subgenres of rock music that have been around since the 1960s. But what’s the difference between the two?
Stoner Rock
Stoner rock is a genre of rock music that combines elements of heavy metal, psychedelic rock, and doom metal. The genre emerged during the early 1990s and was pioneered by such bands as Kyuss, Sleep, and Electric Wizard. Stoner rock is typically slow-to-mid tempo, downtuned, and riff-oriented. The genre is also characterized by a heavy use of amplifier distortion and other effects, giving the music a “thick” and “massive” sound.
Characteristics of stoner rock
Stoner rock is a subgenre of rock that emerged in the early 1990s. It is characterized by a heavy, sludgy sound that is often embellished with elements of psychedelia and doom metal. Additionally, stoner rock often features extended musical passages and lyrics that explore themes of drug use, particularly marijuana.
Stoner rock bands typically take a laid-back approach to their music, eschewing the flashy showmanship and technical virtuosity favored by many other rock subgenres. This focus on simplicity and groove has led some critics to lump stoner rock together with grunge and other so-called “slacker” music of the early 1990s. However, stoner rock bands such as Kyuss and Sleep have exerted a considerable influence on subsequent generations of metal bands, particularly in the realms of sludge and drone metal.
History of stoner rock
Stoner rock is a subgenre of rock music that emerged during the early 1990s. The style is characterized by a heavy, psychedelic sound that often incorporates elements of doom metal and grunge.
Stoner rock bands typically have slow tempos, thick and heavy guitar tones, and a propensity for jamming. The genre is strongly influenced by 1970s hard rock and proto-metal bands such as Black Sabbath, Blue Cheer, UFO, Greta Van Fleet, and early Metallica.
Stoner metal is a related genre that developed in the early 1990s and shares many of the same characteristics. Both genres are often associated with the use of recreational drugs, particularly marijuana.
There is no single defining element of stoner rock or stoner metal; rather, it is an umbrella term that encompasses a wide range of sounds and styles.
Psychedelic Rock
Psychedelic rock, also referred to as “psychedelia”, is a diverse style of rock music characterized by distorted guitars, lyrics about drugs and mind-altering states, and extended improvisation. Stoner rock is a subgenre of Psychedelic rock that developed in the early 1990s. It is characterized by slow tempos, heavy guitars, and a focus on the environment and nature.
Characteristics of psychedelic rock
Psychedelic rock is a style of rock music that emerged in the mid-1960s and became prominent in the late 1960s and early 1970s. The genre is generally characterized by distorted guitars, mind-bending lyrics, and drug-induced states of consciousness.
While psychedelic rock reached its peak of popularity in the late 1960s, the genre has continued to influence rocks since then. Many modern bands cite psychedelic rock as a major influence, and the genre has made a recent comeback in popularity.
History of psychedelic rock
Psychedelic rock, also referred to as psyrock, is a style of rock music that is inspired or influenced by psychedelic culture and attempts to replicate and enhance the mind-altering experiences of psychedelic drugs. Psychedelic music began serving as a popular outlet for the LSD-fueled San Francisco underground scene of the early 1960s.
The first wave of psychedelic bands included The Grateful Dead, Jefferson Airplane, and The Byrds. These groups blended rock with folk music and experimented with new recording techniques, effects pedals, and extended improvisational jams. The psychedelic sound was further developed by artists such as Pink Floyd, Cream, The Jimi Hendrix Experience, and Traffic.
In the late 1960s and early 1970s, psychedelia began to fall out of fashion in favor of more stripped-down and raw sounds such as glam rock and punk rock. Nevertheless, some psychedelic bands continued to find success, especially in Britain where artists like Hawkwind and Pink Fairies found followings among the biker and Hells Angels subcultures. Psychedelic rock made a brief return to popularity in the late 1980s thanks to the neo-psychedelia movement which saw bands like Spacemen 3 and The Brian Jonestown Massacre achieve mainstream attention.
Comparison of the Two Genres
Psychedelic rock and stoner rock are both subgenres of rock music that emerged in the late 1960s. Both genres are characterized by their use of psychedelic and mind-altering drugs, as well as their obsession with all things trippy and weird. However, there are some key differences between the two genres.
Similarities
Stoner rock and psychedelic rock are both subgenres of rock music that emerged in the late 1960s and early 1970s. Both genres are characterized by slow tempos, heavy distortion, and experimental song structures. Stoner rock is also known for its use of drug metaphors and references to drug culture, while psychedelic rock is characterized by its trippy, mind-bending sound effects.
Differences
Stoner rock and psychedelic rock are often lumped together, but there are some key sonic differences between the two genres. Here’s a quick rundown:
Stoner rock is defined by its slower, heavier sound, while psychedelic rock is characterized by its trippy, mind-bending sonic qualities.
Stoner rock often features detuned guitars and a thick, “fuzzy” sound, while psychedelic rock often makes use of feedback and other techniques to create a “droning” effect.
Lyrically, stoner rock tends to be more focused on personal themes like self-doubt and paranoia, while psychedelic rock lyrics are more likely to be about topics like drug use and social commentary.
In terms of influence, stoner rock can be traced back to Sabbath-worshipping bands like Kyuss and Sleep, while psychedelic rock has its roots in the late 1960s/early 1970s Syd Barrett-era Pink Floyd sound.
