Hey, it's Alan, and I just wanted to let you know that you can now listen to the ongoing

history of new music early and ad-free on Amazon Music, included with Prime.

Music is always just downstream of what's happening in popular culture. Let me show you

what I mean. The early 80s were a volatile time for politics, and society was shifting too.

The Cold War was dangerously close to turning hot with relations between the U.S. and the USSR in a particularly bad spot. There was also

an awful recession with interest rates pushing past 20%. With all this going on, the early 80s were an

interesting time for music. The CD was introduced,

elevating the quality of recorded audio and encouraging people to up their technical game

on a bunch of different levels. Also, MTV went on the air, so music videos were a new thing.

Even though the original punk rock era had burned itself out, it left behind a spirit of adventure.

The post-punk era was filled with experimentation that resulted in all sorts of new sounds.

A lot of these new sounds were facilitated by new technology, especially in the realm of electronics.

Not only were synthesizers getting more powerful and cheaper,

but there were also drum machines and samplers,

more sophisticated multi-track recorders, and new outboard effects

that could be employed in both the studio and on stage.

So, in some respects, music got more complicated simply because it could.

We are always going to have artists that will push the envelope in some fashion.

This is where we encounter a post-punk genre called Dream Pop, a thing unto itself,

but it's also related to other genres where atmosphere, sonic textures, and in some cases,

sheer volume reigns supreme.

And from its origins in the early 80s, Dream Pop has had a profound effect on music that has

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