"In the late 1970s, rock fans were hungry for something new and couldn't buy a thrill. Not until the new wave lifted rock out of an endless sea of chest-beating arena stompers and toothless power ballads, boosting it to breathtaking new heights. Punk had pointed to a place beyond 1970s rock cliches, but new wavers went all the way, borrowing freely from funk, reggae, and the cooler side of art rock and building something sharp, speedy, and — most importantly — fun.
An eye-popping array of musical colors burst into view, with room for all races, genders, and sexual orientations, and more hooks than a Peter Pan cosplay party. As the scene ascended to the mainstream, a new generation of artists brought the underground into your living room, with a sound tough enough to knock you over but buoyant enough to bounce you back up again."
