Rebels Without a Cause? Polish Rock and Metal Music After 1989

Authors

  • Andrzej Mądro Krzysztof Penderecki Academy of Music in Kraków

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.1558/jwpm.17253

Keywords:

Polish rock music, Polish metal music, Polish 1990s music

Abstract

The 1980s are considered the boom of Polish rock music which over time has become glorified thanks to extensive journalistic and scientific literature. However, there are still few resources about Polish music from the 1990s, after the political transformation. Yet since 1989, profound changes have taken place in Polish popular music. The predominant influences of punk rock and New Wave gave way to grunge, Britpop, thrash metal and rapcore. At the same time, the mainstream of Polish rock underwent market standardization and commercialization, leading to a loss of its raw sound and heroic character. For many, it was a time of great commercial success. What had previously been sown, blossomed and gave way to the second boom of Polish rock. The aim of this article is to explore this rich creativity in a broad, transdisciplinary perspective. It is also an attempt to answer the questions: Does rock work only in times of political crisis? Can rebellion become a commodity for sale?

Author Biography

  • Andrzej Mądro, Krzysztof Penderecki Academy of Music in Kraków

    Andrzej Mądro is a music theorist. He received his Master’s and doctoral degrees (both with honours) from the Academy of Music in Krakow. His interests cover both twentieth and twenty-first-century music, Polish music in particular, as well as borderline genres including experimental and multimedia platforms, while still involving jazz, progressive rock and modern metal. He is author of the book Music and New Media (2017).

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Published

2021-12-10

Issue

Section

Articles

How to Cite

Mądro, A. . (2021). Rebels Without a Cause? Polish Rock and Metal Music After 1989. Journal of World Popular Music, 8(2), 168–184. https://doi.org/10.1558/jwpm.17253