new weird america
what it is
New Weird America describes a psychedelic musical movement started in the mid 2000s. The term is generally believed to have been coined by David Keenan in the August 2003 issue of The Wire, following the Brattleboro Free Folk Festival organized by Matt Valentine and Ron Schneiderman. It is a play on Greil Marcus's phrase "Old Weird America" as used in his book Invisible Republic, which deals with the lineage connecting the pre-war folk performers on Harry Smith's Anthology of American Folk Music to Bob Dylan and his milieu.
✦ start here: albums
✦ who's making it, level by level
level 2 · the door
big names with a sharper edge
level 3 · one step out
cult favorites and indie darlings
level 4 · further
art pop, hyperpop, and the underground
level 5 · all the way
deep experimental
✦ make new weird america a playlist
turn these 31 artists into something you can press play on.
✦ nearby genres
questions
What is new weird america?
New Weird America describes a psychedelic musical movement started in the mid 2000s. The term is generally believed to have been coined by David Keenan in the August 2003 issue of The Wire, following the Brattleboro Free Folk Festival organized by Matt Valentine and Ron Schneiderman. It is a play on Greil Marcus's phrase "Old Weird America" as used in his book Invisible Republic, which deals with the lineage connecting the pre-war folk performers on Harry Smith's Anthology of American Folk Music to Bob Dylan and his milieu.
What are good new weird america albums to start with?
Try Jessica Pratt by Jessica Pratt, EP by George Ellias, Kensington Blues by Jack Rose, and Canyon Candy by Javelin.
Who are some women making new weird america?
musicisforgirls.com/genres/new-weird-america/girls lists women, non-binary artists, and bands with women making new weird america, from mainstream to underground.
genre notes from last.fm listeners · artists and albums from last.fm, updated 2026-10-20