Pop Underground is power-pop that came after the original golden age of power-pop in the '70s and very early '80s. The main difference is time period, so Pop Underground is still distinguished by power-pop's hallmarks -- sweet British Invasion melodies and harmonies, ringing but muscular guitars. Yet because Pop Underground extends the life of a form whose most vital stages of development are past -- (read more)

Pop Underground is power-pop that came after the original golden age of power-pop in the '70s and very early '80s. The main difference is time period, so Pop Underground is still distinguished by power-pop's hallmarks -- sweet British Invasion melodies and harmonies, ringing but muscular guitars. Yet because Pop Underground extends the life of a form whose most vital stages of development are past -- and a form that was already classicist to begin with, at that -- its artists either update the formula with contemporary twists, or simply re-create that formula to the best of their ability. The biggest Pop Underground artists -- Matthew Sweet, Teenage Fanclub, the Posies, Jellyfish, Material Issue, Jason Falkner, the Velvet Crush -- usually had extensive followings among alternative rock listeners, whether through their loud, crunchy guitars (Sweet in particular) or their intelligent, literate lyrics. However, there was also a substantial camp that remained content to record classic-style power-pop with no thought of appealing to collegiate audiences. These artists generally replicated the styles of original power-popsters like Badfinger, Big Star, and the Raspberries for the benefit of a small but rabid cult audience.(collapse)