Sonic Youth

Template:Short description Template:About Template:Use mdy dates Template:Infobox musical artist Sonic Youth were an American rock band formed in New York City in 1981. Founding members Kim Gordon (bass, vocals, guitar), Thurston Moore (lead guitar, vocals) and Lee Ranaldo (rhythm guitar, vocals) remained together for the entire history of the band, while Steve Shelley (drums) followed a series of short-term drummers in 1985, rounding out the core line-up. Jim O'Rourke (bass, guitar, keyboards) was also a member of the band from 1999 to 2005, and Mark Ibold (bass, guitar) was a member from 2006 to 2011.

Sonic Youth emerged from the experimental no wave art and music scene in New York before evolving into a more conventional rock band and becoming a prominent member of the American noise rock scene. Sonic Youth have been praised for having "redefined what rock guitar could do"<ref name="Erlewine">Template:Cite web</ref> using a wide variety of unorthodox guitar tunings while preparing guitars with objects like drumsticks and screwdrivers to alter the instruments' timbre. The band was a pivotal influence on the alternative and indie rock movements.

After gaining a large underground following and critical praise through releases with SST Records in the late 1980s, the band experienced mainstream success throughout the 1990s and 2000s after signing to major label DGC in 1990 and headlining the 1995 Lollapalooza festival. The band disbanded in 2011 following the separation and subsequent divorce of Gordon and Moore, with their final live shows taking place in Brazil.<ref name="pitchfork.com">Template:Cite web</ref><ref name="gothamist.com">Template:Cite web</ref> The members have since asserted that the band is finished and will not reunite.<ref name="Interview for Humo Magazine">Template:Cite web</ref>

History

Formation and early history: 1977–1981

Shortly after guitarist Thurston Moore moved to New York City in early 1977, he formed the group Room Tone with his roommates; they later changed their name to the Coachmen.Template:Sfn After the breakup of the Coachmen, Moore began jamming with Stanton Miranda, whose band, CKM, featured Kim Gordon.Template:Sfn Moore and Gordon formed a band, appearing under names like Male Bonding,Template:Sfn Red Milk,Template:Sfn and the ArcadiansTemplate:Sfn before settling on Sonic YouthTemplate:Sfn in mid-1981. The name came from combining the nickname of MC5's Fred "Sonic" Smith with reggae artist Big Youth.Template:Sfn Gordon later recalled that "as soon as Thurston came up with the name Sonic Youth, a certain sound that was more of what we wanted to do came about."Template:Sfn The band played Noise Fest in June 1981 at New York's White Columns gallery,Template:Sfn where Lee Ranaldo was playing as a member of Glenn Branca's electric guitar ensemble. Their performance impressed Moore, who described them as "the most ferocious guitar band that I had ever seen in my life",Template:Sfn and he invited Ranaldo to join Sonic Youth.Template:Sfn The new trio played three songs at the festival later in the week without a drummer. Each band member took turns playing the drums, until they met drummer Richard Edson.Template:Sfn Anne DeMarinis was in Sonic Youth for a brief period in 1981 as a keyboardist when they performed for the first time at the Noise Fest at the White Columns art space. She contributed vocals, along with Gordon and Moore, on three (known) Sonic Youth songs performed once, and only live on June 18, 1981. The songs are entitled "Noisefest #1", "Noisefest #2", and "Noisefest #3". She also played guitar at that same show on the song entitled "Noisefest #4". DeMarinis left the band before their self-titled debut EP was recorded in December 1981.

Early releases: 1982–1985

Branca signed Sonic Youth as the first act on his record label Neutral Records. In December 1981, the group recorded five songs at New York's Radio City Music Hall. The material was released as the EP Sonic Youth which, while largely ignored, was sent to a few key members of the American music press, who gave it uniformly favorable reviews.Template:Sfn The album featured a relatively conventional post-punk style, in contrast to their later releases. Edson then quit the group for an acting career<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> and was replaced by Bob Bert.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

During their early days as part of the New York music scene, Sonic Youth formed a friendship with fellow New York noise rock band Swans.Template:Sfn The bands shared a rehearsal space, and Sonic Youth embarked on its first tour in November 1982 supporting Swans.Template:Sfn During a second tour with Swans the following month, tensions ran high and Moore constantly criticized Bert's drumming, which he felt was not "in the pocket".Template:Sfn Bert was fired afterwardsTemplate:Sfn and replaced by Jim Sclavunos,<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> who played drums on the band's first studio album, 1983's Confusion Is Sex, which featured a louder and more dissonant sound than their debut EP. Sonic Youth set up a tour of Europe for the summer of 1983. Sclavunos, however, quit the band after only a few months. The group asked Bert to rejoin, and he agreed on the condition that he would not be fired again after the tour's conclusion.Template:Sfn Bert went on to play on the band's Kill Yr Idols EP later in 1983.

Sonic Youth were well received in Europe, but the New York press largely ignored the local noise rock scene. Eventually, as the press began to take notice of the genre, Sonic Youth was grouped with bands like Big Black, the Butthole Surfers, and Pussy Galore under the "pigfucker" label by Village Voice editor Robert Christgau.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> Another critic from The Village Voice panned a substandard September concert in New York.Template:Citation needed Gordon wrote a scornful letter to the newspaper, criticizing it for not supporting its local music scene, to which Christgau responded that the paper was not obligated to support them. Moore retaliated by renaming the song "Kill Yr Idols" to "I Killed Christgau with My Big Fucking Dick", before the two eventually sorted out their differences amicably.Template:Sfn

Closing a second European tour in late 1983, Sonic Youth's disastrous London debut saw the band's equipment malfunction and Moore destroying it onstage in frustration.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> When they returned to New York they were so popular that they were able to book local gigs regularly.Template:Sfn The following year, Moore and Gordon were married, and Sonic Youth recorded Bad Moon Rising, a self-described "Americana" album that served as a reaction to the state of the nation at the time.Template:Sfn The album, recorded by Martin Bisi, was built around transitional pieces that Moore and Ranaldo had come up with in order to take up time onstage during tuning breaks;Template:Sfn as a result, there are almost no gaps between the songs on the records. Bad Moon Rising featured an appearance by Lydia Lunch in "Death Valley '69", which was inspired by the Charles Manson Family murders.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Due to a falling-out with Branca over disputed royalty payments from their Neutral releases, Sonic Youth signed with Homestead Records in the US and Blast First in the UK (which founder Paul Smith created simply so he could distribute the band's records in Europe).Template:Sfn While the New York press ignored Bad Moon Rising upon its 1985 release, now viewing the band as too arty and pretentious, Sonic Youth gained critical acclaim in the United Kingdom, where the new album sold 5,000 copies.Template:Sfn

Claiming he was bored with playing Bad Moon Rising live in its entirety for over a year, Bert quit the group and was replaced by Steve Shelley, formerly of the punk group the Crucifucks. Sonic Youth was so impressed with Shelley's drumming after seeing him play live that they hired him without an audition.Template:Sfn Bert and Shelley both appeared in the music video for "Death Valley '69", as Bert had performed the drums on the song, but Shelley was the group's drummer when the video was filmed.

SST and Enigma: 1986–1989

File:Sonic Youth (1987 Monica Dee portrait).jpg

Sonic Youth in a publicity photo issued by SST to promote their fourth album, Sister (1987). Left to right: Shelley, Ranaldo, Moore, Gordon.

Sonic Youth had long appreciated SST Records; Ranaldo said, "It was the first record company we were on that we really would have given anything to be on."Template:Sfn Sonic Youth signed with the label in early 1986 and began recording EVOL with Martin Bisi. The band gained national attention when signing with SST, making them the first band from the New York underground to gain such notice.Template:Sfn The mainstream music press subsequently began to take notice of the band. Robert Palmer of The New York Times declared that Sonic Youth was "making the most startlingly original guitar-based music since Jimi Hendrix" and even People reviewed EVOL, describing the album as the "aural equivalent of a toxic waste dump."Template:Sfn The album was later called "a classic" by Neil Young.<ref>Template:Cite journal</ref>

Around the same time, the band collaborated with Mike Watt under the alias Ciccone Youth, which was a play on the names Sonic Youth and Ciccone, the surname of pop singer Madonna.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Sonic Youth released a single in 1986 and a studio album in 1988 under the Ciccone Youth name.<ref name="all">Template:Cite web</ref> The 1986 single, "Into the Groove(y)", was a cover of Madonna's "Into the Groove" and was preceded by "Tuff Titty Rap". The flip side of the record was Watt's cover of Madonna's "Burning Up" which had the altered title of "Burnin' Up". The Whitey Album included both Sonic Youth songs from the single plus a demo version of "Burnin' Up". The album also contained a cover of Robert Palmer's "Addicted to Love" which was recorded in a karaoke booth.<ref>Template:Citation</ref>

The 1987 Sonic Youth album Sister was a loose concept album partly inspired by the life and works of science fiction writer Philip K. Dick. The "sister" of the title was Dick's fraternal twin, who died shortly after her birth and whose memory haunted Dick his entire life.Template:Sfn Sister sold 60,000 copies and received very positive reviews, becoming the first Sonic Youth album to crack the Top 20 of the Village Voice's Pazz & Jop critics poll.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Despite their critical success, the band became dissatisfied with SST due to concerns about payments and other administrative practices.Template:Sfn Sonic Youth decided to release their next record on Enigma Records, which was distributed by Capitol Records and partly owned by EMI. The 1988 double LP Daydream Nation was a critical success that earned Sonic Youth substantial acclaim. The album came in second on the Village Voice Pazz & Jop poll and topped the year-end album lists at NME, CMJ, and Melody Maker. In 2005, it was one of 50 recordings chosen by the Library of Congress to be added to the National Recording Registry.<ref name="congress2005">Template:Cite web</ref> The lead single from the album, "Teen Age Riot", was their first song to receive significant airplay on modern rock and college rock stations, reaching number 20 on the Billboard Modern Rock Tracks chart.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> A number of prominent music periodicals including Rolling Stone hailed Daydream Nation as one of the best albums of the decade and named Sonic Youth as the "Hot Band" in its "Hot" issue.Template:Sfn Unfortunately, distribution problems arose and Daydream Nation was often difficult to find in stores. Moore considered Enigma a "cheap-jack Mafioso outfit" and the band began looking for a major label deal.Template:Sfn

Major label career and becoming alternative icons: 1990–1999

Template:Multiple image In 1990, Sonic Youth released Goo, their first album for Geffen. The album featured the single "Kool Thing" on which Public Enemy's Chuck D made a guest appearance. The record was considered much more accessible than their previous works<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> and became the band's best-selling record to date.

In 1992, the band released Dirty on the DGC label. Their influence as tastemakers continued with their discovery of acclaimed skateboard video director Spike Jonze, who they recruited for the video for "100%", which also featured skateboarder turned actor Jason Lee. That song and "JC" discuss the murder of Joe Cole, a friend who worked with Black Flag as a roadie.Template:Citation needed<ref>Template:Cite book</ref> The album features artwork by Los Angeles–based artist Mike Kelley.<ref>Template:Cite book</ref> Dirty features a guest appearance by Ian MacKaye on the track "Youth Against Fascism". In 1993, the band contributed the track "Burning Spear" to the AIDS benefit album No Alternative, produced by the Red Hot Organization.<ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref>

In 1994, the band released Experimental Jet Set, Trash and No Star, their best-charting release in the United States to date at No. 34 on the Billboard 200.Template:Sfn Moore and Gordon's daughter, Coco Hayley Moore, was born later that year, and many of the songs from the album were never played live because there was never a full tour to support the album due to Gordon's pregnancy.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> In 1994, the band released a cover of the Carpenters' 1971 hit "Superstar" for the tribute album If I Were a Carpenter.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> The band headlined the 1995 Lollapalooza festival with Hole and Pavement.Template:Sfn By that time, alternative rock had gained considerable mainstream attention, and the festival was parodied in The Simpsons episode "Homerpalooza" in 1996, which featured voiceovers from the band. They also performed the final credits theme for that episode.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

The album Washing Machine was released in 1995 and represented a shift in Sonic Youth's sound, away from their punk rock roots and toward experimental and longer jam-based arrangements.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Starting in 1997 they released a series of improvisational albums grouped under the title SYR with song titles and liner notes in various languages.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> SYR3: Invito al ĉielo, released in 1998, featured Jim O'Rourke who later became an official band member.<ref>Template:Citation</ref> Various songs from the SYR series were added to Sonic Youth's live performances, and others inspired tracks on the next proper Sonic Youth album, A Thousand Leaves, released in 1998.<ref>Template:Citation</ref>

Later DGC period: 2000–2006

File:Sonic Youth (Copenhagen 2000) (3674544213).jpg

Sonic Youth performing in Copenhagen in 2000

On July 4, 1999, Sonic Youth's instruments and stage equipment were stolen during a tour in Orange County, California. Almost 30 guitars and basses were stolen; some were recovered over the next 13 years.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Forced to start from scratch with new instruments, they released the album NYC Ghosts & Flowers in 2000 and opened for Pearl Jam during the east coast leg of that band's 2000 tour.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

In 2001, Sonic Youth collaborated with French avant-garde singer and poet Brigitte Fontaine on her album Kékéland.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> The following year, Sonic Youth participated in the first outing of the All Tomorrow's Parties music festival and curating the ensuing compilation album.<ref>Template:Citation</ref> The album Murray Street was released in 2002 and saw the addition of Jim O'Rourke as a full-time member on guitar, bass, and keyboards.<ref>Template:Citation</ref> During this period the band participated in the production of the documentary film Kill Your Idols, directed and produced by Scott Crary and covering the history of punk rock in New York City. The film was released in 2004.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

In 2003 Sonic Youth released a split 7-inch single with Erase Errata.Template:Sfn The next Sonic Youth album, Sonic Nurse, was also released in 2004.<ref>Template:Citation</ref> The band was slated to perform in the 2004 Lollapalooza tour along with acts such as the Pixies and the Flaming Lips, but the tour was canceled due to lackluster ticket sales.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> O'Rourke departed in 2006 and was replaced by bassist Mark Ibold for touring purposes,<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> but Ibold later became a full-time member. He had earlier been part of Pavement and worked with Gordon in Free Kitten.

File:Sonicyouthcolor20 (2756189278).jpg

Additional guitarist Jim O'Rourke with the band in concert in 2004

Rather Ripped was released in 2006 and was noted as a return to the band's earlier sound, due both to the departure of O'Rourke and the recovery of some of the instruments that had been stolen in 1999.<ref>Template:Citation</ref> On May 9, 2006, Kim and Thurston made a special guest appearance on WB teen drama show “Gilmore Girls” (season 6, episode 22), performing an acoustic version of their new song, “What a Waste”, alongside their daughter Coco. Sonic Youth played the Bonnaroo Festival later that year.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> In December 2006 they released The Destroyed Room: B-Sides and Rarities. The compilation featured tracks previously available only on vinyl, tracks from limited-release compilations, B-sides to international singles, and some material that had never before been released. This marked the band's final Geffen release.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Matador period: 2007–2011

In 2007, the band became one of the earliest big-name rock bands to play in China when they were brought in for a tour by the music company Split Works.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> In 2008 they released a compilation album on Starbucks Music, called Hits Are for Squares, with the tracks selected by other celebrities.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Later in 2008, Sonic Youth ended their relationship with Geffen, due to dissatisfaction with how the label had promoted their last several albums.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> They then signed with independent label Matador Records,<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> which released the album The Eternal in 2009.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> During this period they collaborated with John Paul Jones on the soundtrack for a performance at Merce Cunningham Dance Company to honor the company's founder.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> In 2010 the band scored and composed the soundtrack of the French thriller-drama Simon Werner a Disparu, which premiered at the Cannes International Film Festival.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> The soundtrack was released in 2011 as SYR9: Simon Werner a Disparu, an entry in experimental SYR series.

Disbandment: 2011–2013

File:Sonic Youth Chile 2011.png

Sonic Youth performing in Santiago, Chile in November 2011

On October 14, 2011, Kim Gordon and Thurston Moore announced that they had separated after 27 years of marriage.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Sonic Youth's label Matador explained that plans for the band remained "uncertain", despite previously hinting that they would record new material later in the year.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Sonic Youth performed their final concert on November 14, 2011, at the SWU Music & Arts Festival in Itu, São Paulo, Brazil.<ref name="pitchfork.com"/><ref name="gothamist.com"/> The following week, Lee Ranaldo stated in an interview that Sonic Youth would be "ending for a while".<ref name="Lee Ranaldo RS">Template:Cite magazine</ref>

Post-disbandment activities: 2013–present

In November 2013, Ranaldo said in response to the question of a possible reunion, "I fear not. Everybody is busy with their own projects, besides that Thurston and Kim aren't getting along together very well since their split… Let [the band] rest in peace."<ref name="Interview for Humo Magazine"/> Thurston Moore updated and clarified the matter in May 2014: "Sonic Youth is on hiatus. The band is a democracy of sorts, and as long as Kim and I are working out our situation, the band can't really function reasonably."<ref name="Thurston LSC">Template:Cite web</ref> In her 2015 autobiography Girl in a Band, Gordon refers several times to the band having "split up" for good.

In 2020 during the COVID-19 pandemic, Sonic Youth sold official face masks based on the artwork from the album Sonic Nurse, with proceeds going to charities Brooklyn Community Bail Fund, Bed Stuy Strong, and Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez's COVID-19 Relief Fund.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> The same year, an extensive archive of live recordings from throughout the band's history was released on Bandcamp.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

In January 2022, a new single "In & Out" was released ahead of the March release of the rarities EP In/out/In.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> The five-track EP featured previously unissued outtakes recorded between 2000 and 2010.

In October 2023, Sonic Life: A Memoir, a memoir written by Thurston Moore, was published by Doubleday.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Musical style and influences

Sonic Youth is considered a pioneering band in the noise rock and alternative rock genres.<ref name="Erlewine"/> Their music has also been labelled experimental rock, indie rock, post-punk<ref name="Erlewine" /> and art rock.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> The band's releases have been described as "genre-defying." Andrew Daly of Guitar World wrote, "Lee Ranaldo and Thurston Moore sought to tear down the idea of guitar-driven music completely. [...] The pair's viewpoint on their instruments was fresh, vivid and untethered to all established norms."<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Alternative tunings

Template:Quotebox Sonic Youth's sound relied heavily on the use of alternative tunings. Guitarist Thruston Moore is quoted saying, "when you're playing in standard tuning all the time, you're sounding pretty...standard."<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Scordatura on stringed instruments has been used for centuries and alternative guitar tunings had been used for decades in blues music, and to a limited degree in rock music (such as with Lou Reed's Ostrich guitar on The Velvet Underground & Nico). Michael Azerrad writes that early in their career, "[Sonic Youth] could only afford cheap guitars, and cheap guitars sounded like cheap guitars. But with weird tunings or something jammed under a particular fret, those humble instruments could sound rather amazing – bang a drum stick on a cheap Japanese Stratocaster copy in the right tuning, crank the amplifier to within an inch of its life and it will sound like church bells."Template:Sfn

The tunings were painstakingly developed by Moore and Ranaldo during the band's rehearsals; Moore once reported that the odd tunings were an attempt to introduce new sounds: "When you're playing in standard tuning all the time [...] things sound pretty standard."Template:Sfn Rather than re-tune for every song, Sonic Youth generally used a particular guitar for one or two songs, and would take dozens of instruments on tour. This would be the source of much trouble for the band, as live performances of many songs relied on specific guitars that have been uniquely prepared or otherwise altered for those exact songs.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Influences

Sonic Youth was heavily influenced by the Velvet Underground,<ref>Template:Cite web
Template:Cite magazine</ref> the Stooges, MC5,<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Glenn Branca, Rhys Chatham, Ornette Coleman, John Coltrane, La Monte Young,<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Neil Young, Yoko Ono, French avant-gardist Brigitte Fontaine,<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Patti Smith, Wire,<ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref> and Public Image Ltd.

The band was also influenced by 1980s hardcore punk; after seeing Minor Threat perform in May 1982, Moore declared them "the greatest live band I have ever seen".Template:Sfn He also saw the Faith performing in 1981 and had a strong admiration towards their records.<ref name="Moore">Template:Cite web</ref> While recognizing that their own music was very different from hardcore, Moore and Gordon, especially, were impressed by hardcore's speed and intensity, and by the nationwide network of musicians and fans. "It was great", said Moore, "the whole thing with slam dancing and stage diving, that was far more exciting than pogoing and spitting. [...] I thought hardcore was very musical and very radical."Template:Sfn

Moore and Ranaldo expressed on numerous occasions their admiration for the music of Joni Mitchell, such as this quote by Thurston Moore: "Joni Mitchell! I've used elements of her songwriting and guitar playing, and no one would ever know about it."<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Additionally, as with Sonic Youth, Joni Mitchell has always used a number of alternative tunings.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> The band named a song after her, "Hey Joni". Members of the band have also maintained relationships with other avant-garde artists from other genres and even other media, drawing influence from the work of John Cage and Henry Cowell.Template:Citation needed

Legacy and influence

Sonic Youth's influence is widespread across the spectrum of alternative and underground music. The staff of Spin wrote, "It’s hard to imagine where we would be without Sonic Youth. It’s unlikely another smart post-punk band founded around the same time — Big Black, the Meat Puppets — could have delivered us from hardcore’s fury quite the same way. What would indie rock sound like if Sonic Youth’s sublime din hadn’t enchanted and derailed all the college rock bands of the mid-’80s? We would have only been left with a bunch of sanguine Feelies rip offs, never having the chance to divulge a crush via careful mixtape placement of “Shadow of A Doubt."<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Jeff Terich of Stereogum wrote, "No artist did more for noise rock’s reputation — or for that matter noise’s reputation — than Sonic Youth. They brought it to a wider audience, made a handful of hit alt-rock singles out of it, crashed grunge as it was happening, and became a beloved institution, despite the fact that the bulk of their catalog features some pretty weird stuff. [...] Their noise wasn’t just unique — no other band could replicate it."<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Heather Phares of AllMusic wrote, "As they redefined what noise meant within rock & roll -- and what success meant for a band with experimental roots -- Sonic Youth became one of the most influential, and popular, acts to emerge from the American underground. Their inventive use of alternate tunings, dissonance, and feedback, which they combined with the intensity of hardcore punk and the performance art aesthetic of New York's avant-garde, created a new sonic landscape with an impact that lasted for decades."<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Stephen Malkmus, frontman of indie rock band Pavement, drew inspiration from Sonic Youth for his guitar technique,<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> and has credited the band with giving him "the idea and courage" to explore alternate tunings.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Sleater-Kinney have also cited Sonic Youth as an influence, particularly on their detuned guitar sound.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Swervedriver have cited the band as an inspiration,<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> with frontman Adam Franklin noting that he plays Fender Jazzmasters guitars in part because that model was favored by Sonic Youth.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Other bands and artists who have cited Sonic Youth as an influence include Mauro Pezzente of Godspeed You! Black Emperor,<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Shane Embury of Napalm Death,<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Slowdive,<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Dinosaur Jr.,<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Teenage Fanclub,<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Mogwai,<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Placebo frontman Brian Molko,<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Quicksand and Rival Schools frontman Walter Schreifels,<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Ride,<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Jawbreaker,<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> ...And You Will Know Us by the Trail of Dead,<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Polvo,<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Something for Kate,<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Superchunk,<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Metz,<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> Jawbox,<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Pg. 99,<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> and Treepeople.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Members

Final lineup

Kim Gordon – vocals, bass, guitar (1981–2011)
Thurston Moore – vocals, guitar (1981–2011)
Lee Ranaldo – guitar, vocals (1981–2011)
Steve Shelley – drums (1985–2011)
Mark Ibold – bass, guitar (2006–2011)

Former members

Anne DeMarinis – keyboards (1981)
Richard Edson – drums (1981–1982)
Bob Bert – drums (1982, 1983–1985)
Jim Sclavunos – drums (1982–1983)
Jim O'Rourke – bass, guitar, synthesizer (1999–2005)

Timeline

<timeline> ImageSize = width:800 height:auto barincrement:20 PlotArea = left:90 bottom:80 top:5 right:10 Alignbars = justify DateFormat = dd/mm/yyyy Period = from:01/01/1981 till:01/01/2011 TimeAxis = orientation:horizontal format:yyyy Legend = orientation:vertical position:bottom columns:4 ScaleMajor = increment:4 start:1981 ScaleMinor = increment:1 start:1981

Colors =

 id:voc         value:red         legend:Vocals
 id:g           value:green       legend:Guitars
 id:key         value:purple      legend:Keyboards
 id:b           value:blue        legend:Bass
 id:dr          value:orange      legend:Drums
 id:Lines       value:black       legend:Studio_album
 id:Lines1      value:gray(0.5)   legend:EP
 id:bars        value:gray(0.95)

Legend = orientation:vertical position:bottom columns:4 BackgroundColors = bars:bars ScaleMajor = unit:year increment:4 start:1981 ScaleMinor = unit:year increment:1 start:1981

LineData = # Studio albums

 at:01/03/1982 color:Lines1 layer:back # Sonic Youth
 at:01/02/1983 color:black layer:back  # Confusion Is Sex
 at:01/03/1985 color:black layer:back  # Bad Moon Rising
 at:01/05/1986 color:black layer:back  # EVOL
 at:01/06/1987 color:black layer:back  # Sister
 at:01/10/1988 color:black layer:back  # Daydream Nation
 at:26/06/1990 color:black layer:back  # Goo
 at:21/07/1992 color:black layer:back  # Dirty
 at:03/05/1994 color:black layer:back  # Experimental Jet Set, Trash and No Star
 at:26/09/1995 color:black layer:back  # Washing Machine
 at:12/05/1998 color:black layer:back  # A Thousand Leaves
 at:16/05/2000 color:black layer:back  # NYC Ghosts & Flowers
 at:25/06/2002 color:black layer:back  # Murray Street
 at:08/06/2004 color:black layer:back  # Sonic Nurse
 at:13/06/2006 color:black layer:back  # Rather Ripped
 at:09/06/2009 color:black layer:back  # The Eternal

PlotData =

 width:11 textcolor:black align:left anchor:from
 bar:Kim Gordon      from:start      till:end        color:voc 
 bar:Kim Gordon      from:start      till:end        color:b   width:3
 bar:Kim Gordon      from:01/02/1992 till:end        color:g   width:7
 bar:Thurston Moore  from:start      till:end        color:voc 
 bar:Thurston Moore  from:start      till:end        color:g   width:3
 bar:Lee Ranaldo     from:01/07/1981 till:end        color:g
 bar:Lee Ranaldo     from:01/07/1981 till:end        color:voc width:3
 bar:Jim O'Rourke    from:01/07/1999 till:01/07/2005 color:b
 bar:Jim O'Rourke    from:01/07/1999 till:01/07/2005 color:g   width:7
 bar:Jim O'Rourke    from:01/07/1999 till:01/07/2005 color:key width:3
 bar:Mark Ibold      from:01/07/2006 till:end        color:b
 bar:Mark Ibold      from:01/07/2006 till:end        color:g   width:3
 bar:Anne DeMarinis  from:start      till:01/09/1981 color:key
 bar:Richard Edson   from:08/07/1981 till:01/05/1982 color:dr
 bar:Bob Bert        from:01/05/1982 till:01/09/1982 color:dr
 bar:Bob Bert        from:01/07/1983 till:01/07/1985 color:dr
 bar:Jim Sclavunos   from:01/09/1982 till:01/07/1983 color:dr
 bar:Steve Shelley   from:01/07/1985 till:end        color:dr

</timeline>