Sonic Youth is an American alternative rock band formed in New York City in 1981. Current personnel are founding members Thurston Moore (vocals and guitar) and Kim Gordon (vocals, bass, guitar), plus Lee Ranaldo (vocals and guitar), Steve Shelley (drums) and touring bassist Mark Ibold.

In their early career, Sonic Youth were associated with the No Wave art and music scene in New York City. Part of the first wave of American noise rock groups, the band carried out their interpretation of the hardcore punk ethos throughout the evolving American indie underground that focused more on the DIY ethic of the genre rather than its specific sound. They have found moderate mainstream success, and are generally seen as one of the leading alternative rock groups of their time.

Sonic Youth are inspired by the guitar symphonies of Glenn Branca (with whom most of the band have performed), the heavy protopunk of The Stooges, the punk poetry of Patti Smith, the Krautrock of Can, the psychedelic garage rock of The 13th Floor Elevators, as well as avant-garde composers like John Cage. The band have been praised for having "redefined what rock guitar could do" using a wide variety of unorthodox guitar tunings, and preparing guitars with objects like drumsticks and screwdrivers to alter the instruments' timbre.

Discography

Studio albums

* Confusion Is Sex (1983)
* Bad Moon Rising (1985)
* Evol (1986)
* Sister (1987)
* Daydream Nation (1988)
* Goo (1990)
* Dirty (1992)
* Experimental Jet Set, Trash and No Star (1994)
* Washing Machine (1995)
* A Thousand Leaves (1998)
* NYC Ghosts & Flowers (2000)
* Murray Street (2002)
* Sonic Nurse (2004)
* Rather Ripped (2006)
* The Eternal (Upcoming in 2009)

Radio

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