Rock music in Belgium

Because Belgium is a federal country with strong cultural identities - a French-speaking area in the south (Wallonia) and a Dutch-speaking area in the north (Flanders), with different media networks, and publicly supported cultural institutions, the indie rock scene emerged slightly later in Wallonia.

dEUS

As in many other European countries, rock and roll began emerging in Belgium in the sixties, a few years after the commercial breakthrough of Elvis Presley.

Many ballroom orchestras were then to find in the whole country, mostly covering or mimicking international rock bands like The Shadows or The Beatles. Some of them became famous after releasing original (although strongly inspired) compositions, like the Cousins ("Kiliwatch", 1960), the Jokers ("Cecilia", 1963), the Shakespears ("Shake it over", 1965), the Pebbles ("Seven horses in the sky", 1968), and the Wallace Collection ("Daydream", 1969).

Other noticeable artists have evolved from previously well established musical genres, including blues and folk like the Antwerps protest singer Ferre Grignard ("Ring Ring", "Drunken Sailor", 1966).

After this era of "mimicking" rock and roll, indie rock bands like TC Matic and De Kreuners, and many punk rock-dark wave bands like Nacht und Nebel, the Paranoiacs and Siglo XX, began to draw a significant audience, and started to release songs in their mother language. Some, like the "eurorock" band Machiavel and the pop/punk singer Plastic Bertrand, were also managed in a more commercial approach.

In 1981, The pioneer noise band Club Moral formed in Antwerp. As in most northern Europe countries, the hard rock-metal scene was emerging, with its first icons in Belgium being Kleptomania and Irish Coffee.

Vive la Fête

In the nineties, Belgium (and especially Flanders) was deeply experiencing the electronic music breakthrough, with the emergence of huge night clubs and a local scene called New Beat. As a reaction, a strong alternative rock scene, relayed by a growing number of rock festivals (every single local youth organization in the country has its own, following the emergence of major events like Rock Werchter, public radio station Studio Brussel and music contest Humo's Rock Rally) in various rock subgenres (mainly hard rock, pop rock, experimental-rock, punk-rock and progressive-rock). Many bands finally started to achieve larger international acclaim and success.

A lively indie rock scene sprouts in Antwerp, where dEUS is probably the most famous, next to other people and groups like Zita Swoon (formerly Moondog Jr), Evil Superstars, Kiss My Jazz, Dead Man Ray, K's Choice, Admiral Freebee, A Brand and Die Anarchistische Abendunterhaltung. Mauro Pawlowski as well as Rudy Trouvé are key figures in the Antwerp scene besides playing or have played in dEUS, they also play solo as well as in lesser known bands and as improvisers in jam sessions and experimental concerts. Pawlowski played in numerous bands, including Mitsoobishy Jacson, Kiss my Jazz, Monguito, Shadowgraphic City, dEUS, The Love Substitutes, Othin Spake, The Parallels, Club Moral, Archetypes of the Multisabanas and I Hate Camera. Pawlowski has released solo work under various aliases: Mauro Pawlowski, and Somnabula. Trouvé played in Dead Man Ray, dEUS, Gore Slut, I Hate Camera, Kiss My Jazz, The Love Substitutes, Rudy Trouvé Sextet/Septet, POX, and Rudy and the Unforgettable Wally's.

Soulwax

This evolution spread through the whole country, from Limburg (Noordkaap, Evil Superstars) to Brussels (Venus, Sharko, Channel Zero) via Ghent (Gorki, Millionaire, Soulwax, An Pierlé). Other noticeable artists are Ozark Henry, Hooverphonic or K's Choice.

Although "Radio 21" was created in 1981 (two years prior to its Flemish counterpart "Studio Brussel"), the Dour Festival has only turned into a resolutely indie festival in the middle of the nineties, and groups like Ghinzu found international success in the late nineties.

An Pierlé

In the 2000s, the Belgian rock scene can be considered mature, with a consistent and extended network of venues, producers, tour managers, media, festival and public support for both indie and more commercial artists.

Although the hip-hop and electronic scenes have also grown in popularity, groups like Girls in Hawaii, Arid, Vive la Fête, Triggerfinger or Absynthe Minded.

• List of Belgian bands and artists

• Music in Belgium
• timeline of Belgium music