For "space rocks", see asteroid.

Space rock is a style of music; the term originally referred to a group of early mostly British 1970s progressive rock and psychedelic bands like Pink Floyd and Hawkwind, though it now tends to refer to a series of late 1980s British alternative rock bands. This style is characterized by shimmering, melodic sounds, often with copious drug and science fiction references (such as pioneers Spacemen 3's legendary quotation: "taking drugs to make music to take drugs to").

The science fiction author Michael Moorcock collaborated with Hawkwind on many occasions: the Hawkwind track "The Black Corridor", for example, included verbatim quotes from Moorcock's novel of the same name. An album The New Worlds Fair by "Michael Moorcock and the Deep Fix" was released in 1975, which included a number of Hawkwind regulars in the credits. ("The Deep Fix" was the title story of an obscure collection of short stories by "James Colvin" published in the 1960s). Moorcock wrote the lyrics to an album track entitled "Black Blade", referring to the sword Stormbringer in the Elric books, by the American band Blue Öyster Cult: Moorcock has even performed this song live with BÖC.

By the early 1990s, mainly British alternative rock genres like space rock, twee pop, shoegazing and noise pop emerged into the mainstream with the explosion of Britpop bands like Blur, Suede and Oasis. By 1991 (see 1991 in music), though, the original space rock bands had mostly fallen apart, and the musicians had moved on to new bands or new styles.

Oddity: Odd ditty

The probable earliest example of something like space rock is a song written in the 1940s by Ewan MacColl and Peggy Seeger for a BBC radio show called You're Only Young Once. The song is called Space Girl and parodies most of the major themes of 1940s science fiction. (A version was recorded on "The World of Ewan MacColl and Peggy Seeger" volume 2: Songs from the radio ballads in 1971 on Argo Records label).

A much shorter version of the same song was recorded in the 1960s by Shirley Collins.

Examples of space rock

• Hawkwind - (everything they've produced)
• Monster Magnet - 25............tab and other works
• David Bowie - Space Oddity
• The Byrds - Fifth Dimension
• Creedence Clearwater Revival - Green River
• Deep Purple - Machine Head
• Gary Glitter - Rock and Roll Part 2
• Ron Grainer - The theme to Doctor Who
• Elton John - Honky Chateau
• Pink Floyd - Dark Side of the Moon
• Alan Parsons Project - I Robot
• Radio Vago
• Rush - 2112
• Peter Schilling - Different World (Story of Lust)
• Spacemen 3
• Spiritualized - Ladies and Gentlemen We Are Floating in Space
• Failure - Fantastic Planet
• Sun Dial
• Fuxa

See also:

• acid-rock