Thinkwave

Some songs are catchy.
Some have something to say.
Thinkwave does both.

Thinkwave is music built around memorable songwriting, strong ideas, and lyrics worth their salt. (Which - in case you didn't know - originates from ancient Roman times, referring to soldiers paid an allowance 'salarium' to buy salt, which was a precious commodity. It's also why we have the word salary. 😂)

Not tied to one sound, one scene, or one instrument...
for Thinkwave, the point is the lyrics.

Is it Thinkwave?

Is there source material for the lyrics? Yes

Does the song stick after one listen? Yes

Does the song teach something true? Yes

Thinkwave pulls from history, philosophy, cultural memory, myth, humor, religion, literature, ordinary life, and the strange corners of the human experience people tend to overlook or forget. The songs may sound folk, rock, electronic, orchestral, punk, cinematic, or something harder to categorize entirely. What matters is whether the song carries an idea strongly enough to survive repetition.

The movement pushes against disposable background music and algorithmic sameness.

Thinkwave is an emerging term for lyric-first, idea-driven music — for people who want more from lyrics than “you up?” repeated 14 times. 🙄

Songs rooted in real research, history, philosophy, literature, religion, and cultural storytelling may all be considered Thinkwave, regardless of musical style.

Unrelated to the software company, the Thinkwave movement began emerging in the mid-2020s as artists experimented with combining modern/memorable hooks with stronger thematic depth.

Related Terms

• Thinkwave artist
• Thinkwave movement
• Thinkwave songwriting
• Thinkwave music 👻⏳