Genre

Avant-Garde

Avant-Garde on LoudQuietLoud: more than 1000 artists, including Charles Mingus, Dean Blunt and Captain Beefheart & His Magic Band. It runs alongside avant-garde jazz, avant-garde metal and minimalism.

Cover of Fossora by Björk

Björk

electronic · experimental · alternative

Album art: Steve Lacy, Oh Yeah?

Steve Lacy

free jazz · jazz · saxophone

Cover of Bad as Me by Tom Waits

Tom Waits

blues · singer-songwriter · experimental

Erik Satie

classical · piano · impressionist

Animal Collective

experimental · indie · freak folk

Cover of 2 Slow Stories by Brian Eno

Brian Eno

ambient · experimental · electronic

John Coltrane

jazz · free jazz · saxophone

Frank Zappa

progressive rock · experimental · jazz

Nico

folk · experimental · female vocalists

Cover of Mid Spiral by BADBADNOTGOOD

BADBADNOTGOOD

jazz · experimental · hip-hop

Charles Mingus

jazz · bebop · avant-garde

Dean Blunt

experimental · lo-fi · avant-garde

Godspeed You! Black Emperor

post-rock · instrumental · experimental

Can

krautrock · experimental · progressive rock

Cover of Tired of Your World Newfoundland by Xiu Xiu

Xiu Xiu

experimental · electronic · indie

Swans

post-punk · industrial · experimental

Dirty Projectors

experimental · indie · freak folk

Cover of American Supreme by Suicide

Suicide

post-punk · experimental · electronic

Captain Beefheart & His Magic Band

experimental · avant-garde · psychedelic

Jonny Greenwood

experimental · electronic · instrumental

John Maus

lo-fi · experimental · avant-garde

Scott Walker

singer-songwriter · experimental · avant-garde

DNA

no wave · post-punk · experimental

DNA

no wave · post-punk · experimental

John Cale

experimental · singer-songwriter · avant-garde

The Books

experimental · electronic · indie

Ulver

black metal · experimental · ambient

Liars

experimental · post-punk · noise

Mr. Bungle

experimental · avant-garde · alternative

Sun Ra

jazz · free jazz · avant-garde

Steve Reich

minimalism · contemporary classical · experimental

Dan Deacon

electronic · experimental · avant-garde

Béla Bartók

classical · contemporary classical · hungarian

Arthur Russell

avant-garde · experimental · disco

Bartók Béla

classical · contemporary classical · hungarian

Coil

industrial · experimental · dark ambient

William Basinski

ambient · drone · experimental

Einstürzende Neubauten

industrial · experimental · noise

Alice Coltrane

jazz · free jazz · avant-garde

Mort Garson

electronic · experimental · early electronic

Moondog

avant-garde · experimental · jazz

U.S. Girls

experimental · psychedelic · noise

Kronos Quartet

contemporary classical · classical · instrumental

Ornette Coleman

jazz · free jazz · avant-garde

David Sylvian

experimental · ambient · singer-songwriter

Album art: Art of Noise, In Visible Silence

Art of Noise

electronic · ambient · experimental

Laurie Anderson

experimental · avant-garde · electronic

Francis Poulenc

classical · contemporary classical · french

Gang Gang Dance

experimental · avant-garde · noise

John Fahey

folk · blues · guitar

John Adams

contemporary classical · minimalism · classical

Colin Stetson

experimental · jazz · avant-garde

Man Man

experimental · indie · indie rock

Yoko Ono

experimental · avant-garde · japanese

Pharoah Sanders

jazz · free jazz · avant-garde jazz

Hella

math rock · noise rock · experimental

Lightning Bolt

noise rock · experimental · math rock

David Lynch

experimental · dark ambient · avant-garde

Shrimp

mathcore · experimental · cloud rap

Throbbing Gristle

industrial · experimental · noise

The Residents

experimental · avant-garde · electronic

John Cage

avant-garde · contemporary classical · experimental

Current 93

neofolk · apocalyptic folk · experimental

A Silver Mt. Zion

post-rock · experimental · instrumental

Tomahawk

experimental · alternative rock · mike patton

Tomahawk

experimental · alternative rock · mike patton

Faust

krautrock · experimental · progressive rock

Bill Frisell

jazz · guitar · fusion

Tiny Tim

folk · experimental · ukulele

Cabaret Voltaire

industrial · experimental · post-punk

Psychic TV

industrial · experimental · psychedelic

Terry Riley

minimalism · contemporary classical · avant-garde

Raymond Scott

experimental · electronic · jazz

Laibach

industrial · martial industrial · experimental

Pere Ubu

post-punk · experimental · new wave

Olivier Messiaen

contemporary classical · classical · avant-garde

Eric Dolphy

jazz · free jazz · avant-garde

Shining

black metal · depressive black metal · suicidal black metal

Silver Apples

psychedelic · experimental · electronic

John Zorn

jazz · avant-garde · experimental

György Ligeti

contemporary classical · avant-garde · classical

Molly Nilsson

synthpop · minimal synth · female vocalists

Cover of Murmurs by Caroline

Caroline

electronic · indie · female vocalists

Popol Vuh

krautrock · ambient · experimental

The Mothers of Invention

progressive rock · experimental · avant-garde

Merzbow

noise · experimental · japanoise

The Real Tuesday Weld

cabaret · indie · british

This Heat

post-punk · experimental · avant-garde

Matmos

electronic · experimental · idm

Set Fire to Flames

post-rock · experimental · ambient

Virus

avant-garde metal · progressive metal · avant-garde

Anika

lo-fi · electronic · avant-garde

Fad Gadget

new wave · post-punk · synthpop

Nite Jewel

electronic · lo-fi · indie

Mike Patton

experimental · avant-garde · mike patton

Leprous

progressive metal · avant-garde metal · avant-garde

Radio

On public radio, last 30 days

Last 30 days · via public radio playlists

Public radio airplay for Avant-Garde artists, last 30 days
Rank	Album	Stations	Days on chart	Spins
1	Oh Yeah? Steve Lacy KCRW, KEXP, KRCL, KUTX, The Current, WXPN · 28 days on chart	KCRW, KEXP, KRCL, KUTX, The Current, WXPN	28	185 spins

Press

Recently reviewed

LatestAquarium DrunkardOct 9, 2026

CAN :: Karussell der Jugend, Soest 1970 (opens in new tab)

No blueprint.

PitchforkSep 13, 2026
In Visible Silence (opens in new tab)
Each Sunday, Pitchfork takes an in-depth look at a significant album from the past, and any record not in our archives is eligible.
Shop Art of Noise
Aquarium DrunkardAug 11, 2026
Nick Hakim :: I Can See (opens in new tab)
A patient, deeply atmospheric work developed over more than five years, Nick Hakim's I Can See finds the in-demand producer and songwriter distilling his expansive palette into something quieter,…
Shop Can
Beats Per MinuteJul 31, 2026
Album Review: Steve Lacy – Oh yeah? (opens in new tab)
Compton native Steve Lacy first became renowned in the R&B scene as a member of the soulful troupe The Internet at just 16, before further establishing himself through prolific collaborations and…
Shop Steve Lacy
Beats Per MinuteJul 29, 2026
Album Review: Nick Hakim – I Can See (opens in new tab)
Not many artists make such an immediate impact as Nick Hakim did with his initial, self-released EP Where Will We Go Part 1 & 2 in 2014.
Shop Can
PitchforkJul 22, 2026
Oh yeah? (opens in new tab)
From the fragmented breakup anthems to the formulaic moodboard fodder, nothing on Steve Lacy’s new album seems to come naturally.
Shop Steve Lacy
StereogumJul 21, 2026
Album Of The Week: Nick Hakim I Can See (opens in new tab)
Theoretically, Nick Hakim makes soul music, but it’s more like visiting spirit music.
Shop Can
StereogumJul 15, 2026
Premature Evaluation: Steve Lacy Oh yeah? (opens in new tab)
Shop Steve Lacy

Labels

Labels in this genre

Rykodisc

Home to Yoko Ono, The Residents & The Mothers of Invention

Nonesuch

Home to John Cage, Terry Riley & John Zorn

Related genres

Avant-Garde Jazz Avant-Garde Metal Minimalism Experimental Rock Modern Classical Hard Bop Post-Bop No Wave