Lou Reed was one of those artists who just couldn’t be defined. And yet, his music has gone on to pull in interest from new and young listeners around the world. From his work as part of The Velvet Underground to his solo releases, so much of Lou Reed’s art rock and proto-punk works have aged gloriously well.
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The icon passed in 2013, and many fans wish they could hear new music from him once again. If you can relate to that, you might just enjoy the following four artists who have a similar vibe to Lou Reed!
1. Dry Cleaning
The world of post-punk is a unique one, and it wouldn’t be what it is today without Lou Reed’s influence. The genre is made up of spoken word poetry with a notable rock sound. Reed was very much known for those elements. Dry Cleaning is one band in that genre that really emulates Reed in a beautiful way, without sounding too much like him.
2. ANOHNI
Nobody has a voice like ANOHNI, and she’s one of few artists out there that have a similar musicality to the late great Lou Reed. In fact, these two powerhouse artists actually worked together before Reed passed away in 2013. ANOHNI contributed her haunting vocals to Reed’s 2003 record The Raven.
Much of her own solo work has a touch of Reed as an influence, especially the 2023 release My Back Was A Bridge For You To Cross.
3. Black Country, New Road
This band has a few notable similarities to The Velvet Underground. Specifically, vocalist Isaac Wood has a similar dark and deep-voiced singing style to Reed. Black Country, New Road also makes storytelling a core part of their sound, and it’s pretty clear they are influenced by Reed’s work.
Wood is no longer part of the band today, but Black Country, New Road manages to emulate that post-punk sound with a unique amount of experimentation.
4. Fontaines D.C.
Fontaines D.C. appear to finally be blowing up. And they’re a great band to check out if you’re in need of artists that sound like Lou Reed. This Irish punk band is clearly influenced by The Velvet Underground frontman.
The way they sing about their own music scene is not unlike how Reed would sing about New York City in the 1960s. In fact, Fontaines D.C. even contributed to I’ll Be Your Mirror, a Velvet Underground & Nico tribute album.
Photo by Julian Schnabel / PItch Perfect PR
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