The new wave scene in Yugoslavia emerged in the late
1970s and had a significant impact on the
Yugoslav culture. The
Yugoslav rock scene in general, including the freshly arrived new wave music, was socially accepted, well developed and covered in the media. New wave was especially advocated by the magazines
Polet from
Zagreb and
Džuboks from
Belgrade, as well as the TV show
Rokenroler, which was famous for its
artistic music videos. This anti-establishment movement was even supported, although moderately, by the
government, particularly by the
communist youth organisation which often organized concerts, festivals, parties, exhibitions, and other cultural events. The lyrics that were criticizing and satirizing the flaws of Yugoslav socialism were considered by the authorities as a "useful and friendly critique" and were often tolerated with certain cases of
censorship, particularly the Zagreb-based band
Azra, who were known for their
political and
social criticism in their songs. The Yugoslav new wave scene also cooperated with various conceptual or artistic movements related to
pop art,
avant-garde etc. Important artists of Yugoslav new wave were: Azra,
Šarlo Akrobata,
Idoli (famous for their song "
Maljčiki" and its respective video in which they ridiculed
Soviet soc-realism),
Pankrti (first Yugoslav punk band),
Prljavo kazalište (started as a punk unit; the title of their second album
Crno-bijeli svijet, which means "the
black and white world", holds a reference to the
2 tone movement),
Električni Orgazam (punk at the beginning, they moved towards
post-punk and
psychedelia later and were described as "The Punk
Doors"),
Slađana Milošević,
Haustor (mostly
reggae,
ska and similar influences, but with a more poetic and intellectual approach compared to some danceable bands),
Buldožer,
Laboratorija Zvuka,
Film (one of the first Yugoslav new wave groups),
Lačni Franz and many others. Some of them genuinely started as new wave bands, while others previously adhered to other styles (for example the members of Azra were previously into a somewhat
hippie style prior to becoming a new wave band). With the decreasing popularity of 1970s
hard rock and
progressive rock among the youths after the expansion of punk and new wave, even the cult rock band
Bijelo Dugme decided to change its rural
folk-ish hard rock style and jump onto the new wave bandwagon. They adopted the 2 tone style for a short period of time while it was fashionable on their album
Doživjeti stotu which featured the ska theme "Ha, ha, ha". The chorus lyrics were used as a title for the compilation album
Svi marš na ples!. Cult symbols of the Yugoslav new wave era are the compilation albums
Paket aranžman,
Novi Punk Val,
Artistička radna akcija and especially the movie
The Promising Boy. == Decline ==