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Serbian rock is the rock music scene of
Serbia Serbia (, ; Serbian language, Serbian: , , ), officially the Republic of Serbia (Serbian language, Serbian: , , ), is a landlocked country in Southeast Europe, Southeastern and Central Europe, situated at the crossroads of the Pannonian Bas ...
. During the 1960s, 1970s and the 1980s, while Serbia was a
constituent republic Administrative division, administrative unit,Article 3(1). country subdivision, administrative region, subnational entity, constituent state, as well as many similar terms, are generic names for geographical areas into which a particular, ind ...
of
Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia The Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, commonly referred to as SFR Yugoslavia or simply as Yugoslavia, was a country in Central and Southeast Europe. It emerged in 1945, following World War II, and lasted until 1992, with the breakup of Yug ...
, Serbian rock scene was a part of the SFR Yugoslav rock scene. The Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia was not an
Eastern Bloc The Eastern Bloc, also known as the Communist Bloc and the Soviet Bloc, was the group of socialist states of Central and Eastern Europe, East Asia, Southeast Asia, Africa, and Latin America under the influence of the Soviet Union that existed du ...
country, but a member of the
Non-Aligned Movement The Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) is a forum of 120 countries that are not formally aligned with or against any major power bloc. After the United Nations, it is the largest grouping of states worldwide. The movement originated in the aftermath o ...
and as such, it was far more open to the Western culture comparing to the other socialist countries. Rock and roll reached Yugoslavia via foreign radio stations, most notably
Radio Luxemburg RTL Radio is a German commercial radio station based in Berlin and the part of the RTL Group. It originated as the German language service of Radio Luxembourg, which began broadcasting after World War II from Luxembourg. It broadcasts adult c ...
, and rock and roll records, brought in from the West."In Memoriam: intervju sa Nikolom Karaklajićem", timemachinemusic.org
Rock and roll influences reached schlager singers, most notably
Đorđe Marjanović Đorđe Marjanović ( sr-Cyr, Ђорђе Марјановић; 30 October 1931 – 15 May 2021) was a Serbian and Yugoslav singer. Marjanović began his career in the mid-1950s, rising to fame in the late 1950s with his theatrical on-stage per ...
, who released the first
popular music Popular music is music with wide appeal that is typically distributed to large audiences through the music industry. These forms and styles can be enjoyed and performed by people with little or no musical training.Popular Music. (2015). ''Fun ...
solo album in Serbia, in 1959."Istorijat PGP RTS", rts.rs
/ref> The end of the 1950s featured the appearances of first rock and roll acts, and the 1960s featured many
beat Beat, beats or beating may refer to: Common uses * Patrol, or beat, a group of personnel assigned to monitor a specific area ** Beat (police), the territory that a police officer patrols ** Gay beat, an area frequented by gay men * Battery ( ...
bands, such as
Siluete Siluete ( sr-cyr, Силуете, trans. ''The Silhouettes'') were a Serbian and Yugoslav rock band formed in Belgrade in 1961. They were one of the pioneers of the Yugoslav rock scene. Soon after the formation, Siluete, fronted by charismatic ...
and
Elipse Elipse ( sr-Cyrl, Елипсе; trans. ''The Ellipses'') were a Yugoslav rock band formed in Belgrade in 1962. The band were one of the pioneers of the Yugoslav rock scene. Elipse initially performed beat music and rhythm and blues. With the a ...
, which became enormously popular with the younger generations. Rock bands drew the public's attention to themselves, which was followed with the appearance of first rock music magazines, radio and TV shows."Za sve je kriv rokenrol", slobodnaevropa.org
/ref> Until the beginning of the 1970s, Serbian rock bands released only
7-inch single In music, a single is a type of release, typically a song recording of fewer tracks than an LP record or an album. One can be released for sale to the public in a variety of formats. In most cases, a single is a song that is released separate ...
s and
extended play An extended play record, usually referred to as an EP, is a musical recording that contains more tracks than a single but fewer than an album or LP record.
s. Korni Grupa was the first Serbian rock act to release a full-length album, in 1971, and one of the first bands to move towards
progressive rock Progressive rock (shortened as prog rock or simply prog; sometimes conflated with art rock) is a broad genre of rock music that developed in the United Kingdom and United States through the mid- to late 1960s, peaking in the early 1970s. Init ...
. Progressive rock dominated the Serbian rock scene during the 1970s, with a part of bands incorporating elements of
traditional music Folk music is a music genre that includes traditional folk music and the contemporary genre that evolved from the former during the 20th-century folk revival. Some types of folk music may be called world music. Traditional folk music has b ...
into their sound. At this period, bands like
YU Grupa YU Grupa (trans. '' YU Group'') is a Serbian (former Yugoslav) rock band. A pioneer in combining rock music with the elements of the traditional music of the Balkans, YU Grupa is credited with being the longest-lasting Serbian rock band.
,
Pop Mašina Pop Mašina ( sr-cyr, Поп Машина; trans. ''Pop Machine'') was a Yugoslav progressive rock band formed in Belgrade in 1972. Pop Mašina was one of the most notable bands of the Yugoslav rock scene in the 1970s. Pop Mašina was formed by ...
and
Smak Smak ( sr-Cyrl, Смак; trans. ''The end time'') was a Serbian and Yugoslav band from Kragujevac. The group reached the peak of popularity in the 1970s when it was one of the most notable acts of the former Yugoslav rock scene. The band's le ...
achieved large mainstream popularity and massive album sales. The end of the 1970s featured the appearance of the prominent
hard rock Hard rock or heavy rock is a loosely defined subgenre of rock music typified by aggressive vocals and distorted electric guitars. Hard rock began in the mid-1960s with the garage, psychedelic and blues rock movements. Some of the earliest hard ...
band
Riblja Čorba Riblja Čorba ( sr-Cyrl, Рибља Чорба, pronounced ; translation: lit. ''Fish Stew'') is a Serbian and former Yugoslav rock band formed in Belgrade in 1978. The band was one of the most popular and most influential acts of the Yugoslav ...
, and the emergence of the closely associated punk rock and new wave scenes.
Pekinška Patka Pekinška Patka (Serbian Cyrillic: Пекиншка Патка; trans. ''Peking Duck'') is an eminent Serbian and former Yugoslav punk rock band from Novi Sad. Their debut album, ''Plitka poezija'', released in 1980, is considered the first punk ...
was the first Serbian punk rock band to release an album, in 1980. The new wave bands
Šarlo Akrobata Šarlo Akrobata ( sr-Cyrl, Шарло Акробата; trans. ''Charlot the Acrobat'', a Serbo-Croatian language version of Charlie Chaplin's name in the Kingdom of Yugoslavia) were a seminal Serbian new wave/post-punk band from Belgrade. Short- ...
,
Električni Orgazam Električni Orgazam ( sr-cyr, Електрични Оргазам, lit=Electric Orgasm, translit=) is a Serbian rock band from Belgrade. Originally starting as a combination of new wave, punk rock and post-punk, the band later slowly changed th ...
and
Idoli Idoli ( sr-cyr, Идоли; trans. The Idols) were a Serbian new wave band from Belgrade. They are considered to be one of the most notable acts of the Yugoslav rock scene, and their 1982 album ''Odbrana i poslednji dani'' was on several occas ...
, which appeared on the influential compilation album ''
Paket aranžman ''Paket aranžman'' (''Package Tour'') is a new wave music compilation album released in 1981 by Jugoton. Featuring eminent Belgrade acts Šarlo Akrobata, Električni Orgazam and Idoli, it is considered to be one of the most important and influent ...
'' in 1980, were followed by many new wave acts. Around 1982, new wave scene declined and many acts moved towards more commercial sound. During the 1980s,
pop rock Pop rock (also typeset as pop/rock) is a fusion genre with an emphasis on professional songwriting and recording craft, and less emphasis on attitude than rock music. Originating in the late 1950s as an alternative to normal rock and roll, earl ...
acts, such as
Đorđe Balašević Đorđe Balašević ( sr-Cyrl, Ђорђе Балашевић; 11 May 1953 – 19 February 2021) was a Serbian and Yugoslav singer and songwriter, writer, poet and director. He began his career in the late 1970s as a member of the band Rani Mraz, ...
and
Bajaga i Instruktori Bajaga i Instruktori (Serbian Cyrillic: Бајага и Инструктори; trans. ''Bajaga and the Instructors'') are a Serbian and Yugoslav rock band formed in Belgrade in 1984. Founded and led by vocalist, guitarist and principal composer ...
, dominated the mainstream scene, but various other rock genres also emerged, and the
alternative rock Alternative rock, or alt-rock, is a category of rock music that emerged from the independent music underground of the 1970s and became widely popular in the 1990s. "Alternative" refers to the genre's distinction from Popular culture, mainstre ...
scene, with the acts such as
Ekatarina Velika Ekatarina Velika ( sr-Cyrl, Екатарина Велика, en, Catherine the Great), sometimes referred to as EKV for short, was a Yugoslav rock band from Belgrade, being one of the most successful and influential Yugoslav music acts. Initia ...
,
Disciplina Kičme Disciplin A Kitschme, originally known as Disciplina Kičme ( sr-Cyrl, Дисциплина Кичме, transl. ''Backbone Discipline''), was a Serbian and Yugoslav and, for a period of time, British rock band, formed in Belgrade in 1981. The b ...
, and
Rambo Amadeus Antonije Pušić (; born 14 June 1963), known professionally as Rambo Amadeus () is a Montenegrin author. A self-titled "musician, poet, and media manipulator", he is a noted artist across the countries of former Yugoslavia. His songs combine ...
, started to develop and gain mainstream popularity. With the outbreak of the
Yugoslav wars The Yugoslav Wars were a series of separate but related#Naimark, Naimark (2003), p. xvii. ethnic conflicts, wars of independence, and Insurgency, insurgencies that took place in the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, SFR Yugoslavia from ...
at the beginning of the 1990s, the former Yugoslav rock scene ceased to exist. During the 1990s, most of, both mainstream and
underground Underground most commonly refers to: * Subterranea (geography), the regions beneath the surface of the Earth Underground may also refer to: Places * The Underground (Boston), a music club in the Allston neighborhood of Boston * The Underground (S ...
, rock acts expressed their opposition towards the government of
Slobodan Milošević Slobodan Milošević (, ; 20 August 1941 – 11 March 2006) was a Yugoslav and Serbian politician who was the president of Serbia within Yugoslavia from 1989 to 1997 (originally the Socialist Republic of Serbia, a constituent republic of ...
, which caused their absence from most of the government-controlled media. Although several major mainstream acts managed to sustain their popularity (some of them, like
Partibrejkers Partibrejkers (Serbian Cyrillic: Партибрејкерс, transliteration for: ''Partybreakers'') is a Serbian rock band from Belgrade, as well as one of the most acclaimed acts of the Yugoslav rock scene. The band was formed in 1982 and rele ...
and
Van Gogh Vincent Willem van Gogh (; 30 March 185329 July 1890) was a Dutch Post-Impressionist painter who posthumously became one of the most famous and influential figures in Western art history. In a decade, he created about 2,100 artworks, inclu ...
, even increasing it), and a large underground and
independent music Independent music (also commonly known as indie music or simply indie) is music that is produced independently from commercial record labels or their subsidiaries, a process that may include an autonomous, do-it-yourself approach to recording a ...
scene developed. After the 1999
NATO bombing of FR Yugoslavia The North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) carried out an aerial bombing campaign against the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia during the Kosovo War. The air strikes lasted from 24 March 1999 to 10 June 1999. The bombings continued until an a ...
and the arrival of the political changes during the 2000s, a new independent scene started to develop. The 2000s also featured the establishing of new connections between the former Yugoslav republics' scenes.


History


Rock pioneers (late 1950s – late 1960s)

The first rock acts emerged in the late 1950s. Influenced by the
rock and roll Rock and roll (often written as rock & roll, rock 'n' roll, or rock 'n roll) is a Genre (music), genre of popular music that evolved in the United States during the late 1940s and early 1950s. It Origins of rock and roll, originated from Africa ...
and
rockabilly Rockabilly is one of the earliest styles of rock and roll music. It dates back to the early 1950s in the United States, especially the Southern United States, South. As a genre it blends the sound of Western music (North America), Western music ...
acts, many young people started performing the so-called "električna muzika" ("electric music"), naming themselves "električari" ("electricians"). One of the first Serbian rock and roll musicians who rose to fame was guitarist
Mile Lojpur Milan "Mile" Lojpur (Serbian Cyrillic: Милан-Миле Лојпур) (4 March 1930 – 29 July 2005) was a Serbian and Yugoslav rock musician, notable as one of the first rock and roll musicians in Yugoslavia and one of the pioneers of the Yu ...
from
Belgrade Belgrade ( , ;, ; Names of European cities in different languages: B, names in other languages) is the Capital city, capital and List of cities in Serbia, largest city in Serbia. It is located at the confluence of the Sava and Danube rivers a ...
, often considered the first Serbian or even Yugoslav rock and roll musician. He rose to fame at the dances he and his band Septet M organized at
Red Star A red star, five-pointed and filled, is a symbol that has often historically been associated with communist ideology, particularly in combination with the hammer and sickle, but is also used as a purely socialist symbol in the 21st century. I ...
basketball courts at
Kalemegdan The Kalemegdan Park ( sr, / ), or simply Kalemegdan ( sr-Cyrl, Калемегдан) is the largest park and the most important historical monument in Belgrade. It is located on a cliff, at the junction of the River Sava and the Danube. Kal ...
. Although Lojpur did not make any recordings, he had a great influence on subsequent development of the scene. Another notable rock and roll artist was Perica Stojančić from
Niš Niš (; sr-Cyrl, Ниш, ; names in other languages) is the third largest city in Serbia and the administrative center of the Nišava District. It is located in southern part of Serbia. , the city proper has a population of 183,164, while ...
, whose debut single was released in 1961. The singer
Đorđe Marjanović Đorđe Marjanović ( sr-Cyr, Ђорђе Марјановић; 30 October 1931 – 15 May 2021) was a Serbian and Yugoslav singer. Marjanović began his career in the mid-1950s, rising to fame in the late 1950s with his theatrical on-stage per ...
became the first Yugoslav
superstar A superstar is someone who has great popular appeal and is widely known, prominent, or successful in their field. Celebrities referred to as "superstars" may include individuals who work as actors, musicians, athletes, and other media-based profe ...
. Despite essentially being a schlager singer, Marjanović also performed rock and roll songs. He is also notable as the first Yugoslav
popular music Popular music is music with wide appeal that is typically distributed to large audiences through the music industry. These forms and styles can be enjoyed and performed by people with little or no musical training.Popular Music. (2015). ''Fun ...
singer who had an energetic on-scene appearance. He was the first pop singer to walk off the stage into the audience and perform songs in theatrical manner. His popularity led to the release of his album in 1959, the first popular music solo album released by
PGP-RTB PGP-RTB (abbreviation for sr, Produkcija gramofonskih ploča Radio televizije Beograd) was a major state-owned record label and chain record store in the former SFR Yugoslavia, based in Belgrade, Socialist Republic of Serbia. After the breaku ...
, the biggest Serbian record label. In 1963, Marjanović went on his first
Soviet Union The Soviet Union,. officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics. (USSR),. was a transcontinental country that spanned much of Eurasia from 1922 to 1991. A flagship communist state, it was nominally a federal union of fifteen national ...
tour, where he soon became very popular, and had gone on more than thirty Soviet Union tours since. He continued to perform until 1990, when, on concert in
Melbourne Melbourne ( ; Boonwurrung/Woiwurrung: ''Narrm'' or ''Naarm'') is the capital and most populous city of the Australian state of Victoria, and the second-most populous city in both Australia and Oceania. Its name generally refers to a met ...
, he had a stroke, after which he decided to retire. The beginning of the 1960s saw the emergence of numerous
beat Beat, beats or beating may refer to: Common uses * Patrol, or beat, a group of personnel assigned to monitor a specific area ** Beat (police), the territory that a police officer patrols ** Gay beat, an area frequented by gay men * Battery ( ...
and
rhythm and blues Rhythm and blues, frequently abbreviated as R&B or R'n'B, is a genre of popular music that originated in African-American communities in the 1940s. The term was originally used by record companies to describe recordings marketed predominantly ...
bands, the majority of which being initially inspired by the then-popular
Cliff Richard Sir Cliff Richard (born Harry Rodger Webb; 14 October 1940) is an Indian-born British musican, singer, producer, entrepreneur and philanthropist who holds both British and Barbadian citizenship. He has total sales of over 21.5 million s ...
and
The Shadows The Shadows (originally known as the Drifters) were an English instrumental rock group, who dominated the British popular music charts in the late 1950s and early 1960s, in the pre- Beatles era. They served as the backing band for Cliff Richard ...
:
Iskre Iskre ( sr-cyr, Искре; English: ''The Sparks'') were a Yugoslav rock band formed in Belgrade in 1961. Iskre were one of Yugoslavia's earliest rock bands and are notable for being one of the pioneers of the Yugoslav rock scene. History 1961- ...
and
Siluete Siluete ( sr-cyr, Силуете, trans. ''The Silhouettes'') were a Serbian and Yugoslav rock band formed in Belgrade in 1961. They were one of the pioneers of the Yugoslav rock scene. Soon after the formation, Siluete, fronted by charismatic ...
, both formed in 1961;
Zlatni Dečaci Zlatni Dečaci (Serbian Cyrillic: Златни Дечаци, trans. ''The Golden Boys'') were a Yugoslav rock band formed in Belgrade in 1962. The band were one of the pioneers of the Yugoslav rock scene. At the beginning of their career the ba ...
and
Bele Višnje Bele Višnje (Serbian Cyrillic: Беле Вишње, trans. ''White Sour Cherries'') was a Serbian and Yugoslav rock band formed in Čačak in 1962. Bele Višnje are notable for being one of the pioneers of the Yugoslav rock scene. History 196 ...
, both formed in 1962;
Crni Biseri Crni Biseri ( sr-cyr, Црни Бисери, trans. ''The Black Pearls'') were a Yugoslav rock band formed in Belgrade in 1963. The band were one of the pioneers of the Yugoslav rock scene. The band started their career performing beat music, b ...
,
Daltoni Daltoni (Serbian Cyrillic: ; translation: '' The Daltons'') were a Yugoslav rock band formed in Niš in 1963. They were one of the pioneers of the Yugoslav rock scene. Formed by high school students, Daltoni initially performed beat music. In ...
,
Elipse Elipse ( sr-Cyrl, Елипсе; trans. ''The Ellipses'') were a Yugoslav rock band formed in Belgrade in 1962. The band were one of the pioneers of the Yugoslav rock scene. Elipse initially performed beat music and rhythm and blues. With the a ...
, and
Samonikli Samonikli ( sr-Cyrl, Самоникли, trans. ''The Indigenous Ones'') were a Yugoslav rock band formed in Belgrade in 1964. Despite having no official releases, the band made a number of recordings for Yugoslav radio and television and are no ...
, all formed in 1963;
Tomi Sovilj i Njegove Siluete Tomi Sovilj i Njegove Siluete ( sr-Cyrl, Томи Совиљ и Његове Силуете; trans. ''Tommy Sovilj and His Silhouettes'') were a Yugoslav beat group formed in Belgrade in 1964. They were one of the pioneers of the Yugoslav rock s ...
and
Sanjalice Sanjalice ( sr-Cyrl, Сањалице, trans. ''The Dreamers'') were a Yugoslav rock band formed in Belgrade in 1964. Sanjalice are notable for being one of the pioneers of the Yugoslav rock scene, as well as one of the first Yugoslav all-femal ...
, both formed in 1964;
Plamenih 5 Plamenih 5 ( sr-Cyrl, Пламених 5, trans. ''The Flaming 5'') were a Yugoslav rock band formed in Belgrade in 1964. Despite having no official releases, the band are notable as one of the pioneers of the Yugoslav rock scene. History 1964 ...
, formed in 1965,
Džentlmeni Džentlmeni ( sr-Cyrl, Џентлмени, lit=The Gentlemen) were a Yugoslav rock band formed in Belgrade in 1966. A year after the formation, the band split into two factions. The first faction featured original rhythm guitarist Milan Buza, a ...
, formed in 1966. Siluete were well known for their shocking appearance and performance, and the band's frontman
Zoran Miščević Zoran ( sr-Cyrl, Зоран) is a common South Slavic name, the masculine form of Zora, which means ''dawn, daybreak''. The name is especially common in Serbia, North Macedonia, Croatia and a little in Slovenia. Notable people with this given na ...
became one of the first Yugoslav rock stars and a
sex symbol A sex symbol or icon is a person or character widely considered sexually attractive.Pam Cook, "The trouble with sex: Diana Dors and the Blonde bombshell phenomenon", In: Bruce Babinigton (ed.), ''British Stars and Stardom: From Alma Taylor to ...
. The media often promoted rivalry between Siluete and Elipse."ZORAN SIMJANOVIĆ: Sa ove strane soula", popboks.com
/ref> Initially formed as a beat band, Elipse moved to
soul music Soul music is a popular music genre that originated in the African American community throughout the United States in the late 1950s and early 1960s. It has its roots in African-American gospel music and rhythm and blues. Soul music became po ...
and added a
brass section The brass section of the orchestra, concert band, and jazz ensemble consist of brass instruments, and is one of the main sections in all three ensembles. The British-style brass band contains only brass and percussion instruments. They contain ...
when they were joined by vocalist Edi Dekeng, an African student from Congo, in 1967. Crni Biseri featured the prominent musician Vlada Janković "Džet", who later formed the band
Tunel Tunel or Tünel may refer to: * TUNEL assay (Terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase mediated dUTP Nick End Labeling assay), in genetics, a method for detecting DNA fragmentation * Tunel (band), Yugoslav rock band * Tunel (railroad station), railroa ...
and became a well-known
Radio Belgrade Radio Belgrade ( sr, Радио Београд, ) is a state-owned and operated radio station in Belgrade, Serbia. It has four different programs (Radio Belgrade 1, Radio Belgrade 2, Radio Belgrade 3, and Radio Belgrade 202), a precious archive o ...
host. Sanjalice were one of the first former Yugoslav all-female rock bands. The members of Džemtlmeni, brothers Žika and
Dragi Jelić Dragi Jelić ( sr-Cyrl, Драги Јелић; born 17 May 1947) is a Serbian rock musician. He is best known as the singer and guitarist for the Serbian rock band YU Grupa, which he formed in 1970 with his older brother Žika. During the 1960 ...
, later formed the highly successful progressive/
hard rock Hard rock or heavy rock is a loosely defined subgenre of rock music typified by aggressive vocals and distorted electric guitars. Hard rock began in the mid-1960s with the garage, psychedelic and blues rock movements. Some of the earliest hard ...
band
YU Grupa YU Grupa (trans. '' YU Group'') is a Serbian (former Yugoslav) rock band. A pioneer in combining rock music with the elements of the traditional music of the Balkans, YU Grupa is credited with being the longest-lasting Serbian rock band.
. Although all of these bands released only
7-inch single In music, a single is a type of release, typically a song recording of fewer tracks than an LP record or an album. One can be released for sale to the public in a variety of formats. In most cases, a single is a song that is released separate ...
s and
extended play An extended play record, usually referred to as an EP, is a musical recording that contains more tracks than a single but fewer than an album or LP record.
s – with the exception of Crni Biseri, which recorded their only studio album ''Motorok'' in 1976, and Bele Višnje, which recorded their old songs and released them on the album ''Pesme naše mladosti'' in 1994 – they had major influence on the subsequent development of the scene.


Mainstream and pop rock (late 1960s – present)

Korni Grupa was one of the first Serbian rock bands to achieve major mainstream popularity. Formed in 1968 by former
Indexi Indexi was a Bosnian and former Yugoslav rock band popular in Yugoslavia. It formed in 1962 in Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina, and disbanded in 2001 when singer Davorin Popović died. Some of their most notable songs are "Svijet u kome živi ...
keyboardist
Kornelije Kovač Kornelije "Bata" Kovač ( sr-Cyrl, Корнелије "Бата" Ковач, ; hu, Kovács Kornél; 1 January 1942 – 13 September 2022) was a Serbian composer. Early life Born in Niš during World War II in the Nazi-occupied Serbia to a ...
, the band recorded many commercial pop songs released on 7-inch singles, with which they achieved huge popularity and appeared on pop music festivals throughout Yugoslavia. Already influenced by
progressive rock Progressive rock (shortened as prog rock or simply prog; sometimes conflated with art rock) is a broad genre of rock music that developed in the United Kingdom and United States through the mid- to late 1960s, peaking in the early 1970s. Init ...
, the band moved towards progressive sound with the arrival of vocalist
Dado Topić Adolf "Dado" Topić (born 4 September 1950, Siverić at Drniš) is a rock musician from Croatia and the former Yugoslavia. He was the lead singer and founder of Time, a 1970s progressive rock band. From 1970 to late 1971, he was also the lead sin ...
, continuing, however, to release commercial singles. Korni Grupa's 1971 debut album ''Korni Grupa'' was the first
long play The LP (from "long playing" or "long play") is an analog sound storage medium, a phonograph record format characterized by: a speed of  rpm; a 12- or 10-inch (30- or 25-cm) diameter; use of the "microgroove" groove specification; and a ...
album by a rock act coming from Serbia, and the fourth long play album by a Yugoslav rock act. The band's second,
symphonic rock Progressive rock (shortened as prog rock or simply prog; sometimes conflated with art rock) is a broad genre of rock music that developed in the United Kingdom and United States through the mid- to late 1960s, peaking in the early 1970s. Initi ...
-oriented album, ''Not an Ordinary Life'', released under the name Kornelyans in 1974, was one of the first Yugoslav albums released through a foreign record label. Despite the success with the singles they released in Yugoslavia, the band disbanded due to the little success of ''Not an Ordinary Life'' and the song "
Moja generacija The Eurovision Song Contest 1974 was the 19th edition of the annual Eurovision Song Contest. It took place in Brighton, United Kingdom and was organized by the European Broadcasting Union (EBU) and host broadcaster British Broadcasting Corpor ...
", with which the band represented Yugoslavia at the
1974 Eurovision Song Contest The Eurovision Song Contest 1974 was the 19th edition of the annual Eurovision Song Contest. It took place in Brighton, United Kingdom and was organized by the European Broadcasting Union (EBU) and host broadcaster British Broadcasting Corporati ...
. By the time Korni Grupa disbanded, other Serbian progressive rock bands, like
YU Grupa YU Grupa (trans. '' YU Group'') is a Serbian (former Yugoslav) rock band. A pioneer in combining rock music with the elements of the traditional music of the Balkans, YU Grupa is credited with being the longest-lasting Serbian rock band.
and
Smak Smak ( sr-Cyrl, Смак; trans. ''The end time'') was a Serbian and Yugoslav band from Kragujevac. The group reached the peak of popularity in the 1970s when it was one of the most notable acts of the former Yugoslav rock scene. The band's le ...
, had already achieved huge mainstream popularity. YU Grupa, formed in 1970 by former
Džentlmeni Džentlmeni ( sr-Cyrl, Џентлмени, lit=The Gentlemen) were a Yugoslav rock band formed in Belgrade in 1966. A year after the formation, the band split into two factions. The first faction featured original rhythm guitarist Milan Buza, a ...
members, brothers Dragi and
Žika Jelić Živorad "Žika" Jelić (born 7 December 1942) is a Serbian rock musician. He is best known as being the guitarist for the Serbian rock band YU Grupa, which he formed in 1970 with his younger brother Dragi. During the 1960s, alongside his broth ...
, is often considered the longest-lasting Serbian rock band. Having released several successful singles which featured a fusion of progressive/
hard rock Hard rock or heavy rock is a loosely defined subgenre of rock music typified by aggressive vocals and distorted electric guitars. Hard rock began in the mid-1960s with the garage, psychedelic and blues rock movements. Some of the earliest hard ...
and
Balkan The Balkans ( ), also known as the Balkan Peninsula, is a geographical area in southeastern Europe with various geographical and historical definitions. The region takes its name from the Balkan Mountains that stretch throughout the who ...
traditional music Folk music is a music genre that includes traditional folk music and the contemporary genre that evolved from the former during the 20th-century folk revival. Some types of folk music may be called world music. Traditional folk music has b ...
, YU Grupa released their first album, ''
YU Grupa YU Grupa (trans. '' YU Group'') is a Serbian (former Yugoslav) rock band. A pioneer in combining rock music with the elements of the traditional music of the Balkans, YU Grupa is credited with being the longest-lasting Serbian rock band.
'' (1973), which became one of the best selling Yugoslav rock albums of the 1970s. The band continued to release successful albums, but with the popularity of new wave, the band disbanded in 1981. However, the band reunited in 1987 and has released a number of well-accepted hard rock-oriented albums since. The band
Smak Smak ( sr-Cyrl, Смак; trans. ''The end time'') was a Serbian and Yugoslav band from Kragujevac. The group reached the peak of popularity in the 1970s when it was one of the most notable acts of the former Yugoslav rock scene. The band's le ...
from
Kragujevac Kragujevac ( sr-Cyrl, Крагујевац, ) is the fourth largest city in Serbia and the administrative centre of the Šumadija District. It is the historical centre of the geographical region of Šumadija in central Serbia, and is situated on ...
, formed by guitar virtuoso
Radomir Mihailović Radomir Mihailović (Serbian Cyrillic: Радомир Михаиловић; born 13 June 1950), also known as Točak (''wheel'' in English) is a Serbian guitarist. He is best known as the guitarist for the Serbian and formerly Yugoslav Smak. Bi ...
"Točak" in 1971, was, during the second half of the 1970s, competitive with the band
Bijelo Dugme Bijelo Dugme (trans. ''White Button'') was a Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, Yugoslav rock music, rock band, formed in Sarajevo, Socialist Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina, SR Bosnia and Herzegovina in 1974. Bijelo Dugme is widely co ...
from
Sarajevo Sarajevo ( ; cyrl, Сарајево, ; ''see Names of European cities in different languages (Q–T)#S, names in other languages'') is the Capital city, capital and largest city of Bosnia and Herzegovina, with a population of 275,524 in its a ...
. Smak released several hit singles before releasing their self-titled debut in 1975, considered to be one of the most successful debut albums in
former Yugoslavia The Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, commonly referred to as SFR Yugoslavia or simply as Yugoslavia, was a country in Central and Southeast Europe. It emerged in 1945, following World War II, and lasted until 1992, with the breakup of Yu ...
. The band's later releases, ''
Satelit Satelit ( sr, Сателит) is a small urban neighborhood of the city of Novi Sad, Serbia. In English it translates as “Satellite”. It is part of the larger Bistrica urban area and neighborhood. Borders The southern border of Satelit ...
'' (1976), ''
Crna dama ''Crna dama'' is the second studio album by the Serbs, Serbian band Smak, released in 1977. Track listing Personnel Smak * Boris Aranđelović — vocals * Radomir Mihajlović, Radomir Mihajlović "Točak" — guitar * Miodrag Petkovski, Mi ...
'' (1977) and '' Stranice našeg vremena'' (1978), saw similar success, but the band disbanded in 1981 for the similar reasons like YU Grupa. The band reunited and disbanded several more times during the 1980s and 1990s, releasing albums that saw little commercial success, although the 2012 reunion of the band's default lineup saw large interest by the audience and covering in the media. The end of the 1970s featured the appearance of the pop rock band
Rani Mraz Rani Mraz (Serbian Cyrillic: Рани Мраз; trans. ''Early Frost'') were a former Yugoslav rock band from Novi Sad, formed in 1977 by former Žetva member Đorđe Balašević. During the initial period, the band went through several lineup c ...
. Rani Mraz was formed in 1978 by a former Žetva member
Đorđe Balašević Đorđe Balašević ( sr-Cyrl, Ђорђе Балашевић; 11 May 1953 – 19 February 2021) was a Serbian and Yugoslav singer and songwriter, writer, poet and director. He began his career in the late 1970s as a member of the band Rani Mraz, ...
, and during the initial period went through several lineup changes. The most famous lineup featured Balašević, Verica Todorović,
Bora Đorđević Borisav "Bora" Đorđević ( sr-cyr, Борисав, Бора Ђорђевић; born 1 November 1952), also known as Bora Čorba ( sr-cyr, Бора Чорба), is a Serbian singer, songwriter, and poet. He is best known as the frontman of the ...
and
Biljana Krstić Biljana () is a settlement east of Dobrovo in the Municipality of Brda in the Littoral region of Slovenia, very close to the border with Italy. Name Biljana was first mentioned in written sources in 1205 as ''Beliana'' (and as ''Villana'' in 1 ...
, the latter two joining Rani Mraz after leaving the
acoustic rock Acoustic music is music that solely or primarily uses instruments that produce sound through acoustic means, as opposed to electric or electronic means. While all music was once acoustic, the retronym "acoustic music" appeared after the adven ...
band
Suncokret Suncokret ( sr-cyr, Сунцокрет; trans. ''Sunflower'') was a Yugoslav acoustic rock band from Belgrade. Band history 1975 — 1980 The band was formed in 1975 by former Zajedno member Bora Đorđević (vocals and acoustic guitar), a form ...
. This lineup of the band released the highly popular single " Računajte na nas", a song which praised the legacy of the
Yugoslav Partisans The Yugoslav Partisans,Serbo-Croatian, Macedonian, Slovene: , or the National Liberation Army, sh-Latn-Cyrl, Narodnooslobodilačka vojska (NOV), Народноослободилачка војска (НОВ); mk, Народноослобод ...
from a slightly different perspective than habitual
socialist realism Socialist realism is a style of idealized realistic art that was developed in the Soviet Union and was the official style in that country between 1932 and 1988, as well as in other socialist countries after World War II. Socialist realism is ch ...
, and soon became an anthem of Yugoslav youth. Đorđević, however, soon left the band to form
Riblja Čorba Riblja Čorba ( sr-Cyrl, Рибља Чорба, pronounced ; translation: lit. ''Fish Stew'') is a Serbian and former Yugoslav rock band formed in Belgrade in 1978. The band was one of the most popular and most influential acts of the Yugoslav ...
. Rani Mraz released two well-received albums, ''
Mojoj mami umesto maturske slike u izlogu ''Mojoj mami umesto maturske slike u izlogu'' (trans. ''To My Mother instead of the Prom Photo in the Shop Window'') is the first studio album released by former Yugoslav rock band Rani Mraz. In 1998, the album was polled as the 44th on the list ...
'' (1979) and ''
Odlazi cirkus ''Odlazi cirkus'' (trans. ''The Circus Is Leaving'') is the second and final studio album released by former Yugoslav rock band Rani Mraz. Recording Like it was the case with the previous Rani Mraz album, ''Mojoj mami umesto maturske slike u izlo ...
'' (1980), before disbanding in 1981. With the release of the album ''
Pub A pub (short for public house) is a kind of drinking establishment which is licensed to serve alcoholic drinks for consumption on the premises. The term ''public house'' first appeared in the United Kingdom in late 17th century, and was ...
'' (1982), Balašević started a very successful solo career, spanning up to the present, establishing himself as the most popular Serbian singer-songwriter. The hard rock band
Riblja Čorba Riblja Čorba ( sr-Cyrl, Рибља Чорба, pronounced ; translation: lit. ''Fish Stew'') is a Serbian and former Yugoslav rock band formed in Belgrade in 1978. The band was one of the most popular and most influential acts of the Yugoslav ...
, formed in 1978, achieved huge success with their debut single "
Lutka sa naslovne strane "Lutka sa naslovne strane" ("Front Cover Babe") is the debut single from the influential Serbian and former Yugoslav rock band Riblja Čorba. The song, a hard rock ballad about a fame-hungry model, was originally written during the time Riblja ...
" (1978) and their debut album ''
Kost u grlu ''Kost u grlu'' (trans. ''Bone in the Throat'') is the 1979 debut album from Serbian and former Yugoslav rock band Riblja Čorba. The album was polled in 1998 as the 16th on the list of 100 greatest Yugoslav rock and pop albums in the book '' YU ...
'' (1979). Their following albums, '' Pokvarena mašta i prljave strasti'' and ''
Mrtva priroda ''Mrtva priroda'' (trans. '' Still Life'') is the third studio album from Serbian and former Yugoslav rock band Riblja Čorba, released in 1981. In 1998, the album was polled as the 19th on the list of 100 greatest Yugoslav rock and pop albums ...
'', both released in 1981, launched them to the top of the Serbian and former Yugoslav rock scene despite their
hard rock Hard rock or heavy rock is a loosely defined subgenre of rock music typified by aggressive vocals and distorted electric guitars. Hard rock began in the mid-1960s with the garage, psychedelic and blues rock movements. Some of the earliest hard ...
sound with
blues Blues is a music genre and musical form which originated in the Deep South of the United States around the 1860s. Blues incorporated spirituals, work songs, field hollers, shouts, chants, and rhymed simple narrative ballads from the Afr ...
and heavy metalPejović N., "Teškometalni Ikar protiv gravitacije", Popboks.com
elements, and thanks to their provocative social- and, since the release of ''Mrtva priroda'', political-related lyrics written by the band leader
Bora Đorđević Borisav "Bora" Đorđević ( sr-cyr, Борисав, Бора Ђорђевић; born 1 November 1952), also known as Bora Čorba ( sr-cyr, Бора Чорба), is a Serbian singer, songwriter, and poet. He is best known as the frontman of the ...
. After the album ''
Istina ''Istina'' (Serbian Cyrillic: Истина; trans. ''The Truth'') is the sixth studio album released by Serbian and former Yugoslav rock band Riblja Čorba. The album is considered by fans and critics alike to be one of Riblja Čorba's finest w ...
'' (1985) the band, although still generally fitting into hard rock, started gradually turning towards softer sound, managing to sustain their popularity throughout the decade. However, in the 1990s, Riblja Čorba's popularity heavily declined in
Croatia , image_flag = Flag of Croatia.svg , image_coat = Coat of arms of Croatia.svg , anthem = "Lijepa naša domovino"("Our Beautiful Homeland") , image_map = , map_caption = , capit ...
and
Bosnia and Herzegovina Bosnia and Herzegovina ( sh, / , ), abbreviated BiH () or B&H, sometimes called Bosnia–Herzegovina and often known informally as Bosnia, is a country at the crossroads of south and southeast Europe, located in the Balkans. Bosnia and H ...
during the
Yugoslav wars The Yugoslav Wars were a series of separate but related#Naimark, Naimark (2003), p. xvii. ethnic conflicts, wars of independence, and Insurgency, insurgencies that took place in the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, SFR Yugoslavia from ...
, when Ðorđević became an active supporter of the Serbian troops in
Republika Srpska Republika Srpska ( sr-Cyrl, Република Српска, lit=Serb Republic, also known as Republic of Srpska, ) is one of the two Political divisions of Bosnia and Herzegovina, entities of Bosnia and Herzegovina, the other being the Feder ...
and
Republika Srpska Krajina The Republic of Serbian Krajina or Serb Republic of Krajina ( sh, Република Српска Крајина, italics=no / or РСК / ''RSK'', ), known as the Serbian Krajina ( / ) or simply Krajina, was a self-proclaimed Serb proto-state, ...
, which he demonstrated by recording controversial songs "E moj druže zagrebački" (which was recorded as a response to
Jura Stublić Jurislav "Jura" Stublić (born 19 December 1953) is a Croatian singer-songwriter. References 1950s births Singers from Sarajevo Living people Croatian rock musicians 20th-century Croatian male singers Bosnia and Herzegovina rock sin ...
's song "E moj druže beogradski") and "Ljetovanje" with the band Mindušari from
Knin Knin (, sr, link=no, Книн, it, link=no, Tenin) is a city in the Šibenik-Knin County of Croatia, located in the Dalmatian hinterland near the source of the river Krka, an important traffic junction on the rail and road routes between Zagr ...
. However, Ðorđević was also strongly opposed to president
Slobodan Milošević Slobodan Milošević (, ; 20 August 1941 – 11 March 2006) was a Yugoslav and Serbian politician who was the president of Serbia within Yugoslavia from 1989 to 1997 (originally the Socialist Republic of Serbia, a constituent republic of ...
and he demonstrated his attitude by writing a number of anti-government songs released on Riblja Čorba albums '' Zbogom, Srbijo'' (1993), ''
Ostalo je ćutanje ''Ostalo je ćutanje'' (Serbian Cyrillic: Остало је ћутање, trans. ''Silence Remains'') is the thirteenth studio album from Serbian and former Yugoslav rock band Riblja Čorba. Apart from its title, the album contains several more ...
'' (1996) and '' Nojeva barka'' (1999), and on his solo album ''
Njihovi dani ''Njihovi dani'' (Serbian Cyrillic: Њихови дани, trans. ''Their Days'') is the first and so far the only studio album released by Bora Đorđević. Although the album was recorded by the members of Đorđević's band Riblja Čorba, Đor ...
'' (1996). The end of the 1970s and the beginning of the 1980s featured the appearance of three popular solo singers:
Slađana Milošević Aleksandra Milošević Hagadone ( sr-cyr, Александра Милошевић Хагадон; born 3 October 1955), better known as Slađana Milošević ( sr-Cyrl, Слађана Милошевић, ) is a Serbian singer-songwriter, composer, ...
,
Bebi Dol Dragana Todorović ( , / ; born 2 October 1962), better known under the stage name Bebi Dol (), is a Serbian singer and songwriter. Born in Belgrade, she made her debut in 1981 with the single "Mustafa". Bebi Dol rose to further prominence by ...
and
Oliver Mandić Oliver Mandić (Serbian Cyrillic: Оливер Мандић; born 13 July 1953) is a Serbian rock musician, composer, and producer. Early life Musically involved from a young age, Mandić first started playing the accordion before taking up the p ...
. Aleksandra "Slađana" Milošević released her debut single "Au, au" in 1977. The single saw huge success and was followed by a successful album (1979). In 1984, she recorded a highly popular ballad "Princeza" with
Dado Topić Adolf "Dado" Topić (born 4 September 1950, Siverić at Drniš) is a rock musician from Croatia and the former Yugoslavia. He was the lead singer and founder of Time, a 1970s progressive rock band. From 1970 to late 1971, he was also the lead sin ...
. During the 1990s and 2000s, she experimented with various musical genres and her popularity heavily declined. Bebi Dol and Oliver Mandić both used simple
pop rock Pop rock (also typeset as pop/rock) is a fusion genre with an emphasis on professional songwriting and recording craft, and less emphasis on attitude than rock music. Originating in the late 1950s as an alternative to normal rock and roll, earl ...
forms combined with
jazz Jazz is a music genre that originated in the African-American communities of New Orleans, Louisiana in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, with its roots in blues and ragtime. Since the 1920s Jazz Age, it has been recognized as a major ...
,
synthpop Synth-pop (short for synthesizer pop; also called techno-pop; ) is a subgenre of new wave music that first became prominent in the late 1970s and features the synthesizer as the dominant musical instrument. It was prefigured in the 1960s a ...
and
folk music Folk music is a music genre that includes traditional folk music and the contemporary genre that evolved from the former during the 20th-century folk revival. Some types of folk music may be called world music. Traditional folk music has b ...
. Bebi Dol, born Dragana Šarić, with her debut single "Mustafa" (1981) quickly gained the public's attention. Her debut album ''Ruže i krv'' (1983) gained positive reviews and good commercial reception. Having high ranks at the MESAM and
Jugovizija Jugovizija, Cyrillic: Југовизија, English: Yugovision, was the Yugoslav national final to select their entry for the Eurovision Song Contest, organized by the Yugoslav broadcaster Yugoslav Radio Television (JRT) and its subnational public ...
festivals, she was, with the song "
Brazil Brazil ( pt, Brasil; ), officially the Federative Republic of Brazil (Portuguese: ), is the largest country in both South America and Latin America. At and with over 217 million people, Brazil is the world's fifth-largest country by area ...
", the last representative of the Socialist Federative Republic of Yugoslavia at the
Eurovision Song Contest The Eurovision Song Contest (), sometimes abbreviated to ESC and often known simply as Eurovision, is an international songwriting competition organised annually by the European Broadcasting Union (EBU), featuring participants representing pr ...
. Having released her second album ''Ritam srca'' (1995), her popularity declined and she withdrew from performing in the late 1990s, returning in the early 2000s. Oliver Mandić, though active in the 1970s as a member of various progressive rock bands, it was his debut album ''Probaj me'' (1980) that brought him the nationwide popularity. With hits appearing on his albums ''Zbog tebe bih tucao kamen'' (1982) and ''Dođe mi da vrisnem tvoje ime'' (1985), controversial stage performance and clothing style, Mandić achieved large attention and high record sales. In the early 1990s he semi-retired, appearing occasionally only until today. After the decline of the new wave scene in Serbia, part of the bands moved towards more commercial rock and pop rock sound.
Električni Orgazam Električni Orgazam ( sr-cyr, Електрични Оргазам, lit=Electric Orgasm, translit=) is a Serbian rock band from Belgrade. Originally starting as a combination of new wave, punk rock and post-punk, the band later slowly changed th ...
, after releasing '' Kako bubanj kaže'' in 1984, released their commercially most successful albums, ''
Distorzija ''Distorzija'' (''Distortion'') is the fifth studio album by the Serbian/SFRY, Yugoslavian New wave music in Yugoslavia, new wave band Električni orgazam. It was released in 1986 by Jugoton. Track listing All songs are written by Srđan Gojković ...
'' (1986) and ''
Letim, sanjam, dišem ''Letim, sanjam, dišem'' (literal translation:''I fly, I dream, I breathe'') is the sixth studio album by Serbian/ Yugoslavian new wave band Električni orgazam. It was released in 1988 by PGP RTB. Track listing All songs written by Srđan Goj ...
'' (1988), the latter featuring the anthem hit-song "Igra rock 'n' roll cela Jugoslavija". Električni Orgazam continued with the same musical directions in the 1990s with '' Zašto da ne!'' (1994) and '' A um bum'' (1999). In 2007, Električni Orgazam performed as an opening act for
The Rolling Stones The Rolling Stones are an English rock band formed in London in 1962. Active for six decades, they are one of the most popular and enduring bands of the rock era. In the early 1960s, the Rolling Stones pioneered the gritty, rhythmically d ...
, on the concert held at the Belgrade
Ušće park Ušće may refer to: * Ušće, Belgrade, a settlement in Belgrade, Serbia * Ušće (Obrenovac), a village in the municipality of Obrenovac, city of Belgrade, Serbia * Ušće (Kraljevo), a village in the municipality of Kraljevo, Serbia or: * Ušć ...
.
Idoli Idoli ( sr-cyr, Идоли; trans. The Idols) were a Serbian new wave band from Belgrade. They are considered to be one of the most notable acts of the Yugoslav rock scene, and their 1982 album ''Odbrana i poslednji dani'' was on several occas ...
, after releasing their debut ''
Odbrana i poslednji dani ''Odbrana i poslednji dani'' ( sr-Cyrl, Одбрана и последњи дани; trans. ''The Defense and the Last Days'') is the first studio album by Yugoslav new wave band Idoli released in 1982. ''Džuboks'' magazine critics voted the ...
'' (1982), recorded their second studio album, '' Čokolada'' (1983), which featured a combination of pop rock,
funk Funk is a music genre that originated in African American communities in the mid-1960s when musicians created a rhythmic, danceable new form of music through a mixture of various music genres that were popular among African Americans in the m ...
and
electronic music Electronic music is a genre of music that employs electronic musical instruments, digital instruments, or circuitry-based music technology in its creation. It includes both music made using electronic and electromechanical means ( electroac ...
. The album turned out to be the greatest commercial success by the band. Having recorded the '' Šest dana juna'' soundtrack (1985) in the 1960s pop rock manner, the band split up and
Vlada Divljan Vladimir "Vlada" Divljan ( sr-Cyrl, Владимир "Влада" Дивљан; 10 May 1958 – 4 March 2015), was a Serbian singer and songwriter. He was known as the frontman of the Serbian and Yugoslav rock band Idoli, one of the bands which ...
released his debut album ''Tajni život A. P. Šandorova'' (1988), stylistically similar to the previous Idoli releases. The band Zana, fronted by vocalist
Zana Nimani Zana Šiškin (; sr-cyr, Зана Шишкин, ; born in September 1961) is a Serbian former singer, best known as the first frontress of the pop rock band Zana. Biography Zana Nimani was born in 1961 in Belgrade, to Kosovo Albanian parents ...
, after their early new wave works moved towards synthpop and pop rock, releasing successful albums ''Dodirni mi kolena'' (1982) and ''Natrag na voz'' (1983). After the departure of frontress Zana Nimani in 1984, the band changed several vocalists, gradually moving away from the rock scene towards pop music. The reformed
Piloti Pilotis, or piers, are supports such as columns, pillars, or stilts that lift a building above ground or water. They are traditionally found in stilt and pole dwellings such as fishermen's huts in Asia and Scandinavia using wood, and in elev ...
released the highly successful album ''Kao ptica na mom dlanu'' in 1987. With the following albums, ''Osmeh letnje noći'' (1988) and ''Neka te bog čuva za mene'' (1990), the band maintained their popularity, which even increased in the 1990s with the ''Zaboravljeni'' soundtrack album (1993). However, the band disbanded in 1997 and, in the meantime, Piloti frontman Zoran "Kiki" Lesendrić released the album '' Nedelja na Duhove'' (1995) with former Idoli members
Srđan Šaper Srđan Šaper ( sr-cyr, Срђан Шапер; born October 9, 1958) is a founder of I&F McCann Grupa. He is also well known as a founder and a member of the Yugoslav new wave band Idoli in the 1980s.P. Janjatović, Idoli, YU rock enciklopedija ...
and
Nebojša Krstić Nebojša Krstić ( sr-cyrl, Небојша Крстић; born 9 July 1957) is a Serbian media personality, political commentator, former musician (VIS Idoli) and physician. He is also a former public relations advisor to the office of the Presid ...
under the name
Dobrovoljno Pevačko Društvo Dobrovoljno Pevačko Društvo was a Serbian supergroup consisting of former Idoli members Nebojša Krstić and Srđan Šaper and Piloti frontman Kiki Lesendrić. The band released only one album and disbanded. History Idoli members Nebojša Kr ...
. During the late 1990s and 2000s Lesendrić worked as a songwriter before releasing his first, very successful solo album ''Mesec na vratima'' in 2008, after which he reformed Piloti. Other new wave acts that made a shift towards more commercial sound after the decline of the scene include
Bezobrazno Zeleno Bezobrazno Zeleno ( sr-cyr, Безобразно Зелено, trans. ''Rudely Green'') was a Yugoslav rock band formed in Belgrade in 1980. Led by bass guitarist Bojan Vasić, the band belonged to the second generation of Belgrade new wave band ...
(which moved towards pop rock),
U Škripcu U Škripcu ( sr-cyr, У Шкрипцу; trans. ''In Dire Straits'') was a Yugoslav rock band formed in Belgrade in 1980. The band was formed in 1980 by Milan Delčić "Delča" (vocals), Aleksandar Vasiljević "Vasa" (guitar) and Zoran Vulovi ...
(which moved towards
synthpop Synth-pop (short for synthesizer pop; also called techno-pop; ) is a subgenre of new wave music that first became prominent in the late 1970s and features the synthesizer as the dominant musical instrument. It was prefigured in the 1960s a ...
and pop rock) and
Laki Pingvini Laki Pingvini ( sr-Cyrl, Лаки Пингвини; transl. ''The Easy Penguins'') were a Serbian and Yugoslav rock band formed in Belgrade in 1979. Initially a part of the Yugoslav new wave scene, the band later turned towards synth-pop and p ...
(which moved towards synthpop and
New Romantic The New Romantic movement was an underground subculture movement that originated in the United Kingdom in the late 1970s. The movement emerged from the nightclub scene in London and Birmingham at venues such as Billy's and The Blitz. The New ...
). The pop rock band
Bajaga i Instruktori Bajaga i Instruktori (Serbian Cyrillic: Бајага и Инструктори; trans. ''Bajaga and the Instructors'') are a Serbian and Yugoslav rock band formed in Belgrade in 1984. Founded and led by vocalist, guitarist and principal composer ...
, formed in 1984 by former Riblja Čorba member
Momčilo Bajagić Momcilo or Momčilo (Cyrillic script: Момчило) is a masculine given name of Slavic origin. It is often found in Serbia and Montenegro. It may refer to: *Momčilo Bajagić, Serbian rock musician * Momčilo Bošković (born 1951), retired Serb ...
"Bajaga", after releasing their debut, highly successful solo album ''
Pozitivna geografija ''Pozitivna geografija'' (trans. ''Positive Geography'') is the 1984 debut album from Serbian and former Yugoslav rock band Bajaga i Instruktori, released in 1984. Originally released as Momčilo Bajagić "Bajaga"'s solo album, the album was lat ...
'' in 1983 (originally released as Bajagić's solo album, but, as it featured musicians which would later become members of Bajaga i Instruktori, included in the band's official discography), started releasing successful albums ''
Sa druge strane jastuka ''Sa druge strane jastuka'' (trans. ''On the Other Side of the Pillow'') is the second studio album from Serbian and Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, former Yugoslav rock music, rock band Bajaga i Instruktori, released in 1985. Although i ...
'' (1985) '' Jahači magle'' (1986), and '' Prodavnica tajni'' (1988), all becoming mega-hits. Bajaga i Instruktori entered the 1990s as the one of the most popular Serbian rock acts, managing to maintain the gained popularity through the 1990s. The mid-1980s pop rock bands
Amajlija Amajlija (Serbian Cyrillic: Амајлија; transl. ''Amulet'') is a Serbian and Yugoslav rock band formed in Novi Sad in 1979. Led by vocalist and guitarist Bogoljub "Čombe" Banjac, Amajlija reached the peak of popularity in the late 1980s an ...
, Poslednja Igra Leptira, Divlji Anđeli,
Slomljena Stakla Slomljena Stakla ( sr-cyr, Сломљена Стакла; trans. ''Broken Glass'') was a Yugoslav pop rock band formed in Belgrade in 1982. They were a prominent act of the 1980s Yugoslav rock scene. History 1982-1991 The band was formed in 1 ...
, Ruž,
Alisa Alisa is a female given name, a version of Alice in used in Russia, Finland, Estonia and other countries. Notable people with the names Alisa and Alissa include: Alisa People *Alisa Agafonova (born 1991), Ukrainian former competitive ice dance ...
,
Banana A banana is an elongated, edible fruit – botanically a berry – produced by several kinds of large herbaceous flowering plants in the genus ''Musa''. In some countries, bananas used for cooking may be called "plantains", distinguis ...
,
Jugosloveni Jugosloveni ( sr-cyr, Југословени; trans. ''Yugoslavs'') are a Serbian rock band, successful throughout all of former Yugoslavia and best known for their hit "Jugosloveni". Band history 1986 - 1989 The band was formed in 1986 by the voc ...
,
Bel Tempo Bel Tempo ( sr-Cyrl, Бел Темпо, transliteration for ''Belle Tempo'', Italian for ''Nice Weather'') was a Serbian and Yugoslav musical duo formed in Belgrade in 1986 and consisting of siblings Vladimir Petričević (guitar, keyboards and ...
and
Vampiri Vampiri ( sr-cyr, Вампири, trans. '' The Vampires'') are a Serbian and Yugoslav rock band from Belgrade. The band was formed in 1990, and performed music influenced by the 1950s doo-wop and rockabilly. After releasing two studio albums, t ...
had a vast number of album sales, however, the majority of them disbanded before reaching the 1990s, or at the very beginning of the decade. Poslednja Igra Leptira, formed in 1980 and led by charismatic frontman Nenad Radulović, also known as Neša Leptir, achieved success with their pop rock songs with humorous lyrics, but disbanded in 1989. Radulović released his solo album ''Niko nema što piton imade'', which parodied " novokomponovana muzika", in 1989, before dying of
tumor A neoplasm () is a type of abnormal and excessive growth of tissue. The process that occurs to form or produce a neoplasm is called neoplasia. The growth of a neoplasm is uncoordinated with that of the normal surrounding tissue, and persists ...
in 1990. Bel Tempo, formed in 1986 by brother and sister Vlada and
Suzana Petričević Suzana Petričević ( sr-cyr, Сузана Петричевић, born 16 February 1959) is a Serbian actress and singer. Acting career Suzana Petričević graduated from the Belgrade Drama Arts Academy on the Department for Actors. She became a ...
, released two pop rock albums with jazz elements before disbanding in 1992. Vampiri's sound was influenced by the 1950s
doo-wop Doo-wop (also spelled doowop and doo wop) is a genre of rhythm and blues music that originated in African-American communities during the 1940s, mainly in the large cities of the United States, including New York, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, Chica ...
and
rockabilly Rockabilly is one of the earliest styles of rock and roll music. It dates back to the early 1950s in the United States, especially the Southern United States, South. As a genre it blends the sound of Western music (North America), Western music ...
. However, with the breakout of the
Yugoslav Wars The Yugoslav Wars were a series of separate but related#Naimark, Naimark (2003), p. xvii. ethnic conflicts, wars of independence, and Insurgency, insurgencies that took place in the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, SFR Yugoslavia from ...
, their sound seamed misplaced and the band disbanded in 1993. They reunited in 1995 and released the album ''Plavi grad'', and, in 1997, ''Monkey Food'', experimenting with different musical genres on the latter. However, the band disbanded once again in 1998. Popular rock acts of the late 1980s and the 1990s were
Galija Galija ( sr-cyr, Галија; ) is a Serbian and Yugoslav rock band formed in Niš in 1977. The central figures of the band are brothers Nenad Milosavljević (vocals, acoustic guitar and harmonica) and Predrag Milosavljević (vocals). A larg ...
,
Partibrejkers Partibrejkers (Serbian Cyrillic: Партибрејкерс, transliteration for: ''Partybreakers'') is a Serbian rock band from Belgrade, as well as one of the most acclaimed acts of the Yugoslav rock scene. The band was formed in 1982 and rele ...
and
Dejan Cukić Dejan Cukić ( sr-cyr, Дејан Цукић; born November 4, 1959) is a Serbian rock musician, journalist, writer and translator. During the late 1970s and early 1980s, Cukić was the frontman of the new wave band Bulevar, releasing two alb ...
. Galija, despite being formed in the late 1970s and initially performing progressive rock, reached the peak of popularity in the late 1980s and early 1990s with the album trilogy consisting of ''
Daleko je Sunce ''Daleko je Sunce'' (trans. ''Distant is the Sun'') is the sixth studio album from Serbian and former Yugoslav rock band Galija. It is the first part of the trilogy consisting of this album, the album '' Korak do slobode'' and the album ''Istori ...
'' (1988), ''
Korak do slobode ''Korak do slobode'' (trans. ''One Step to Freedom'') is the seventh studio album from Serbian and former Yugoslav rock band Galija. It is the second part of the trilogy consisting of the album ''Daleko je Sunce'', this album and the album ''Isto ...
'' (1989), and ''
Istorija, ti i ja ''Istorija, ti i ja'' (trans. ''History, You and Me'') is the eighth studio album from Serbian and former Yugoslav rock band Galija. It is the third and the final part of the trilogy consisting of the album '' Daleko je Sunce'', the album '' Kora ...
'' (1991), entering the 1990s as one of the most popular Serbian rock bands. In the 1990s, Galija promoted the
Socialist Party of Serbia The Socialist Party of Serbia ( sr, Социјалистичка партија Србије, Socijalistička partija Srbije, SPS) is a political party in Serbia. It is led by Ivica Dačić. It was founded in 1990 as the direct successor to t ...
, which had provoked a part of the critics and fans to proclaim Galija a "state band". Nevertheless, albums ''
Karavan Karavan ( ) was a hard rock band from Karachi, Sindh, Pakistan, formed in 1997. The band was founded by former Awaz lead guitarist Asad Ahmed with bassist Sameer Ahmed, who were soon joined by drummer Allan Smith and vocalist Najam Sheraz. ...
'' (1994), ''
Trinaest ''Trinaest'' (trans. ''Thirteen'') is the tenth studio album from Serbian and former Yugoslav rock band Galija. Besides the lyrics written by the band member Predrag Milosavljević, songs feature lyrics written by poets Branko Radičević, Ste ...
'' (1996) and ''
Voleti voleti ''Voleti voleti'' (trans: ''To Love to Love'') is the eleventh studio album from Serbian and former Yugoslav rock band Galija. Track listing All the songs were written by Nenad Milosavljević (music) and Slobodan Kostadinović (lyrics). #"Pege" ...
'' (1997) were well received by majority of the fans. The
garage A garage is a covered structure built for the purpose of parking, storing, protecting, maintaining, and/or repairing vehicles. Specific applications include: *Garage (residential), a building or part of a building for storing one or more vehicle ...
/ punk rock band Partibrejkers gained large popularity with the albums ''
Partibrejkers I ''Partibrejkers I'' is the debut eponymous album by the Serbian garage rock/ punk rock band Partibrejkers, released by Jugoton Jugoton was the largest record label and chain record store in the former Yugoslavia based in Zagreb, SR Croatia. ...
'' (1985), '' Partibrejkers II'' (1988), '' Partibrejkers III'' (1989) and ''
Kiselo i slatko ''Kiselo i slatko'' is the fourth studio album by the Serbian garage rock/ punk rock band Partibrejkers, released by PGP RTB in 1994. Track listing All tracks written by Zoran Kostić and Nebojša Antonijević, except track 6 written by Milan ...
'' (1994). Former
Bulevar Bulevar ( sr-cyr, Булевар; English language, English: Boulevard) is an urban neighborhood of the city of Novi Sad, Serbia. Its name simply means "boulevard" in Serbian language, Serbian. Bulevar is not a traditional city neighborhood; it is ...
and Bajaga i Instruktori vocalist Dejan Cukić started his solo career in the late 1980s, and forming his Spori Ritam Band started releasing a series of successful albums, ''Spori ritam'' (1987), ''Zajedno'' (1989), ''1991'' (1991) and ''Ja bih da pevam'' (1996). Popular acts of the 1990s include
Del Arno Band Del Arno Band is a Serbian and Yugoslav reggae band formed in Belgrade in 1986. Del Arno Band are one of the pioneers of Serbian and Yugoslav reggae scenes and are considered the longest-lasting reggae band of former Yugoslavia. History 1980s B ...
,
Van Gogh Vincent Willem van Gogh (; 30 March 185329 July 1890) was a Dutch Post-Impressionist painter who posthumously became one of the most famous and influential figures in Western art history. In a decade, he created about 2,100 artworks, inclu ...
,
Babe Babe or babes may refer to: * Babe, a term of endearment * A newborn baby * An attractive (especially female) person People Nickname * Babe Adams (1882–1968), American Major League Baseball pitcher * Babe Barna (1917–1972), American Major L ...
, Prljavi Inspektor Blaža i Kljunovi,
Familija Familija ( sr-cyr, Фамилија; trans. ''Family'') was a Serbian rock supergroup from Belgrade, consisting of Vampiri, Košava and U Škripcu members. The band's musical style was a combination of ska, pop, ethnic and rock music. History T ...
, and the Belgrade fraction of the band
Zabranjeno Pušenje Zabranjeno pušenje () is a Bosnian rock band formed in Sarajevo in 1980. The group's musical style primarily consists of a distinctive garage rock sound with folk influences, often featuring innovative production and complex storytelling. Curre ...
. Pioneers of Serbian and former Yugoslav
reggae Reggae () is a music genre that originated in Jamaica in the late 1960s. The term also denotes the modern popular music of Jamaica and its diaspora. A 1968 single by Toots and the Maytals, " Do the Reggay" was the first popular song to use ...
scenes,''Vreme vode'' review at Popboks.com
/ref> Del Arno Band, formed in 1986, were always closely associated with the rock scene. Although they released only three full-length studio albums during twenty-five years of career, Del Arno Band managed to remain on top of Serbian reggae scene. The band Van Gogh started their career with the release of their debut self-titled album in 1986, but disbanded a year later. The band reunited in 1990, and throughout the 1990s released the albums ''
Svet je moj ''Svet je moj'' (trans. ''The World Is Mine'') is the second studio album from Serbian rock band Van Gogh, released in 1991. ''Svet je moj'' is the first Van Gogh album released after their 1990 reunion. Track listing All songs were written by Z ...
'' (1990), ''
Strast ''Strast'' (trans. ''Passion'') is the third studio album from Serbian rock band Van Gogh, released 1993. The album was produced by Saša Habić, except for the track "Strast" which was produced by Vladimir Barjakaterević. Track listing All s ...
'' (1993), '' Hodi'' (1996) and ''
Opasan ples ''Opasan ples'' (trans. ''Dangerous Dance'') is the fifth studio album from a Serbian rock band Van Gogh. Track listing #"Puls" ( S. Habić, S. Radivojević, Z. Đukić) – 4:08 #"Da li zna?" (Z. Đukić) – 3:22 #"Demagogija" (S. Radivojević ...
'' (1999), which made them one of the most popular acts on the Serbian rock scene. Babe, starting in 1992 as a side project of Bajaga i Instruktori member Žika Milenković, Električni Orgazam member Goran Čavajda and Riblja Čorba member
Zoran Ilić Zoran ( sr-Cyrl, Зоран) is a common South Slavic name, the masculine form of Zora, which means ''dawn, daybreak''. The name is especially common in Serbia, North Macedonia, Croatia and a little in Slovenia. Notable people with this given na ...
, with the release of their debut album (1993) gained popularity with their humorous songs. After the departure of Čavajda, having released ''Slike sna i jave (Samo za buntovnike)'' (1999), Babe ended their activity. Another popular
comedy rock Comedy rock is rock music that is comedic in nature. Oftentimes it is mixed with satire or irony.V. Bogdanov, C. Woodstra and S. T. Erlewine, ''All music guide to rock: the definitive guide to rock, pop, and soul'' (Backbeat Books, 3rd Edition. ...
band, Prljavi Inspektor Blaža i Kljunovi, formed by charismatic frontman
Igor Blažević Igor may refer to: People * Igor (given name), an East Slavic given name and a list of people with the name * Mighty Igor (1931–2002), former American professional wrestler * Igor Volkoff, a professional wrestler from NWA All-Star Wrestling ...
in 1993, quickly gained mainstream popularity with lyrics inspired by musical, film and sport stars. The band
Familija Familija ( sr-cyr, Фамилија; trans. ''Family'') was a Serbian rock supergroup from Belgrade, consisting of Vampiri, Košava and U Škripcu members. The band's musical style was a combination of ska, pop, ethnic and rock music. History T ...
was formed in 1994 by former Vampiri, U Škripcu and Košava members, and saw large popularity with their albums ''
Narodno pozorište ''Narodno pozorište'' is the debut album of the Serbian rock supergroup Familija, released in 1995. In 2021 the album was polled 99th on the list of 100 best Serbian rock albums published after the breakup of SFR Yugoslavia. The list was publis ...
'' (1994) and ''
Seljačka buna ''Seljačka buna'' is the second and the last album by the Serbian rock supergroup Familija Familija ( sr-cyr, Фамилија; trans. ''Family'') was a Serbian rock supergroup from Belgrade, consisting of Vampiri, Košava and U Škripcu mem ...
'' (1997), which featured
ska Ska (; ) is a music genre that originated in Jamaica in the late 1950s and was the precursor to rocksteady and reggae. It combined elements of Caribbean mento and calypso with American jazz and rhythm and blues. Ska is characterized by a walki ...
/pop rock songs with humorous lyrics. With the outbreak of the
Bosnian War The Bosnian War ( sh, Rat u Bosni i Hercegovini / Рат у Босни и Херцеговини) was an international armed conflict that took place in Bosnia and Herzegovina between 1992 and 1995. The war is commonly seen as having started ...
the band Zabranjeno Pušenje from
Sarajevo Sarajevo ( ; cyrl, Сарајево, ; ''see Names of European cities in different languages (Q–T)#S, names in other languages'') is the Capital city, capital and largest city of Bosnia and Herzegovina, with a population of 275,524 in its a ...
split into two factions, both named Zabranjeno Pušenje: the
Sarajevo Sarajevo ( ; cyrl, Сарајево, ; ''see Names of European cities in different languages (Q–T)#S, names in other languages'') is the Capital city, capital and largest city of Bosnia and Herzegovina, with a population of 275,524 in its a ...
fraction, led by the original Zabranjeno Pušenje guitarist
Sejo Sexon Davor Sučić (; born June 7, 1961), better known by his stage name Sejo Sexon, is a Bosnian rock and roll musician, film score composer, actor and television director. He is most notably the bandleader and a co-founder of the rock group Zabranjen ...
, and the Belgrade faction, led by the original Zabranjeno Pušenje vocalist
Nele Karajlić Nenad Janković (; ; born 11 December 1962), known as Dr Nele Karajlić (), is a Bosnian Serb musician, composer, comedian, actor, writer and television director living and working in Belgrade, Serbia. One of the founders of the New Primitivism c ...
. The Belgrade faction released the album ''Ja nisam odavle'' in 1997, and, after recording the soundtrack for the film ''
Black Cat, White Cat ''Black Cat, White Cat'' ( sr, Црна мачка, бели мачор, Crna mačka, beli mačor) is a 1998 Serbian romantic black comedy film directed by Emir Kusturica. It won the Silver Lion for Best Direction at the Venice Film Festival. T ...
'' by the director
Emir Kusturica Emir Kusturica ( sr-cyrl, Емир Кустурица; born 24 November 1954) is a Serbian film director, screenwriter, actor, producer and musician. He also has French citizenship.http://www.serbia.com/emir-kusturica-artist-builder-and-anti-glo ...
, moved towards world music, starting to perform with Kusturica under the name to The No Smoking Orchestra. The band saw large popularity outside Serbia, however, their new sound is better accepted abroad than in their home country. The 2000s featured popular bands Negative,
Neverne Bebe Neverne Bebe ( sr-cyr, Неверне Бебе, lit=The Unfaithful Babies) are a Serbian rock band, originally formed in Valjevo in 1993 and currently based in Belgrade. The band was formed in 1993 by keyboardist Milan Đurđević. On their first ...
and Night Shift. The power pop band Negative, featuring the former Tap 011 vocalist
Ivana Peters Ivana Pavlović ( sr-cyr, Ивана Павловић; born August 22, 1974), better known as Ivana Peters ( sr-cyr, Ивана Петерс) or Ivana Negativ ( sr-cyr, Ивана Негатив), is a Serbian singer-songwriter. Initially recogni ...
, formed in 1999, released several successful albums and had successful appearances on several musical festivals.
Neverne Bebe Neverne Bebe ( sr-cyr, Неверне Бебе, lit=The Unfaithful Babies) are a Serbian rock band, originally formed in Valjevo in 1993 and currently based in Belgrade. The band was formed in 1993 by keyboardist Milan Đurđević. On their first ...
, formed in 1993 by the keyboard player Milan Đurđević, having released three studio albums and having several lineup changes, released highly successful album ''Dvoje – The Best Of'', featuring two female vocalists and featuring rerecorded versions of the band's old songs, after which they became one of the top mainstream acts of the Serbian scene. The
post-grunge Post-grunge is a derivative of grunge that has a less abrasive or intense tone than traditional grunge. Originally, the term was used almost pejoratively to label mid-1990s rock bands such as Bush (British band), Bush, Candlebox and Collective So ...
/hard rock band Night Shift, although formed in 1991, released their debut, successful
cover album An album is a collection of audio recordings issued on compact disc (CD), Phonograph record, vinyl, audio tape, or another medium such as Digital distribution#Music, digital distribution. Albums of recorded sound were developed in the early ...
'' Undercovers'' in 2002. In 2009 the band released '' Bez zaklona'' which featured their own songs. Beside the mentioned bands, the veterans of the Serbian rock scene,
YU Grupa YU Grupa (trans. '' YU Group'') is a Serbian (former Yugoslav) rock band. A pioneer in combining rock music with the elements of the traditional music of the Balkans, YU Grupa is credited with being the longest-lasting Serbian rock band.
, with their comeback ''
Dugo znamo se ''Dugo znamo se'' (trans. ''We Know Each Other for a Long Time'') is the tenth studio album from Serbian and former Yugoslav rock band YU Grupa. It is the band's first album since the release of the album '' Rim 1994'' in 1995. Track listing #" ...
'' (2005),
Đorđe Balašević Đorđe Balašević ( sr-Cyrl, Ђорђе Балашевић; 11 May 1953 – 19 February 2021) was a Serbian and Yugoslav singer and songwriter, writer, poet and director. He began his career in the late 1970s as a member of the band Rani Mraz, ...
, with the albums ''
Dnevnik starog momka ''Dnevnik starog momka'' (trans. ''Diary of an Old Bachelor'') is the eleventh studio album released by Serbian and former Yugoslav singer-songwriter Đorđe Balašević. Balašević's first album after the 2000 political changes in Serbia, '' ...
'' (2001) and ''
Rani mraz Rani Mraz (Serbian Cyrillic: Рани Мраз; trans. ''Early Frost'') were a former Yugoslav rock band from Novi Sad, formed in 1977 by former Žetva member Đorđe Balašević. During the initial period, the band went through several lineup c ...
'' (2004),
Riblja Čorba Riblja Čorba ( sr-Cyrl, Рибља Чорба, pronounced ; translation: lit. ''Fish Stew'') is a Serbian and former Yugoslav rock band formed in Belgrade in 1978. The band was one of the most popular and most influential acts of the Yugoslav ...
, with ''
Pišanje uz vetar ''Pišanje uz vetar'' (trans. ''Pissing Against the Wind'') is the fifteenth studio album from Serbian and former Yugoslav rock band Riblja Čorba, released in 2001. Reggae tracks "Crno beli svet" and "Crno beli svet (I opet)" featured Eyesbur ...
'' (2001), '' Ovde'' (2003), '' Trilogija'' (2007) and '' Minut sa njom'' (2009),
Bajaga i Instruktori Bajaga i Instruktori (Serbian Cyrillic: Бајага и Инструктори; trans. ''Bajaga and the Instructors'') are a Serbian and Yugoslav rock band formed in Belgrade in 1984. Founded and led by vocalist, guitarist and principal composer ...
, with '' Zmaj od Noćaja'' (2001), ''
Šou počinje u ponoć ''Šou počinje u ponoć'' (trans. ''The Show Begins at Midnight'') is the eight studio album from Serbian rock band Bajaga i Instruktori, released in 2005. The album featured numerous guests: Negative vocalist Ivana Pavlović on vocals in th ...
'' (2005) and '' Daljina, dim i prašina'' (2012),
Električni Orgazam Električni Orgazam ( sr-cyr, Електрични Оргазам, lit=Electric Orgasm, translit=) is a Serbian rock band from Belgrade. Originally starting as a combination of new wave, punk rock and post-punk, the band later slowly changed th ...
with '' Harmonajzer'' (2002) and ''
To što vidiš to i jeste ''To što vidiš to i jeste'' (''What You See is What You Get'') is the tenth studio album by the Serbian rock band Električni Orgazam, released in September 2010 by the Dom omladine Beograda Belgrade Youth Center ( sr, Dom omladine Beograda ...
'' (2010),
Galija Galija ( sr-cyr, Галија; ) is a Serbian and Yugoslav rock band formed in Niš in 1977. The central figures of the band are brothers Nenad Milosavljević (vocals, acoustic guitar and harmonica) and Predrag Milosavljević (vocals). A larg ...
with '' Dobro jutro, to sam ja'' (2005) and '' Mesto pored prozora'' (2010),
Partibrejkers Partibrejkers (Serbian Cyrillic: Партибрејкерс, transliteration for: ''Partybreakers'') is a Serbian rock band from Belgrade, as well as one of the most acclaimed acts of the Yugoslav rock scene. The band was formed in 1982 and rele ...
, with ''
Gramzivost i pohlepa ''Gramzivost i pohlepa'' is the sixth studio album by the Serbia Serbia (, ; Serbian: , , ), officially the Republic of Serbia (Serbian: , , ), is a landlocked country in Southeastern and Central Europe, situated at the crossroads of the ...
'' (2002) and ''
Sloboda ili ništa ''Sloboda ili ništa'' is the seventh studio album by the Serbian garage rock/ punk rock band Partibrejkers, released by PGP RTS in 2007. Track listing All lyrics and music written by Zoran Kostić and Nebojša Antonijević. Personnel Pa ...
'' (2007), and
Van Gogh Vincent Willem van Gogh (; 30 March 185329 July 1890) was a Dutch Post-Impressionist painter who posthumously became one of the most famous and influential figures in Western art history. In a decade, he created about 2,100 artworks, inclu ...
, with '' DrUnder'' (2002), ''
Kolo Kolo may refer to: Places Poland *Koło *Koło, Łódź Voivodeship * Koło, Lublin Voivodeship * Koło, Lubusz Voivodeship Other places * Kolo, Bosnia and Herzegovina * Kolo, Central African Republic * Kolo (Tanzanian ward), Kondoa district, Dod ...
'' (2006) and '' Lavirint'' (2009), maintained their popularity throughout the 2000s and early 2010s.


Acoustic rock (late 1960 – mid-1970s, early 1990s – present)

The Serbian acoustic scene emerged in the late 1960s with the appearance of the
hippie subculture A hippie, also spelled hippy, especially in British English, is someone associated with the counterculture of the 1960s, originally a youth movement that began in the United States during the mid-1960s and spread to different countries around ...
in Serbia, but reached its peak in the early 1970s with the bands
Porodična Manufaktura Crnog Hleba Porodična Manufaktura Crnog Hleba ( sr-cyr, Породична Мануфактура Црног Хлеба; trans. ''Rye Bread Family Manufacture'') was a Yugoslav rock band and a theatrical troupe formed in Belgrade in 1968. The band was form ...
,
Vlada i Bajka Vlada i Bajka ( sr-Cyrl, Влада и Бајка; trans. Vlada and Bajka) were a Serbian and SFRY, former Yugoslav acoustic music duo from Belgrade, consisting of Vladimir Marković "Vlada" and Dragutin Balaban "Bajka". History Early history ...
,
Lutajuća Srca Lutajuća Srca (Serbian Cyrillic: Лутајућа Срца, trans. ''Wandering Hearts'') was a Serbian and Yugoslav rock band formed in Niš in 1970. They were one of the most notable representatives of the Yugoslav 1970s acoustic rock scene. D ...
,
S Vremena Na Vreme S Vremena Na Vreme ( sr-cyr, С Времена На Време, trans. ''From Time To Time'') is a Serbian and Yugoslav rock band formed in Belgrade in 1972. S Vremena Na Vreme were one of the pioneers of the Yugoslav 1970s acoustic rock scene, ...
, DAG, and
Suncokret Suncokret ( sr-cyr, Сунцокрет; trans. ''Sunflower'') was a Yugoslav acoustic rock band from Belgrade. Band history 1975 — 1980 The band was formed in 1975 by former Zajedno member Bora Đorđević (vocals and acoustic guitar), a form ...
, most of them being a part of the
Belgrade Belgrade ( , ;, ; Names of European cities in different languages: B, names in other languages) is the Capital city, capital and List of cities in Serbia, largest city in Serbia. It is located at the confluence of the Sava and Danube rivers a ...
acoustic rock scene, naming themselves "akustičari" ("acousticans")."Svremenaši", belgradebeerfest.com
/ref> The pioneers of the Serbian acoustic rock scene were the bands Porodična Manufaktura Crnog Hleba, Vlada i Bajka and S Vremena Na Vreme. Porodična Manufaktura Crnog Hleba, which was also a theatre group, formed by Maja de Rado and
Jugoslav Vlahović Jugoslav Vlahović ( sr-cyr, Југослав Влаховић, born 1949) is a Serbian artist, illustrator, photographer and a former rock musician. Vlahović is known for his work on album covers. He is also known as a former member of the rock ...
in 1968, released their only album ''Stvaranje'' in 1974, and disbanded in 1975. The duo Vlada i Bajka saw success with their early recordings, but disbanded in 1975. In 1993, the duo reunited, and recorded their first full-length album, ''Ja nisam ja'' (1994), which featured the hit song "Beograd", recorded with singers
Bora Đorđević Borisav "Bora" Đorđević ( sr-cyr, Борисав, Бора Ђорђевић; born 1 November 1952), also known as Bora Čorba ( sr-cyr, Бора Чорба), is a Serbian singer, songwriter, and poet. He is best known as the frontman of the ...
and
Dušan Prelević Dušan Prelević "Prele" (Serbian Cyrillic: Душан Прелевић Преле; November 11, 1948 – July 28, 2007) was a Serbian singer, journalist, and writer. During his career Prelević released three solo albums and a large number of ...
, and actors
Dragan Nikolić Dragoslav "Dragan" Nikolić ( sr-cyr, Драгослав Драган Николић, ; 20 August 1943 – 11 March 2016) was a Yugoslav and later, Serbian actor. Nikolić studied at Dramatic Arts Academy in Belgrade. In 1967 he starred in the ...
,
Nikola Kojo Nikola Kojo (; born 5 September 1967) is a Serbian actor and film director. Biography Nikola was named after his great-grandfather, who was an protoiereus in Mostar. He made his acting debut before he turned 13, with the role of the boy Ivan in ...
and
Dragan Bjelogrlić Dragan Bjelogrlić "Bjela" ( sr, Драган Бјелогрлић, ; born 10 October 1963) is a Serbian actor, director and producer. Career Bjelogrlić made his acting debut as a 15-year old, playing Sava Jovanović Sirogojno in ''Boško Buha'' ...
. Acoustic/
progressive rock Progressive rock (shortened as prog rock or simply prog; sometimes conflated with art rock) is a broad genre of rock music that developed in the United Kingdom and United States through the mid- to late 1960s, peaking in the early 1970s. Init ...
band S Vremena Na Vreme, formed in 1972, were, beside being a pioneers of the acoustic scene, one of the first former Yugoslav bands to incorporate
traditional music Folk music is a music genre that includes traditional folk music and the contemporary genre that evolved from the former during the 20th-century folk revival. Some types of folk music may be called world music. Traditional folk music has b ...
elements into their music. The band's debut self-titled album, released in 1975, was widely praised by the critics. After releasing their third,
electric Electricity is the set of physical phenomena associated with the presence and motion of matter that has a property of electric charge. Electricity is related to magnetism, both being part of the phenomenon of electromagnetism, as described by ...
-oriented album, ''Paviljon G'' in 1979, S Vremena Na Vreme disbanded. They reunited in 1993, releasing a studio and a live album, before disbanding once again in 1997. Lutajuća Srca, formed in 1970 in
Niš Niš (; sr-Cyrl, Ниш, ; names in other languages) is the third largest city in Serbia and the administrative center of the Nišava District. It is located in southern part of Serbia. , the city proper has a population of 183,164, while ...
, released many 7-inch singles and four studio albums, and remains best known for their hits "Još malo", "Jefimija" and "Brod za sreću". DAG, formed in 1972, although a part of the Belgrade acoustic rock scene, used electric instruments on their only studio album ''Sećanja'' (1974). One of the last acoustic rock bands, Suncokret, appeared in 1975, featuring
Bora Đorđević Borisav "Bora" Đorđević ( sr-cyr, Борисав, Бора Ђорђевић; born 1 November 1952), also known as Bora Čorba ( sr-cyr, Бора Чорба), is a Serbian singer, songwriter, and poet. He is best known as the frontman of the ...
and Nenad Božić on acoustic guitars and vocals and two female vocalists,
Biljana Krstić Biljana () is a settlement east of Dobrovo in the Municipality of Brda in the Littoral region of Slovenia, very close to the border with Italy. Name Biljana was first mentioned in written sources in 1205 as ''Beliana'' (and as ''Villana'' in 1 ...
and
Gorica Popović Gorica Popović ( sr-cyr, Горица Поповић; born 13 August 1952) is a Serbian theatre, television and film actress. She was also a former member of the rock band Suncokret Suncokret ( sr-cyr, Сунцокрет; trans. ''Sunflower'') ...
. The band started releasing
folk music Folk music is a music genre that includes traditional folk music and the contemporary genre that evolved from the former during the 20th-century folk revival. Some types of folk music may be called world music. Traditional folk music has b ...
-inspired singles and, in 1977, released their only album, ''Moje bube''. The following year, having written the song "
Lutka sa naslovne strane "Lutka sa naslovne strane" ("Front Cover Babe") is the debut single from the influential Serbian and former Yugoslav rock band Riblja Čorba. The song, a hard rock ballad about a fame-hungry model, was originally written during the time Riblja ...
", which the band refused to perform, Đorđević, together with Krstić, left the band, moving to
Rani Mraz Rani Mraz (Serbian Cyrillic: Рани Мраз; trans. ''Early Frost'') were a former Yugoslav rock band from Novi Sad, formed in 1977 by former Žetva member Đorđe Balašević. During the initial period, the band went through several lineup c ...
. Suncokret continued to perform with a changed lineup, led by female vocalist
Snežana Jandrlić Snežana (Cyrillic: Снежана), also transliterated Snezhana, is a Slavic, Circassian, and Lithuanian feminine given name, possibly derived from ''sneg'' ("snow") and ''žena'' ("woman"). It is popular in former Yugoslavia, Russia and Bulgar ...
, until 1980 when they disbanded. Beside the mentioned bands, part of the Belgrade acoustic rock scene was the singer-songwriter
Srđan Marjanović Srđan Marjanović ( sr-cyr, Срђан Марјановић) is a Serbian singer-songwriter from Belgrade. Musical career Early career Marjanović was born in 1952 in Banja Luka. In 1961, he moved to Belgrade, where he became interested in roc ...
during the first several years of his career. Throughout the 1980s, the acoustic scene did not exist, however, the appearance of the first
unplugged Unplugged may refer to: *Acoustic music, music not produced through electronic means *Unplugged (B.A.P song), "Unplugged" (B.A.P song), 2014 *Unplugged (Modern Family), "Unplugged" (''Modern Family''), a 2010 episode of ''Modern Family'' Albums a ...
concerts in the late 1980s introduced the popularity of acoustic music in the following decade. Bora Đorđević's and
Arsen Dedić Arsenije "Arsen" Dedić ( sr-Cyrl, Арсеније "Арсен" Дедић, ; 28 July 1938 – 17 August 2015) was a Croatian singer-songwriter. He wrote and performed chansons, as well as film music. He was also an award-winning poet, and was o ...
's 1987 unplugged performance in
Terazije Theatre Theatre on Terazije ( sr, italic=yes, Позориште на Теразијама, Pozorište na Terazijama) is a Broadway-style theatre located in Belgrade, Serbia. Located in Terazije square, it is the only theatre in Serbia which exclusively ...
, released on the official bootleg album ''
Arsen & Bora Čorba Unplugged `87 Arsen (in Armenian, Արսեն; Georgian, არსენ; Russian, ; Ukrainian, ) is a given name, a diminutive of Greek '' Arsenios''. Notable people with the name include: * Arsen Akayev (born 1970), Kumyk-Russian professional football coach ...
'', was one of the first unplugged concerts in Serbia and former Yugoslavia. However, it was in the 1990s that the Serbian rock acts started performing unplugged more often. The first official unplugged live album was released by the
britpop Britpop was a mid-1990s British-based music culture movement that emphasised Britishness. It produced brighter, catchier alternative rock, partly in reaction to the popularity of the darker lyrical themes of the US-led grunge music and to the ...
band
Eva Braun Eva Anna Paula Hitler (; 6 February 1912 – 30 April 1945) was a German photographer who was the longtime companion and briefly the wife of Adolf Hitler. Braun met Hitler in Munich when she was a 17-year-old assistant and model for his ...
in 1993, and in the following year the Music Television of Serbia organized an unplugged festival in Belgrade
Sava Centar Sava Centar ( sr, Сава центар) is an international congress, cultural and business centre of various multi-functional activities located in Belgrade, the capital of Serbia. It is the largest audience hall in the country and entire forme ...
. The recordings of Eva Braun,
Rambo Amadeus Antonije Pušić (; born 14 June 1963), known professionally as Rambo Amadeus () is a Montenegrin author. A self-titled "musician, poet, and media manipulator", he is a noted artist across the countries of former Yugoslavia. His songs combine ...
,
Laki Pingvini Laki Pingvini ( sr-Cyrl, Лаки Пингвини; transl. ''The Easy Penguins'') were a Serbian and Yugoslav rock band formed in Belgrade in 1979. Initially a part of the Yugoslav new wave scene, the band later turned towards synth-pop and p ...
,
Babe Babe or babes may refer to: * Babe, a term of endearment * A newborn baby * An attractive (especially female) person People Nickname * Babe Adams (1882–1968), American Major League Baseball pitcher * Babe Barna (1917–1972), American Major L ...
,
Dejan Cukić Dejan Cukić ( sr-cyr, Дејан Цукић; born November 4, 1959) is a Serbian rock musician, journalist, writer and translator. During the late 1970s and early 1980s, Cukić was the frontman of the new wave band Bulevar, releasing two alb ...
,
Milan Delčić Milan ( , , Lombard: ; it, Milano ) is a city in northern Italy, capital of Lombardy, and the second-most populous city proper in Italy after Rome. The city proper has a population of about 1.4 million, while its metropolitan city h ...
,
Du Du A Du Du A ( sr-Cyrl, Ду Ду А) was a Serbian and Yugoslav alternative rock band formed in Belgrade in 1981. Formed by Dejan Kostić (vocals, guitar, bass guitar) and Vuk Vujačić (saxophone), and soon joined by Zoran Zagorčić (vocals, keyb ...
,
Del Arno Band Del Arno Band is a Serbian and Yugoslav reggae band formed in Belgrade in 1986. Del Arno Band are one of the pioneers of Serbian and Yugoslav reggae scenes and are considered the longest-lasting reggae band of former Yugoslavia. History 1980s B ...
,
Kazna Za Uši Kazna Za Uši ( sr-cyr, Казна За Уши; trans. ''Ear Punishment'') is a Serbian garage rock band from Belgrade. History Band formation, first releases (1986–1991) The band was formed in Autumn 1986 by lead guitarist and vocalist ...
, and others appeared on the various artists compilation ''
Bez struje ''Bez struje'' is a various artists live album, released in 1994, recorded on the unplugged festival held in 1994 in Sava Centar, Belgrade, Serbia. The album features eighteen Serbia Serbia (, ; Serbian: , , ), officially the Republic o ...
'' in 1995. During the 1990s, the unplugged concerts in Serbia were mainly organized by the
Novi Sad Novi Sad ( sr-Cyrl, Нови Сад, ; hu, Újvidék, ; german: Neusatz; see below for other names) is the second largest city in Serbia and the capital of the autonomous province of Vojvodina. It is located in the southern portion of the Pan ...
television station NS Plus in Novi Sad Studio M. Influenced by the already popular ''
MTV Unplugged ''MTV Unplugged'' is an American television series on MTV showcasing musical artists usually playing acoustic instruments. The show aired regularly from 1989 to 1999 and less frequently from 2000 to 2009, when it was usually billed as ''MTV Un ...
'', ''NS Plus Unplugged'' concerts of Dejan Cukić,
Kerber Kerber ( sr-cyr, Кербер, lit=Cerberus) is a Serbian and Yugoslav hard rock band formed in Niš in 1981. The mainstay members of Kerber are vocalist Goran Šepa "Gale", guitarist Tomislav "Tomica" Nikolić and keyboardist Branislav "Bane ...
, S Vremena Na Vreme,
Električni Orgazam Električni Orgazam ( sr-cyr, Електрични Оргазам, lit=Electric Orgasm, translit=) is a Serbian rock band from Belgrade. Originally starting as a combination of new wave, punk rock and post-punk, the band later slowly changed th ...
,
Vlada Divljan Vladimir "Vlada" Divljan ( sr-Cyrl, Владимир "Влада" Дивљан; 10 May 1958 – 4 March 2015), was a Serbian singer and songwriter. He was known as the frontman of the Serbian and Yugoslav rock band Idoli, one of the bands which ...
& Old Stars Band and
Garavi Sokak Garavi Sokak (Serbian Cyrillic: Гарави Сокак, trans. ''Sooty Alley'') is a Serbian folk rock/pop band from Novi Sad. Band history 1980s The history of Garavi Sokak begins in 1980, when Bane Krstić (vocals, acoustic guitar), Petar Alvi ...
, all held in 1996, and
Love Hunters Love Hunters is a Serbian hard rock band from Novi Sad. History 1987–2004 The band was formed in 1987 by Milan Mumin (vocals) and Aleksandar Medan (guitar). The first lineup of the band also featured Lazar Malešević (bass guitar) and Sini ...
, held in 1998, were released on live albums throughout the late 1990s.
YU Grupa YU Grupa (trans. '' YU Group'') is a Serbian (former Yugoslav) rock band. A pioneer in combining rock music with the elements of the traditional music of the Balkans, YU Grupa is credited with being the longest-lasting Serbian rock band.
released only a part of their 1996 unplugged concert in Studio M, featuring
Kornelije Kovač Kornelije "Bata" Kovač ( sr-Cyrl, Корнелије "Бата" Ковач, ; hu, Kovács Kornél; 1 January 1942 – 13 September 2022) was a Serbian composer. Early life Born in Niš during World War II in the Nazi-occupied Serbia to a ...
on piano, on their 2007 album ''
Live Live may refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media Films * ''Live!'' (2007 film), 2007 American film * ''Live'' (2014 film), a 2014 Japanese film *'' ''Live'' (Apocalyptica DVD) Music *Live (band), American alternative rock band * List of albums ...
''. An unplugged album was also released by
Generacija 5 Generacija 5 ( sr-cyr, Генерација 5; trans. ''Generation 5'') is a Serbian and Yugoslav rock band formed in Belgrade in 1977. The mainstay members of the band are keyboardist and band leader Dragoljub Ilić and guitarist Dragan Jovan ...
in 2002, but their unplugged concert, held in 1995, was not a part of the ''NS Plus Unplugged'' series. The 1990s also featured several notable acoustic non-live releases. The
folk rock Folk rock is a hybrid music genre that combines the elements of folk and rock music, which arose in the United States, Canada, and the United Kingdom in the mid-1960s. In the U.S., folk rock emerged from the folk music revival. Performers suc ...
band
Garavi Sokak Garavi Sokak (Serbian Cyrillic: Гарави Сокак, trans. ''Sooty Alley'') is a Serbian folk rock/pop band from Novi Sad. Band history 1980s The history of Garavi Sokak begins in 1980, when Bane Krstić (vocals, acoustic guitar), Petar Alvi ...
, after the release of their 1994 acoustic-oriented album ''Slova tvoga imena'', started performing on acoustic instruments only and turned towards pop sound. In 1996, the singer-songwriter
Đorđe Balašević Đorđe Balašević ( sr-Cyrl, Ђорђе Балашевић; 11 May 1953 – 19 February 2021) was a Serbian and Yugoslav singer and songwriter, writer, poet and director. He began his career in the late 1970s as a member of the band Rani Mraz, ...
released acoustic folk rock-oriented album '' Na posletku...''. During the 2000s, the acoustic music featured only a few notable releases. In 2000, Dejan Cukić recorded an acoustic
Bob Dylan Bob Dylan (legally Robert Dylan, born Robert Allen Zimmerman, May 24, 1941) is an American singer-songwriter. Often regarded as one of the greatest songwriters of all time, Dylan has been a major figure in popular culture during a career sp ...
tribute ''Divlji med'', featuring
Serbian language Serbian (, ) is the standardized variety of the Serbo-Croatian language mainly used by Serbs. It is the official and national language of Serbia, one of the three official languages of Bosnia and Herzegovina and co-official in Montenegro and Kos ...
lyrics. In 2002, Block Out leader
Nikola Vranjković Nikola () is a given name which, like Nicholas, is a version of the Greek ''Nikolaos'' (Νικόλαος). It is common as a masculine given name in the South Slavic countries (Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, North Macedonia, Montene ...
released a solo album ''Zaovdeilizaponeti'', featuring lyrics from his book of the same title released with the CD. In 2002, Đorđe Balašević released the album ''
Rani mraz Rani Mraz (Serbian Cyrillic: Рани Мраз; trans. ''Early Frost'') were a former Yugoslav rock band from Novi Sad, formed in 1977 by former Žetva member Đorđe Balašević. During the initial period, the band went through several lineup c ...
'', stylistically similar to ''Na posletku...''. In 2002, the reformed
Griva Griva (Serbian Cyrillic: Грива; trans. '' Mane'') was a Serbian and former Yugoslav hard rock band from Novi Sad. Band history 1982—1992 The band was formed in 1982 by former Ibn Tup members, Zlatko Karavla (drums) and Josip Sabo (guitar ...
held an unplugged concert in Studio M, the recording of which was released on the album ''Griva & Co. — Live'' in 2010.


Singer-songwriters (early 1970s – present)

Serbian rock scene featured several notable singer-songwriters. One of the most important authors was
Đorđe Balašević Đorđe Balašević ( sr-Cyrl, Ђорђе Балашевић; 11 May 1953 – 19 February 2021) was a Serbian and Yugoslav singer and songwriter, writer, poet and director. He began his career in the late 1970s as a member of the band Rani Mraz, ...
. He started his career in the 1970s as a member of the band Žetva and the leader of the band
Rani Mraz Rani Mraz (Serbian Cyrillic: Рани Мраз; trans. ''Early Frost'') were a former Yugoslav rock band from Novi Sad, formed in 1977 by former Žetva member Đorđe Balašević. During the initial period, the band went through several lineup c ...
, before starting, with the release of the album ''
Pub A pub (short for public house) is a kind of drinking establishment which is licensed to serve alcoholic drinks for consumption on the premises. The term ''public house'' first appeared in the United Kingdom in late 17th century, and was ...
'' (1982), a very successful solo career spanning up to the present. Despite the fact that his work in Žetva and Rani Mraz was mainly
pop rock Pop rock (also typeset as pop/rock) is a fusion genre with an emphasis on professional songwriting and recording craft, and less emphasis on attitude than rock music. Originating in the late 1950s as an alternative to normal rock and roll, earl ...
-oriented, in his later career he often used elements of rock,
chanson A (, , french: chanson française, link=no, ; ) is generally any lyric-driven French song, though it most often refers to the secular polyphonic French songs of late medieval and Renaissance music. The genre had origins in the monophonic s ...
and
folk music Folk music is a music genre that includes traditional folk music and the contemporary genre that evolved from the former during the 20th-century folk revival. Some types of folk music may be called world music. Traditional folk music has b ...
, with some of his works, like '' Na posletku...'' (1996) and ''
Rani mraz Rani Mraz (Serbian Cyrillic: Рани Мраз; trans. ''Early Frost'') were a former Yugoslav rock band from Novi Sad, formed in 1977 by former Žetva member Đorđe Balašević. During the initial period, the band went through several lineup c ...
'' (2004) being entirely
folk rock Folk rock is a hybrid music genre that combines the elements of folk and rock music, which arose in the United States, Canada, and the United Kingdom in the mid-1960s. In the U.S., folk rock emerged from the folk music revival. Performers suc ...
-oriented. Balašević's lyrics often dealt with humorous or political- and social-related themes. Other notable singer-songwriters are
Srđan Marjanović Srđan Marjanović ( sr-cyr, Срђан Марјановић) is a Serbian singer-songwriter from Belgrade. Musical career Early career Marjanović was born in 1952 in Banja Luka. In 1961, he moved to Belgrade, where he became interested in roc ...
and
Nikola Čuturilo Nikola Čuturilo ( sr-cyr, Никола Чутурило; born 9 July 1962), also known as Čutura ( Чутура, literally "canteen") is a Serbian rock musician. He is known as a guitarist for the band Riblja Čorba, as well as for his solo wor ...
. Initially a part of the Belgrade acoustic rock scene, Srđan Marjanović released his debut album ''Srđan Marjanović i prijatelji'', which he recorded with members of
YU Grupa YU Grupa (trans. '' YU Group'') is a Serbian (former Yugoslav) rock band. A pioneer in combining rock music with the elements of the traditional music of the Balkans, YU Grupa is credited with being the longest-lasting Serbian rock band.
, in 1974. During his career he released twelve studio albums. Nikola Čuturilo rose to fame as the guitarist for
Riblja Čorba Riblja Čorba ( sr-Cyrl, Рибља Чорба, pronounced ; translation: lit. ''Fish Stew'') is a Serbian and former Yugoslav rock band formed in Belgrade in 1978. The band was one of the most popular and most influential acts of the Yugoslav ...
. He released his first solo album, ''9 lakih komada'' (1988), while still a member of Riblja Čorba. He left the band in 1989, continuing his solo career which spans up to the present day.


Progressive and psychedelic rock (late 1960s – early 1980s)

Progressive rock Progressive rock (shortened as prog rock or simply prog; sometimes conflated with art rock) is a broad genre of rock music that developed in the United Kingdom and United States through the mid- to late 1960s, peaking in the early 1970s. Init ...
dominated the Serbian rock scene throughout the 1970s, with the acts such as
Dogovor iz 1804. Dogovor iz 1804. ( sr-cyr, Договор из 1804., trans. ''The 1804 Agreement'') was a Yugoslav rock band formed in Belgrade in 1968. Although short-lived, the band is notable as one of the pioneers of the Yugoslav progressive and psychedel ...
, Korni Grupa,
YU Grupa YU Grupa (trans. '' YU Group'') is a Serbian (former Yugoslav) rock band. A pioneer in combining rock music with the elements of the traditional music of the Balkans, YU Grupa is credited with being the longest-lasting Serbian rock band.
,
Smak Smak ( sr-Cyrl, Смак; trans. ''The end time'') was a Serbian and Yugoslav band from Kragujevac. The group reached the peak of popularity in the 1970s when it was one of the most notable acts of the former Yugoslav rock scene. The band's le ...
,
Pop Mašina Pop Mašina ( sr-cyr, Поп Машина; trans. ''Pop Machine'') was a Yugoslav progressive rock band formed in Belgrade in 1972. Pop Mašina was one of the most notable bands of the Yugoslav rock scene in the 1970s. Pop Mašina was formed by ...
, Dah,
S Vremena Na Vreme S Vremena Na Vreme ( sr-cyr, С Времена На Време, trans. ''From Time To Time'') is a Serbian and Yugoslav rock band formed in Belgrade in 1972. S Vremena Na Vreme were one of the pioneers of the Yugoslav 1970s acoustic rock scene, ...
,
Opus ''Opus'' (pl. ''opera'') is a Latin word meaning "work". Italian equivalents are ''opera'' (singular) and ''opere'' (pl.). Opus or OPUS may refer to: Arts and entertainment Music * Opus number, (abbr. Op.) specifying order of (usually) publicatio ...
, Tako, and Igra Staklenih Perli being the most notable representatives."Non-Aligned Prog: The Music of Serbia (Part II)", prog-sphere.com
/ref> With the emergence of the new wave scene at the beginning of the 1980s, Serbian progressive rock bands saw the decline of popularity and most of them ceased to exist.
Dogovor iz 1804. Dogovor iz 1804. ( sr-cyr, Договор из 1804., trans. ''The 1804 Agreement'') was a Yugoslav rock band formed in Belgrade in 1968. Although short-lived, the band is notable as one of the pioneers of the Yugoslav progressive and psychedel ...
was short-lived, but played a pioneering role on a Yugoslav progressive rock scene as one of the first bands to move away from the 1960s
rhythm and blues Rhythm and blues, frequently abbreviated as R&B or R'n'B, is a genre of popular music that originated in African-American communities in the 1940s. The term was originally used by record companies to describe recordings marketed predominantly ...
sound. They were followed by Korni Grupa. Formed in 1968 by
Kornelije Kovač Kornelije "Bata" Kovač ( sr-Cyrl, Корнелије "Бата" Ковач, ; hu, Kovács Kornél; 1 January 1942 – 13 September 2022) was a Serbian composer. Early life Born in Niš during World War II in the Nazi-occupied Serbia to a ...
, the band had gone through many lineup changes and featured many famous musicians, including vocalists
Dušan Prelević Dušan Prelević "Prele" (Serbian Cyrillic: Душан Прелевић Преле; November 11, 1948 – July 28, 2007) was a Serbian singer, journalist, and writer. During his career Prelević released three solo albums and a large number of ...
,
Dalibor Brun Dalibor Brun (born 19 September 1949) is a Croatian recording artist who rose to prominence with his work in Yugoslav music acts Uragani and Korni Grupa, but also maintained a successful solo career since 1969. Brun remains an eminent musician ...
,
Dado Topić Adolf "Dado" Topić (born 4 September 1950, Siverić at Drniš) is a rock musician from Croatia and the former Yugoslavia. He was the lead singer and founder of Time, a 1970s progressive rock band. From 1970 to late 1971, he was also the lead sin ...
,
Zdravko Čolić Zdravko Čolić (, ; born 30 May 1951) is a Bosnian Serb singer and is widely considered one of the greatest vocalists and cultural icons of the former Yugoslavia. Dubbed the " Tom Jones of the Balkans", he has garnered fame in Southeastern Europ ...
and
Zlatko Pejaković Zlatko Pejaković (born 29 August 1950) is a Croatian singer. He has released 27 albums over his five decade long career. He started his music career in 1967 with local bands in Osijek. In 1972 he joined Korni Grupa, who in turn reached their peak ...
. The band gained mainstream popularity with their simple pop-oriented songs, but moved towards progressive rock after they were joined by singer Dado Topić. Nevertheless, the band continued to record pop-oriented songs and represented Yugoslavia at the
1974 Eurovision Song Contest The Eurovision Song Contest 1974 was the 19th edition of the annual Eurovision Song Contest. It took place in Brighton, United Kingdom and was organized by the European Broadcasting Union (EBU) and host broadcaster British Broadcasting Corporati ...
with the song "
Moja generacija The Eurovision Song Contest 1974 was the 19th edition of the annual Eurovision Song Contest. It took place in Brighton, United Kingdom and was organized by the European Broadcasting Union (EBU) and host broadcaster British Broadcasting Corpor ...
". In 1973, the band, under the name Kornelyans, released the
symphonic rock Progressive rock (shortened as prog rock or simply prog; sometimes conflated with art rock) is a broad genre of rock music that developed in the United Kingdom and United States through the mid- to late 1960s, peaking in the early 1970s. Initi ...
-oriented English language album ''Not An Ordinary Life''. Korni Grupa disbanded shortly after, but reunited in 1987 to perform at the Legende YU Rocka (''Legends of YU Rock'') concerts.
YU Grupa YU Grupa (trans. '' YU Group'') is a Serbian (former Yugoslav) rock band. A pioneer in combining rock music with the elements of the traditional music of the Balkans, YU Grupa is credited with being the longest-lasting Serbian rock band.
, formed in 1970 by former
Džentlmeni Džentlmeni ( sr-Cyrl, Џентлмени, lit=The Gentlemen) were a Yugoslav rock band formed in Belgrade in 1966. A year after the formation, the band split into two factions. The first faction featured original rhythm guitarist Milan Buza, a ...
members, brothers Dragi and
Žika Jelić Živorad "Žika" Jelić (born 7 December 1942) is a Serbian rock musician. He is best known as being the guitarist for the Serbian rock band YU Grupa, which he formed in 1970 with his younger brother Dragi. During the 1960s, alongside his broth ...
, were one of the pioneers in incorporating elements of traditional music of the Balkans into rock, and achieved huge popularity with their fusion of progressive/
hard rock Hard rock or heavy rock is a loosely defined subgenre of rock music typified by aggressive vocals and distorted electric guitars. Hard rock began in the mid-1960s with the garage, psychedelic and blues rock movements. Some of the earliest hard ...
and folk found on their 7-inch singles. Members of YU Grupa performed as a support band for guitarists
Bata Kostić Bata, Baťa, Baţa, Batá or BATA may refer to: Organizations * Bata Corporation, a multinational corporation * Bata Shoe Museum, a museum of the history of footwear in Toronto * Bay Area Toll Authority, the bridge toll administrator of the San ...
,
Vedran Božić Vedran is a Slavic masculine given name of Croatian origin, which is also used among Serbs, Slovenes, and Bosniaks. Vedran means clear or cheerful. People * Vedran Perič, a Slovenian famous account manager * Vedran Celiščak, a Croatian footb ...
,
Josip Boček Josip () is a male given name found among Croats and Slovenes, a cognate of Joseph. In Croatia, the name Josip was the second most common masculine given name in the decades up to 1959, and has stayed among the top ten most common ones throughout 2 ...
and
Goran Bregović Goran Bregović (born 22 March 1950) is a recording artist from Bosnia and Herzegovina. He is one of the most internationally known modern musicians and composers of the Slavic-speaking countries in the Balkans, and is one of the few former Yugo ...
on the ''Kongres rock majstora'' (''Congress of Rock Masters'') concert and album. YU Grupa disbanded in 1981, but reunited in 1987, continuing to record successful
hard rock Hard rock or heavy rock is a loosely defined subgenre of rock music typified by aggressive vocals and distorted electric guitars. Hard rock began in the mid-1960s with the garage, psychedelic and blues rock movements. Some of the earliest hard ...
-oriented releases throughout the late 1980s, 1990s and the 2000s.
Smak Smak ( sr-Cyrl, Смак; trans. ''The end time'') was a Serbian and Yugoslav band from Kragujevac. The group reached the peak of popularity in the 1970s when it was one of the most notable acts of the former Yugoslav rock scene. The band's le ...
, formed in 1971 by guitarist
Radomir Mihajlović Točak Radomir may refer to: People * Radomir (given name), a Slavic male given name * Gavril Radomir of Bulgaria (died 1015), Tsar of Bulgaria Places * , a village in Cetinje Municipality, Montenegro * Radomir (mountain), a mountain peak on the Bulgar ...
, often considered one of the top and most influential guitarist on the former Yugoslav rock scene, and drummer Dejan Stojanović "Kepa", did not get a default lineup until 1975 by which time bassist
Zoran Milanović Zoran Milanović (; born 30 October 1966) is a Croatian politician serving as President of Croatia since 19 February 2020. Prior to assuming the presidency, he was prime minister from 2011 to 2016 and president of the Social Democratic Party f ...
, vocalist
Boris Aranđelović Boris may refer to: People * Boris (given name), a male given name *:''See'': List of people with given name Boris * Boris (surname) * Boris I of Bulgaria (died 907), the first Christian ruler of the First Bulgarian Empire, canonized after his d ...
and keyboard player
Laza Ristovski Lazar "Laza" Ristovski (Serbian Cyrillic: Лаза Ристовски, ; 23 January 1956 – 6 October 2007) was a Serbian and former Yugoslav keyboardist, known for being a member of rock bands Smak and Bijelo Dugme, as well as for his eclectic ...
consisted the official band membership. Smak performed
jazz Jazz is a music genre that originated in the African-American communities of New Orleans, Louisiana in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, with its roots in blues and ragtime. Since the 1920s Jazz Age, it has been recognized as a major ...
-influenced progressive rock, but also incorporated elements of folk,
blues Blues is a music genre and musical form which originated in the Deep South of the United States around the 1860s. Blues incorporated spirituals, work songs, field hollers, shouts, chants, and rhymed simple narrative ballads from the Afr ...
and hard rock into their sound. The band achieved huge popularity in the 1970s, with their releases ''
Smak Smak ( sr-Cyrl, Смак; trans. ''The end time'') was a Serbian and Yugoslav band from Kragujevac. The group reached the peak of popularity in the 1970s when it was one of the most notable acts of the former Yugoslav rock scene. The band's le ...
'' (1975), ''
Satelit Satelit ( sr, Сателит) is a small urban neighborhood of the city of Novi Sad, Serbia. In English it translates as “Satellite”. It is part of the larger Bistrica urban area and neighborhood. Borders The southern border of Satelit ...
'' (1976), ''
Crna dama ''Crna dama'' is the second studio album by the Serbs, Serbian band Smak, released in 1977. Track listing Personnel Smak * Boris Aranđelović — vocals * Radomir Mihajlović, Radomir Mihajlović "Točak" — guitar * Miodrag Petkovski, Mi ...
'' (1977) and '' Stranice našeg vremena'' (1978). However, the band's popularity heavily declined at the beginning of the 1980s. Smak disbanded in 1981, and reunited and disbanded several times since.
Pop Mašina Pop Mašina ( sr-cyr, Поп Машина; trans. ''Pop Machine'') was a Yugoslav progressive rock band formed in Belgrade in 1972. Pop Mašina was one of the most notable bands of the Yugoslav rock scene in the 1970s. Pop Mašina was formed by ...
, formed in 1971, performed progressive/hard rock, but their debut album ''
Kiselina ''Kiselina'' (trans. ''Acid'') is the 1973 debut album by Yugoslav progressive rock band Pop Mašina. The album was polled in 1998 as the 60th on the list of 100 greatest Yugoslav rock and pop albums in the book '' YU 100: najbolji albumi jug ...
'' (1973) also featured
acid In computer science, ACID ( atomicity, consistency, isolation, durability) is a set of properties of database transactions intended to guarantee data validity despite errors, power failures, and other mishaps. In the context of databases, a sequ ...
and
psychedelic rock Psychedelic rock is a rock music Music genre, genre that is inspired, influenced, or representative of psychedelia, psychedelic culture, which is centered on perception-altering hallucinogenic drugs. The music incorporated new electronic sound ...
elements. The band released the first former Yugoslav live album, ''Put ka Suncu'' in 1976, and disbanded the following year. In 1981, the band's former members,
Robert Nemeček The name Robert is an ancient Germanic given name, from Proto-Germanic "fame" and "bright" (''Hrōþiberhtaz''). Compare Old Dutch ''Robrecht'' and Old High German ''Hrodebert'' (a compound of '' Hruod'' ( non, Hróðr) "fame, glory, honou ...
and brothers Vidoja and Zoran Božinović, formed the hard rock/ heavy metal band
Rok Mašina Rok Mašina ( sr-cyr, Рок Машина; trans. ''Rock Machine'') was a short-lasting Yugoslav hard rock and heavy metal band formed in Belgrade in 1980. Formed by former members of the progressive/hard rock band Pop Mašina Robert Nemeček ( ...
.
S Vremena Na Vreme S Vremena Na Vreme ( sr-cyr, С Времена На Време, trans. ''From Time To Time'') is a Serbian and Yugoslav rock band formed in Belgrade in 1972. S Vremena Na Vreme were one of the pioneers of the Yugoslav 1970s acoustic rock scene, ...
, formed in 1972, were one of the pioneers of the Yugoslav
acoustic rock Acoustic music is music that solely or primarily uses instruments that produce sound through acoustic means, as opposed to electric or electronic means. While all music was once acoustic, the retronym "acoustic music" appeared after the adven ...
scene, but also incorporated progressive rock elements into their music. They were also one of the first former Yugoslav rock bands to incorporate folk music elements into their songs. The band's debut self-titled album, released in 1975, was widely praised by the critics. S Vremena Na Vreme disbanded in 1981, but reunited in 1993, and disbanded once again in 1997. Dah, formed in 1972 and led by guitarist
Zlatko Manojlović Zlatko Manojlović (Serbian Cyrillic: Златко Манојловић; born 1951) is a Serbian guitarist and singer. He is known as the leader of the progressive rock band Dah and the heavy metal band Gordi, as well as for his eclectic solo ...
, also combined progressive rock with folk. In 1975, Dah moved to
Belgium Belgium, ; french: Belgique ; german: Belgien officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a country in Northwestern Europe. The country is bordered by the Netherlands to the north, Germany to the east, Luxembourg to the southeast, France to th ...
and started a short-lasting international career under the name Land. After returning to Yugoslavia, the band recorded the album ''Povratak'' (1976) and disbanded shortly after. In 1977, Manojlović formed the progressive/hard rock band Gordi, which made a shift towards heavy metal in the 1980s. The band
Opus ''Opus'' (pl. ''opera'') is a Latin word meaning "work". Italian equivalents are ''opera'' (singular) and ''opere'' (pl.). Opus or OPUS may refer to: Arts and entertainment Music * Opus number, (abbr. Op.) specifying order of (usually) publicatio ...
was formed in 1973 by former YU Grupa organist Miodrag Okrugić. The band disbanded after releasing only one symphonic rock-oriented album, ''Opus 1'' (1975), with
Dušan Prelević Dušan Prelević "Prele" (Serbian Cyrillic: Душан Прелевић Преле; November 11, 1948 – July 28, 2007) was a Serbian singer, journalist, and writer. During his career Prelević released three solo albums and a large number of ...
on vocals. Another symphonic rock-oriented act was the band Tako, formed in 1974, which performed a fusion of symphonic and
jazz rock Jazz fusion (also known as fusion and progressive jazz) is a music genre that developed in the late 1960s when musicians combined jazz harmony and jazz improvisation, improvisation with rock music, funk, and rhythm and blues. Electric guitars, ...
. Progressive/psychedelic rock band Igra Staklenih Perli, formed in 1976, was one of the pioneers of the former Yugoslav psychedelic/
space rock Space rock is a music genre characterized by loose and lengthy song structures centered on instrumental textures that typically produce a hypnotic, otherworldly sound. It may feature distorted and reverberation-laden guitars, minimal drummin ...
scene. The band released two studio albums, ''Igra Staklenih Perli'' (1979) and ''Vrt svetlosti'' (1980), before disbanding in 1985. In 2011, the band's former members Draško Nikodijević and Predrag Vuković, with a group of young musicians, formed the band Igra Staklenih Perli The Next Generation, releasing their debut album ''Apokaliptus'' in 2013. Other notable bands that incorporated progressive rock elements into their music include
Porodična Manufaktura Crnog Hleba Porodična Manufaktura Crnog Hleba ( sr-cyr, Породична Мануфактура Црног Хлеба; trans. ''Rye Bread Family Manufacture'') was a Yugoslav rock band and a theatrical troupe formed in Belgrade in 1968. The band was form ...
, DAG,
Galija Galija ( sr-cyr, Галија; ) is a Serbian and Yugoslav rock band formed in Niš in 1977. The central figures of the band are brothers Nenad Milosavljević (vocals, acoustic guitar and harmonica) and Predrag Milosavljević (vocals). A larg ...
and
Neverne Bebe Neverne Bebe ( sr-cyr, Неверне Бебе, lit=The Unfaithful Babies) are a Serbian rock band, originally formed in Valjevo in 1993 and currently based in Belgrade. The band was formed in 1993 by keyboardist Milan Đurđević. On their first ...
. Porodična Manufaktura Crnog Hleba, formed in 1968, and DAG, formed in 1972, were
acoustic rock Acoustic music is music that solely or primarily uses instruments that produce sound through acoustic means, as opposed to electric or electronic means. While all music was once acoustic, the retronym "acoustic music" appeared after the adven ...
bands, but, as S Vremena Na Vreme, also incorporated progressive elements into their music. Galija, formed in 1977, released their debut, progressive rock-oriented album ''
Prva plovidba ''Prva plovidba'' (trans. ''The First Sail'') is the debut studio album from Serbian and former Yugoslav rock band Galija. Predrag Milosavljević, brother of the band frontman Nenad Milosavljević, appeared on the album on vocals, but was credite ...
'' in 1979. Although the band's several following releases featured similar progressive rock sound, the band started gradually turning towards mainstream rock, and reached the peak of popularity in the late 1980s and early 1990s. Neverne Bebe, formed in 1993, in the initial period of their career incorporated progressive rock elements into their music, but in the 2000s (decade) turned towards
pop rock Pop rock (also typeset as pop/rock) is a fusion genre with an emphasis on professional songwriting and recording craft, and less emphasis on attitude than rock music. Originating in the late 1950s as an alternative to normal rock and roll, earl ...
sound.


Hard rock and heavy metal (early 1970s – present)

Although some of the 1960s bands performed covers of songs by
hard rock Hard rock or heavy rock is a loosely defined subgenre of rock music typified by aggressive vocals and distorted electric guitars. Hard rock began in the mid-1960s with the garage, psychedelic and blues rock movements. Some of the earliest hard ...
pioneers like
Cream Cream is a dairy product composed of the higher-fat layer skimmed from the top of milk before homogenization. In un-homogenized milk, the fat, which is less dense, eventually rises to the top. In the industrial production of cream, this process ...
and
Jimi Hendrix Experience James Marshall "Jimi" Hendrix (born Johnny Allen Hendrix; November 27, 1942September 18, 1970) was an American guitarist, singer and songwriter. Although his mainstream career spanned only four years, he is widely regarded as one of the most ...
, hard rock gained large popularity in the early 1970s with the works of
progressive rock Progressive rock (shortened as prog rock or simply prog; sometimes conflated with art rock) is a broad genre of rock music that developed in the United Kingdom and United States through the mid- to late 1960s, peaking in the early 1970s. Init ...
bands
Pop Mašina Pop Mašina ( sr-cyr, Поп Машина; trans. ''Pop Machine'') was a Yugoslav progressive rock band formed in Belgrade in 1972. Pop Mašina was one of the most notable bands of the Yugoslav rock scene in the 1970s. Pop Mašina was formed by ...
,
YU Grupa YU Grupa (trans. '' YU Group'') is a Serbian (former Yugoslav) rock band. A pioneer in combining rock music with the elements of the traditional music of the Balkans, YU Grupa is credited with being the longest-lasting Serbian rock band.
and
Smak Smak ( sr-Cyrl, Смак; trans. ''The end time'') was a Serbian and Yugoslav band from Kragujevac. The group reached the peak of popularity in the 1970s when it was one of the most notable acts of the former Yugoslav rock scene. The band's le ...
. Pop Mašina, formed in 1971, was one of the first Serbian and Yugoslav bands to move away from
rhythm and blues Rhythm and blues, frequently abbreviated as R&B or R'n'B, is a genre of popular music that originated in African-American communities in the 1940s. The term was originally used by record companies to describe recordings marketed predominantly ...
towards harder sound. Their sound featured progressive, hard,
psychedelic Psychedelics are a subclass of hallucinogenic drugs whose primary effect is to trigger non-ordinary states of consciousness (known as psychedelic experiences or "trips").Pollan, Michael (2018). ''How to Change Your Mind: What the New Science of ...
and
acid rock Acid rock is a loosely defined type of rock music that evolved out of the mid-1960s garage punk movement and helped launch the psychedelic subculture. Named after lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD), the style is generally defined by heavy, di ...
elements. Pop Mašina disbanded in 1977. YU Grupa, formed in 1970, performed progressive/hard rock, and their songs often featured
traditional music Folk music is a music genre that includes traditional folk music and the contemporary genre that evolved from the former during the 20th-century folk revival. Some types of folk music may be called world music. Traditional folk music has b ...
elements. The band disbanded in 1981, only to reunite in 1987. Since their comeback album, '' Od zlata jabuka'' (1987), their work has been mostly hard rock-oriented. Smak, formed in 1971, performed
jazz Jazz is a music genre that originated in the African-American communities of New Orleans, Louisiana in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, with its roots in blues and ragtime. Since the 1920s Jazz Age, it has been recognized as a major ...
-influenced progressive rock, but their sound often featured hard rock,
blues Blues is a music genre and musical form which originated in the Deep South of the United States around the 1860s. Blues incorporated spirituals, work songs, field hollers, shouts, chants, and rhymed simple narrative ballads from the Afr ...
and folk elements. The band moved towards more commercial hard rock at the beginning of the 1980s with the album ''
Rock cirkus ''Rok cirkus'' is the fourth studio album by the Serbs, Serbian Rock music, rock band Smak, released in 1980. Track listing Personnel * Boris Aranđelović – singing, vocals * Radomir Mihajlović "Točak" – guitar * Laza Ristovski – K ...
'', but the album saw little success and the band disbanded shortly after, having constant reunions disbandments throughout the 1980s and 1990s. The late 1970s featured the appearance of hard rock bands
Generacija 5 Generacija 5 ( sr-cyr, Генерација 5; trans. ''Generation 5'') is a Serbian and Yugoslav rock band formed in Belgrade in 1977. The mainstay members of the band are keyboardist and band leader Dragoljub Ilić and guitarist Dragan Jovan ...
and
Riblja Čorba Riblja Čorba ( sr-Cyrl, Рибља Чорба, pronounced ; translation: lit. ''Fish Stew'') is a Serbian and former Yugoslav rock band formed in Belgrade in 1978. The band was one of the most popular and most influential acts of the Yugoslav ...
, the latter one becoming one of the most notable acts of Serbian and former Yugoslav rock scene. Generacija 5, formed in 1977, managed to gain a loyal fan base with their albums ''Generacija 5'' (1980) and ''Dubler'' (1982), but disbanded in 1982. In 1985, the band's former leader, keyboardist Dragan Ilić wrote the music for the song "
Za milion godina YU Rock Misija (known in English as YU Rock Mission) was the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia's contribution to Bob Geldof's Band Aid campaign, which culminated with the Live Aid concert. It consisted of recording the "Za milion godina" s ...
", which was recorded by a group of Yugoslav musicians (including former members of Generacija 5) as a contribution to
Live Aid Live Aid was a multi-venue benefit concert held on Saturday 13 July 1985, as well as a music-based fundraising initiative. The original event was organised by Bob Geldof and Midge Ure to raise further funds for relief of the 1983–1985 fami ...
. Generacija 5 reunited in 1992, but has released only two studio albums since. Their 2006 album ''Energija'' featured Smak frontman
Dejan Najdanović Dejan (Cyrillic: Дејан) is a Serbian masculine given name, derived from the Slavic verb ''dejati'', meaning "to act, to do". The name and the derived surname Dejanović are common among South Slavs. The name is first recorded in 1325 (1333 ...
as guest vocalist on the entire album. In 1978, former
Suncokret Suncokret ( sr-cyr, Сунцокрет; trans. ''Sunflower'') was a Yugoslav acoustic rock band from Belgrade. Band history 1975 — 1980 The band was formed in 1975 by former Zajedno member Bora Đorđević (vocals and acoustic guitar), a form ...
and
Rani Mraz Rani Mraz (Serbian Cyrillic: Рани Мраз; trans. ''Early Frost'') were a former Yugoslav rock band from Novi Sad, formed in 1977 by former Žetva member Đorđe Balašević. During the initial period, the band went through several lineup c ...
member
Bora Đorđević Borisav "Bora" Đorđević ( sr-cyr, Борисав, Бора Ђорђевић; born 1 November 1952), also known as Bora Čorba ( sr-cyr, Бора Чорба), is a Serbian singer, songwriter, and poet. He is best known as the frontman of the ...
and SOS members
Miša Aleksić Miroslav "Miša" Aleksić (Serbian Cyrillic: Мирослав Миша Алексић, 16 August 1953 — 29 November 2020) was a Serbian musician, best known as the bass guitarist for the Serbian and former Yugoslav rock band Riblja Čorba. Biog ...
,
Rajko Kojić Radislav "Rajko" Kojić (Serbian Cyrillic: Радислав-Рајко Којић; 12 April 1956 – 11 April 1997) was a Serbian and former Yugoslav guitarist best known for his work with band Riblja Čorba. Biography Rajko Kojić was born o ...
and
Vicko Milatović Miroslav "Vicko" Milatović (Serbian Cyrillic: Мирослав-Вицко Милатовић) is a Serbian musician best known as the drummer for the Serbian and Yugoslav rock band Riblja Čorba. Milatović first gained prominence in the late 1 ...
formed the hard rock band
Riblja Čorba Riblja Čorba ( sr-Cyrl, Рибља Чорба, pronounced ; translation: lit. ''Fish Stew'') is a Serbian and former Yugoslav rock band formed in Belgrade in 1978. The band was one of the most popular and most influential acts of the Yugoslav ...
. After the recording of their debut hit single "
Lutka sa naslovne strane "Lutka sa naslovne strane" ("Front Cover Babe") is the debut single from the influential Serbian and former Yugoslav rock band Riblja Čorba. The song, a hard rock ballad about a fame-hungry model, was originally written during the time Riblja ...
" they were joined by guitarist
Momčilo Bajagić Momcilo or Momčilo (Cyrillic script: Момчило) is a masculine given name of Slavic origin. It is often found in Serbia and Montenegro. It may refer to: *Momčilo Bajagić, Serbian rock musician * Momčilo Bošković (born 1951), retired Serb ...
(who, having left Riblja Čorba in 1984, formed the highly successful
pop rock Pop rock (also typeset as pop/rock) is a fusion genre with an emphasis on professional songwriting and recording craft, and less emphasis on attitude than rock music. Originating in the late 1950s as an alternative to normal rock and roll, earl ...
band
Bajaga i Instruktori Bajaga i Instruktori (Serbian Cyrillic: Бајага и Инструктори; trans. ''Bajaga and the Instructors'') are a Serbian and Yugoslav rock band formed in Belgrade in 1984. Founded and led by vocalist, guitarist and principal composer ...
). Riblja Čorba debut album ''
Kost u grlu ''Kost u grlu'' (trans. ''Bone in the Throat'') is the 1979 debut album from Serbian and former Yugoslav rock band Riblja Čorba. The album was polled in 1998 as the 16th on the list of 100 greatest Yugoslav rock and pop albums in the book '' YU ...
'' (1979) saw huge success, and the band became very popular in a few months period. The albums '' Pokvarena mašta i prljave strasti'' (1981), ''
Mrtva priroda ''Mrtva priroda'' (trans. '' Still Life'') is the third studio album from Serbian and former Yugoslav rock band Riblja Čorba, released in 1981. In 1998, the album was polled as the 19th on the list of 100 greatest Yugoslav rock and pop albums ...
'' (1981) and '' Buvlja pijaca'' (1982), the latter featuring softer sound than the band's first three releases, were also well received by fans and critics alike, and Ðorđević's provocative political- and social-related lyrics, caused him to become one of the most controversial musicians in Yugoslavia. The album ''
Večeras vas zabavljaju muzičari koji piju ''Večeras vas zabavljaju muzičari koji piju'' (English: "Tonight You Will Be Entertained by Musicians Who Drink") is the fifth studio album from Serbian and former Yugoslav rock band Riblja Čorba. The album was polled in 1998 as the 80th on t ...
'' (1984) was poorly received, and after its release Kojić and Bajagić were excluded from the band. However, the band triumphed with the following album, ''
Istina ''Istina'' (Serbian Cyrillic: Истина; trans. ''The Truth'') is the sixth studio album released by Serbian and former Yugoslav rock band Riblja Čorba. The album is considered by fans and critics alike to be one of Riblja Čorba's finest w ...
'' (1985), recorded with guitarists
Vidoja Božinović Vidoja Božinović (Serbian Cyrillic: Видоја Божиновић, born 3 October 1955), also known as Džindžer (transliteration for ''Ginger''), is a Serbian musician. He is best known as the guitarist for the Serbian and former Yugoslav r ...
and
Nikola Čuturilo Nikola Čuturilo ( sr-cyr, Никола Чутурило; born 9 July 1962), also known as Čutura ( Чутура, literally "canteen") is a Serbian rock musician. He is known as a guitarist for the band Riblja Čorba, as well as for his solo wor ...
. Although more heavy metal-oriented than any of the band's previous works and often considered Riblja Čorba's
magnum opus A masterpiece, ''magnum opus'' (), or ''chef-d’œuvre'' (; ; ) in modern use is a creation that has been given much critical praise, especially one that is considered the greatest work of a person's career or a work of outstanding creativity, ...
, ''Istina'' was also the album after which the band, although still generally fitting into hard rock, started turning towards softer sound. However, the band managed to sustain their popularity and remained one of the most popular acts of the Serbian rock scene until today. The beginning of the 1980s saw the appearance of first
traditional heavy metal Heavy metal (or simply metal) is a genre of rock music that developed in the late 1960s and early 1970s, largely in the United Kingdom and United States. With roots in blues rock, psychedelic rock and acid rock, heavy metal bands developed ...
releases, most notably by Gordi,
Rok Mašina Rok Mašina ( sr-cyr, Рок Машина; trans. ''Rock Machine'') was a short-lasting Yugoslav hard rock and heavy metal band formed in Belgrade in 1980. Formed by former members of the progressive/hard rock band Pop Mašina Robert Nemeček ( ...
and Ratnici, and the new generation of hard rock bands, most notably
Kerber Kerber ( sr-cyr, Кербер, lit=Cerberus) is a Serbian and Yugoslav hard rock band formed in Niš in 1981. The mainstay members of Kerber are vocalist Goran Šepa "Gale", guitarist Tomislav "Tomica" Nikolić and keyboardist Branislav "Bane ...
,
Griva Griva (Serbian Cyrillic: Грива; trans. '' Mane'') was a Serbian and former Yugoslav hard rock band from Novi Sad. Band history 1982—1992 The band was formed in 1982 by former Ibn Tup members, Zlatko Karavla (drums) and Josip Sabo (guitar ...
and
Balkan The Balkans ( ), also known as the Balkan Peninsula, is a geographical area in southeastern Europe with various geographical and historical definitions. The region takes its name from the Balkan Mountains that stretch throughout the who ...
. In 1981, progressive/hard rock band Gordi, formed in 1977, released the album ''
Pakleni trio ''Pakleni trio'' (trans. ''Hell Trio'') is the fourth studio album by Yugoslav rock band Gordi, released in 1981. ''Pakleni trio'' was the band's first album to feature heavy metal sound, for which Gordi are mostly remembered. Background Gor ...
'' which marked their shift towards heavy metal, making Gordi one of the first Serbian and former Yugoslav traditional heavy metal bands. Although only the last two Gordi albums, ''Pakleni trio'' and ''
Kraljica smrti ''Kraljica smrti'' (trans. ''Queen of Death'') is the fifth and the last studio album by Yugoslav rock band Gordi, released in 1982. ''Kraljica smrti'' is the band's second heavy metal album, and is, alongside their previous album, '' Paklen ...
'' (1982), were heavy metal-oriented, these are generally considered the most notable Gordi releases and considered milestones on the Serbian and former Yugoslav heavy metal scenes. During the same year, former Pop Mašina members formed the short-lasting hard rock band Rok Mašina, which disbanded in 1982, after releasing only one
album An album is a collection of audio recordings issued on compact disc (CD), Phonograph record, vinyl, audio tape, or another medium such as Digital distribution#Music, digital distribution. Albums of recorded sound were developed in the early ...
. A part of the material the band intended to release on their second studio album was released in 1983 on the heavy metal-oriented EP ''
Izrod na granici ''Izrod na granici'' (trans. ''Bastard on the Border'') is a mini-album by Yugoslav hard rock and heavy metal band Rok Mašina, released in 1983. The album was released after the band disbanded in 1982, and featured a part of the material they ...
''. Hard rock band Kerber, formed in 1981, released their debut album ''
Nebo je malo za sve ''Nebo je malo za sve'' (trans. ''The Sky Is Not Big Enough for All'') is the debut studio album from Serbian and Yugoslav hard rock band Kerber, released in 1983. Background and recording Formed in Niš in 1981, Kerber spent first two years of ...
'' in 1983, but it was their second album, '' Ratne igre'' (1984), that launched them to fame.Kerber, Svet se brzo okreće
/ref> The band's melodic hard rock sound was well received, and their following two albums, '' Seobe'' (1986) and '' Ljudi i bogovi'' (1988), kept them on the top of Yugoslav hard rock scene. However, in the late 1990s, the band went on hiatus, reactivating in the late 2000s. Hard rock band
Griva Griva (Serbian Cyrillic: Грива; trans. '' Mane'') was a Serbian and former Yugoslav hard rock band from Novi Sad. Band history 1982—1992 The band was formed in 1982 by former Ibn Tup members, Zlatko Karavla (drums) and Josip Sabo (guitar ...
, formed in 1982, saw commercial success after the release of their third album ''
Griva Griva (Serbian Cyrillic: Грива; trans. '' Mane'') was a Serbian and former Yugoslav hard rock band from Novi Sad. Band history 1982—1992 The band was formed in 1982 by former Ibn Tup members, Zlatko Karavla (drums) and Josip Sabo (guitar ...
'' (1987) which featured a combination of hard rock and
glam metal Glam metal (also known as hair metal or pop metal) is a subgenre of heavy metal that features pop-influenced hooks and guitar riffs, upbeat rock anthems, and slow power ballads. It borrows heavily from the fashion and image of 1970s glam r ...
with the traditional music of Vojvodina, disbanding in 1992. In 1982, Riblja Čorba drummer Vicko Milatović formed the heavy metal band Ratnici, which later changed the name to Warriors and, without Milatović, moved to Canada. In 1984, they recorded an album for the foreign market, but disbanded in 1986. In 1982, guitarist Aleksandar "Leki" Cvetković formed the hard rock band
Balkan The Balkans ( ), also known as the Balkan Peninsula, is a geographical area in southeastern Europe with various geographical and historical definitions. The region takes its name from the Balkan Mountains that stretch throughout the who ...
. Cvetković's social-related lyrics were heavily influenced by the lyrics of Bora Ðordevic and
Azra Azra was a Croatian and Yugoslav rock band that was one of the most popular acts of the Yugoslav new wave music of the 1980s. Azra was formed in 1977 by its frontman Branimir "Johnny" Štulić. The other two members of the original line-up were ...
leader
Branimir Štulić Branimir "Johnny" Štulić (born 11 April 1953) is a Yugoslav singer-songwriter, musician and author, best known for being the frontman of the popular Yugoslav rock group Azra. He is known for his charismatic stage performances and inspiring song ...
. The band released four studio albums before disbanding in 1989. The late 1980s featured the appearance of the band
Love Hunters Love Hunters is a Serbian hard rock band from Novi Sad. History 1987–2004 The band was formed in 1987 by Milan Mumin (vocals) and Aleksandar Medan (guitar). The first lineup of the band also featured Lazar Malešević (bass guitar) and Sini ...
, female singer Viktorija, and the emergence of
glam metal Glam metal (also known as hair metal or pop metal) is a subgenre of heavy metal that features pop-influenced hooks and guitar riffs, upbeat rock anthems, and slow power ballads. It borrows heavily from the fashion and image of 1970s glam r ...
scene, with the bands Karizma and Osvajači being the most notable representatives. Love Hunters, formed in 1987, initially performed
punk blues Punk blues (or blues punk) is a rock music genre that mixes elements of punk rock and blues. Punk Blues Genre AMG Allmusic.com, Retrieved on May 21, 2008 Punk blues musicians and bands usually incorporate elements of related styles, such as pro ...
, but later moved towards hard rock. As their songs featured English language lyrics, during the first several years of existence the band did not manage to break through to mainstream media, but achieved mainstream popularity in the 1990s. Viktorija, known for her husky voice, started her career as a member of the girl group Aska, starting her solo career in 1988 with the album ''Spavaćeš sam''. She combined
pop rock Pop rock (also typeset as pop/rock) is a fusion genre with an emphasis on professional songwriting and recording craft, and less emphasis on attitude than rock music. Originating in the late 1950s as an alternative to normal rock and roll, earl ...
, hard rock and glam metal and saw huge popularity in the late 1980s and early 1990s, before she semi-retired at the end of the 1990s. The band Karizma released two albums before disbanding at the beginning of the 1990s. The band Osvajači released their debut glam metal-oriented album '' Krv i led'', which they recorded with
Laza Ristovski Lazar "Laza" Ristovski (Serbian Cyrillic: Лаза Ристовски, ; 23 January 1956 – 6 October 2007) was a Serbian and former Yugoslav keyboardist, known for being a member of rock bands Smak and Bijelo Dugme, as well as for his eclectic ...
on keyboards, in 1990, while their second album '' Sam'' (1995) marked the band's slight shift towards heavier sound. Osvajači disbanded in 1997, and reunited in 1999 with the new vocalist, releasing the album '' Vrelina'', but disbanding a year later. The late 1980s also saw the emergence of the first
extreme metal Extreme metal is a loosely defined umbrella term for a number of related heavy metal music subgenres that have developed since the early 1980s. It has been defined as a "cluster of metal subgenres characterized by sonic, verbal, and visual tran ...
acts, which saw little mainstream popularity in Serbia and former Yugoslavia in general during the 1980s. The
thrash metal Thrash metal (or simply thrash) is an extreme subgenre of heavy metal music characterized by its overall aggression and often fast tempo.Kahn-Harris, Keith, ''Extreme Metal: Music and Culture on the Edge'', pp. 2–3, 9. Oxford: Berg, 2007, . ...
band Heller, formed in 1985, released arguably the first thrash metal album in South-Eastern Europe and was one of the pioneers of Serbian and former Yugoslav extreme metal scene. Another pioneer of the former Yugoslav extreme metal scene,
speed In everyday use and in kinematics, the speed (commonly referred to as ''v'') of an object is the magnitude of the change of its position over time or the magnitude of the change of its position per unit of time; it is thus a scalar quanti ...
/thrash metal band
Bombarder Bombarder ( sr-cyr, Бомбардер; trans. ''Bomber'') is a Serbian and former Yugoslav speed/thrash metal band. Bombarder was originally formed in 1986 in Sarajevo, SR Bosnia and Herzegovina The Socialist Republic of Bosnia and Herze ...
, originally based in
Sarajevo Sarajevo ( ; cyrl, Сарајево, ; ''see Names of European cities in different languages (Q–T)#S, names in other languages'') is the Capital city, capital and largest city of Bosnia and Herzegovina, with a population of 275,524 in its a ...
, moved to Belgrade after the beginning of the
Bosnian War The Bosnian War ( sh, Rat u Bosni i Hercegovini / Рат у Босни и Херцеговини) was an international armed conflict that took place in Bosnia and Herzegovina between 1992 and 1995. The war is commonly seen as having started ...
, where the band continued to record and perform. The 1990s featured only several notable, mostly
crossover thrash Crossover thrash (often abbreviated to crossover) is a fusion genre of thrash metal and hardcore punk. The genre lies on a continuum between heavy metal and hardcore punk. Other genres on the same continuum, such as metalcore and grindcore, ma ...
, metal acts:
Sick Mother Fakers Sick Mother Fakers (''Fakers'' being transliteration for ''Fuckers''), also known as SMF for short, is a Serbian hardcore punk/crossover thrash band from Belgrade. History 1980s The band was formed in 1989 as a side project of musicians, who ...
,
Dead Ideas Dead Ideas were a Serbian hardcore punk/crossover thrash band from Belgrade. History The band was formed in 1990 by bassist and vocalist Darko Marković, however, after their first live appearance, the band disbanded. The following year, on Jan ...
, and
Svarog Svarog is a Slavic god of fire and blacksmithing, who was once interpreted as a sky god on the basis of an etymology rejected by modern scholarship. He is mentioned in only one source, the ''Primary Chronicle'', which is problematic in interpret ...
, the latter also being one of the pioneers of
sludge Sludge is a semi-solid slurry that can be produced from a range of industrial processes, from water treatment, wastewater treatment or on-site sanitation systems. For example, it can be produced as a settled suspension obtained from conventiona ...
and
doom metal Doom metal is an extreme subgenre of heavy metal music that typically uses slower tempos, low-tuned guitars and a much "thicker" or "heavier" sound than other heavy metal genres.K. Kahn-Harris, ''Extreme Metal: Music and Culture on the Edge'' ...
in Serbia. The 2000s saw the revival of the Serbian heavy metal scene and brought a variety of heavy metal genres, with most of the bands being gathered around Belgrade Radio 202. The most notable bands of the movement were the hard rock/heavy metal band Kraljevski Apartman, formed in 1995, and progressive/power metal band
Alogia In psychology, alogia (; from Greek ἀ-, "without", and λόγος, "speech" + New Latin -ia) is poor thinking inferred from speech and language usage. "alogia An impoverishment in thinking that is inferred from observing speech and language beha ...
, formed in 2000, both gaining a large fanbase. The band
Pero Defformero Pero Defformero are a Serbian band from Novi Sad. The band parodies turbo-folk music by combining it with heavy metal and humorous lyrics. Band history Formation and breakup (1993-1997) The first idea of combining hard rock and heavy met ...
, which parodies
turbo folk In an internal combustion engine, a turbocharger (often called a turbo) is a forced induction device that is powered by the flow of exhaust gases. It uses this energy to compress the intake gas, forcing more air into the engine in order to pro ...
combining it with heavy metal and humorous lyrics, gained popularity in the 2000s, despite being active since the early 1990s. Another notable acts of the 2000s and 2010s include
black metal Black metal is an extreme metal, extreme subgenre of heavy metal music. Common traits include Tempo#Beats per minute, fast tempos, a Screaming (music)#Black metal, shrieking vocal style, heavily distorted Electric guitar, guitars played with t ...
bands May Result and The Stone,
gothic metal Gothic metal (or goth metal) is a fusion genre combining the aggression of heavy metal with the dark atmospheres of gothic rock. The music of gothic metal is diverse with bands known to adopt the gothic approach to different styles of heavy met ...
band
Abonos Abonos ( sr-cyr, Абонос; trans. ''Ebony'') is a Serbian gothic metal band from Belgrade. The guitarist Jakša Vlahović and a former keyboardist and vocalist Marta Vlahović are brother and sister and children of graphic artist and form ...
,
death Death is the irreversible cessation of all biological functions that sustain an organism. For organisms with a brain, death can also be defined as the irreversible cessation of functioning of the whole brain, including brainstem, and brain ...
/doom metal band
Rain Delay Rainout, washout, rain delay, and rain stopped play are terms regarding an outdoor event, generally a sporting event, delayed or canceled due to rain, or the threat of rain. It is not to be confused with a type of out in baseball, though a basebal ...
,
industrial Industrial may refer to: Industry * Industrial archaeology, the study of the history of the industry * Industrial engineering, engineering dealing with the optimization of complex industrial processes or systems * Industrial city, a city dominate ...
/
alternative metal Alternative metal (also known as alt-metal) is a genre of heavy metal music Heavy metal (or simply metal) is a genre of rock music that developed in the late 1960s and early 1970s, largely in the United Kingdom and United States. With r ...
band
Trigger Trigger may refer to: Notable animals and people ;Mononym * Trigger (horse), owned by cowboy star Roy Rogers ;Nickname * Trigger Alpert (1916–2013), American jazz bassist * "Trigger Mike" Coppola (1900–1966), American gangster ;Surname * Bru ...
, and others. The 2000s also saw the revival of the hard rock scene. The hard rock band Cactus Jack, influenced by the
1970s hard rock Hard rock or heavy rock is a loosely defined subgenre of rock music typified by aggressive vocals and Distortion (music), distorted Electric guitar, electric guitars. Hard rock began in the mid-1960s with the Garage rock, garage, Psychedelic roc ...
, was formed in 1998, but saw their commercial success in the 2000s. The
post-grunge Post-grunge is a derivative of grunge that has a less abrasive or intense tone than traditional grunge. Originally, the term was used almost pejoratively to label mid-1990s rock bands such as Bush (British band), Bush, Candlebox and Collective So ...
/hard rock band Night Shift, even though formed in 1991, released their debut album '' Undercovers'' in 2002. The album, which featured covers of songs by various rock and pop artists, was well received by the audience and the critics, and the band moved towards writing their own songs, releasing their second album '' Bez zaklona'' in 2009. The second half of the decade featured the appearance of new hard rock acts, like Atlantida, Art Diler, Death Saw, and others.


Blues-rock (late 1970s – present)

Despite the facts that many 1960s rock bands, such as
Crni Biseri Crni Biseri ( sr-cyr, Црни Бисери, trans. ''The Black Pearls'') were a Yugoslav rock band formed in Belgrade in 1963. The band were one of the pioneers of the Yugoslav rock scene. The band started their career performing beat music, b ...
,
Daltoni Daltoni (Serbian Cyrillic: ; translation: '' The Daltons'') were a Yugoslav rock band formed in Niš in 1963. They were one of the pioneers of the Yugoslav rock scene. Formed by high school students, Daltoni initially performed beat music. In ...
,
Elipse Elipse ( sr-Cyrl, Елипсе; trans. ''The Ellipses'') were a Yugoslav rock band formed in Belgrade in 1962. The band were one of the pioneers of the Yugoslav rock scene. Elipse initially performed beat music and rhythm and blues. With the a ...
, and others performed
rhythm and blues Rhythm and blues, frequently abbreviated as R&B or R'n'B, is a genre of popular music that originated in African-American communities in the 1940s. The term was originally used by record companies to describe recordings marketed predominantly ...
, and many 1970s progressive and
hard rock Hard rock or heavy rock is a loosely defined subgenre of rock music typified by aggressive vocals and distorted electric guitars. Hard rock began in the mid-1960s with the garage, psychedelic and blues rock movements. Some of the earliest hard ...
bands, such as
Pop Mašina Pop Mašina ( sr-cyr, Поп Машина; trans. ''Pop Machine'') was a Yugoslav progressive rock band formed in Belgrade in 1972. Pop Mašina was one of the most notable bands of the Yugoslav rock scene in the 1970s. Pop Mašina was formed by ...
,
YU Grupa YU Grupa (trans. '' YU Group'') is a Serbian (former Yugoslav) rock band. A pioneer in combining rock music with the elements of the traditional music of the Balkans, YU Grupa is credited with being the longest-lasting Serbian rock band.
,
Smak Smak ( sr-Cyrl, Смак; trans. ''The end time'') was a Serbian and Yugoslav band from Kragujevac. The group reached the peak of popularity in the 1970s when it was one of the most notable acts of the former Yugoslav rock scene. The band's le ...
and
Riblja Čorba Riblja Čorba ( sr-Cyrl, Рибља Чорба, pronounced ; translation: lit. ''Fish Stew'') is a Serbian and former Yugoslav rock band formed in Belgrade in 1978. The band was one of the most popular and most influential acts of the Yugoslav ...
, incorporated
blues Blues is a music genre and musical form which originated in the Deep South of the United States around the 1860s. Blues incorporated spirituals, work songs, field hollers, shouts, chants, and rhymed simple narrative ballads from the Afr ...
elements into their music, the first Serbian blues band, Blues Kvintet, was formed in 1979. They held their first concert at Mašinac club in Belgrade in spring of 1981, which is considered the first blues concert by a Serbian band. During the 1980s many notable blues/ blues-rock bands was formed: Sirova Koža (also known internationally as Raw Hide), formed in 1982;
Point Blank Point-blank range is any distance over which a certain firearm can hit a target without the need to compensate for bullet drop, and can be adjusted over a wide range of distances by sighting in the firearm. If the bullet leaves the barrel paral ...
and Blues Trio, both formed in 1983;
Zona B Zona B is a Serbian blues rock band from Belgrade. History Former Idoli bassist Zdenko Kolar and drummer Dušan Ristić "Rista" officially formed Zona B on November 29, 1986. After several personnel changes, the band got a default lineup featu ...
, formed in 1987; Di Luna Blues Band, formed 1989. The band
Hush Hush may refer to: Film and television * ''Hush'' (1921 film), starring Clara Kimball Young * ''Hush'' (1998 film), starring Gwyneth Paltrow * ''Hush!'' (film), a 2001 Japanese film directed by Ryosuke Hashiguchi * ''Hush'' (2005 film), starring ...
, led by female guitarist
Ana Popović Ana Popović ( sr-Cyrl, Ана Поповић, born May 13, 1976) is a blues singer and guitarist from Serbia who currently resides in the United States. Biography Early life Popović was born in 1976 in Belgrade. Her father (Milton Popović) ...
, released their debut and only album ''Hometown'' in 1998. In 1999, Ana Popović moved to
Netherlands ) , anthem = ( en, "William of Nassau") , image_map = , map_caption = , subdivision_type = Sovereign state , subdivision_name = Kingdom of the Netherlands , established_title = Before independence , established_date = Spanish Netherl ...
and started a successful international career. The 2000s brought a new generation of blues rock bands: Šinobusi (formed in 2001),
Texas Flood ''Texas Flood'' is the debut studio album by the American blues rock band Stevie Ray Vaughan and Double Trouble, released on June 13, 1983 by Epic Records. The album was named after a cover featured on the album, " Texas Flood", which was first ...
(formed in 2004), Cotton Pickers (formed in 2004), and others.


Punk rock, post-punk and gothic rock (late 1970s – present)

The development of punk rock in Serbia started in
Novi Sad Novi Sad ( sr-Cyrl, Нови Сад, ; hu, Újvidék, ; german: Neusatz; see below for other names) is the second largest city in Serbia and the capital of the autonomous province of Vojvodina. It is located in the southern portion of the Pan ...
with the bands
Pekinška Patka Pekinška Patka (Serbian Cyrillic: Пекиншка Патка; trans. ''Peking Duck'') is an eminent Serbian and former Yugoslav punk rock band from Novi Sad. Their debut album, ''Plitka poezija'', released in 1980, is considered the first punk ...
and Gomila G, both formed in 1978. Pekinška Patka, formed by vocalist Nebojša Čonkić, pronounced themselves "the first
Orthodox Orthodox, Orthodoxy, or Orthodoxism may refer to: Religion * Orthodoxy, adherence to accepted norms, more specifically adherence to creeds, especially within Christianity and Judaism, but also less commonly in non-Abrahamic religions like Neo-pa ...
punk rock band", which was against the attitude of the
League of Communists of Yugoslavia The League of Communists of Yugoslavia, mk, Сојуз на комунистите на Југославија, Sojuz na komunistite na Jugoslavija known until 1952 as the Communist Party of Yugoslavia, sl, Komunistična partija Jugoslavije mk ...
, which promoted
atheism Atheism, in the broadest sense, is an absence of belief in the existence of deities. Less broadly, atheism is a rejection of the belief that any deities exist. In an even narrower sense, atheism is specifically the position that there no d ...
. Another pioneer of punk rock in Serbia was the band Gomila G (this name being a censored version of Gomila Govana, trans. ''A Pile of Shit''), also from Novi Sad. The band initially performed cover versions of
Ramones The Ramones were an American punk rock band that formed in the New York City neighborhood of Forest Hills, Queens, in 1974. They are often cited as the first true punk rock group. Despite achieving a limited commercial appeal in the United ...
and
Sex Pistols The Sex Pistols were an English punk rock band formed in London in 1975. Although their initial career lasted just two and a half years, they were one of the most groundbreaking acts in the history of popular music. They were responsible for ...
songs, but soon started writing their own songs. Gomila G usually performed as an opening act for Pekinška Patka, and their appearance at the Celebration of the
World War II World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...
liberation of
Stepanovićevo Stepanovićevo ( sr-cyr, Степановићево) is a suburban settlement of the city of Novi Sad, Serbia. It has a Serb ethnic majority and a population of 2,021 people (2011 census). Stepanovićevo is situated about 20 km north-west from No ...
in 1979, where the band performed the song "God Save
Martin Bormann Martin Ludwig Bormann (17 June 1900 – 2 May 1945) was a German Nazi Party official and head of the Nazi Party Chancellery. He gained immense power by using his position as Adolf Hitler's private secretary to control the flow of information ...
" and Čonkić of Pekinška Patka blown
condom A condom is a sheath-shaped barrier device used during sexual intercourse to reduce the probability of pregnancy or a sexually transmitted infection (STI). There are both male and female condoms. With proper use—and use at every act of in ...
s on stage, made the media turn against the two bands, even asking for banning of their public appearances. Gomila G disbanded in 1980 as the band members, guitarist Žolt Horvat and drummer Robert Radić formed the first Serbian
ska Ska (; ) is a music genre that originated in Jamaica in the late 1950s and was the precursor to rocksteady and reggae. It combined elements of Caribbean mento and calypso with American jazz and rhythm and blues. Ska is characterized by a walki ...
band,
Kontraritam Kontraritam ( sr-cyr, Контраритам; trans. ''Counterrhythm'') was a former Yugoslav 2 Tone/ska band from Novi Sad. History The band was formed in Autumn 1980 by former Gomila G members Žolt Horvat (guitar), Robert "Robi" Radić (drums ...
. In the meantime, Pekinška Patka gained mainstream popularity and recorded their first releases. At the
Subotica Subotica ( sr-cyrl, Суботица, ; hu, Szabadka) is a List of cities in Serbia, city and the administrative center of the North Bačka District in the autonomous province of Vojvodina, Serbia. Formerly the largest city of Vojvodina region, ...
Festival Omladina Festival Omladina (English: ''Youth Festival''), also known as Omladinski Festival, is a music festival held in Subotica, Serbia. The festival was founded in 1961 as a competition of young composers of popular music. Their compositions were ini ...
they won the Audience Award and their whole performance was broadcast on national television, which was the first TV appearance of any punk rock band in Yugoslavia. The popularity of the band then gave them the opportunity to release two singles, and then a studio album, ''
Plitka poezija ''Plitka poezija'' (trans. ''Shallow Poetry'') is the Serbian punk rock band Pekinška Patka debut album, released in 1980 by Jugoton. The album is the first punk rock album released in Serbia. The album was polled in 1998 as the 77th on the li ...
'', the first punk rock album by a Serbian band, released in 1980 by
Jugoton Jugoton was the largest record label and chain record store in the former Yugoslavia based in Zagreb, SR Croatia. History Jugoton was formed in 1947. It is notable for releasing some of the most important former Yugoslav pop and rock records ...
. After the album release, the lineup changed, and the arrival of the young Zoran "Bale" Bulatović on guitar, brought the stylistic changes, firstly moving towards new wave, and eventually to
post-punk Post-punk (originally called new musick) is a broad genre of punk music that emerged in the late 1970s as musicians departed from punk's traditional elements and raw simplicity, instead adopting a variety of avant-garde sensibilities and non-roc ...
. The band's second album '' Strah od monotonije'' is considered the first post-punk release in Serbia and former
Yugoslavia Yugoslavia (; sh-Latn-Cyrl, separator=" / ", Jugoslavija, Југославија ; sl, Jugoslavija ; mk, Југославија ;; rup, Iugoslavia; hu, Jugoszlávia; rue, label=Pannonian Rusyn, Югославия, translit=Juhoslavija ...
. After the album release, the band disbanded. The appearance of the first post-punk album on the Serbian scene influenced appearance of post-punk and
gothic rock Gothic rock (also called goth rock or simply goth) is a style of rock music that emerged from post-punk in the United Kingdom in the late 1970s. The first post-punk bands which shifted toward dark music with gothic overtones include Siouxsie a ...
bands and releases. Zoran "Bale" Bulatović (guitar) and Marko "Mare" Vukomanović (bass guitar), both from Pekinška Patka, with
La Strada ''La strada'' () is a 1954 Italian drama film directed by Federico Fellini and co-written by Fellini, Tullio Pinelli and Ennio Flaiano. The film tells the story of Gelsomina, a simple-minded young woman (Giulietta Masina) bought from her mother ...
members Slobodan Tišma (vocals) and Ivan Fece Firchie (drums) formed the first gothic rock band in Serbia,
Luna Luna commonly refers to: * Earth's Moon, named "Luna" in Latin * Luna (goddess), the ancient Roman personification of the Moon Luna may also refer to: Places Philippines * Luna, Apayao * Luna, Isabela * Luna, La Union * Luna, San Jose Roma ...
, releasing only one album, ''
Nestvarne stvari ''Nestvarne stvari'' (trans. ''Unreal Things'') is the only album by Serbian post-punk/gothic rock band Luna (1980s Serbian band), Luna, released in 1984. Track listing All lyrics and music written by Slobodan Tišma and Zoran Bulatović. Person ...
'' (1984). Beside Luna, the notable gothic rock act was also Trivalia from
Niš Niš (; sr-Cyrl, Ниш, ; names in other languages) is the third largest city in Serbia and the administrative center of the Nišava District. It is located in southern part of Serbia. , the city proper has a population of 183,164, while ...
, formed in the second half of the 1980s. Gothic rock, however, saw little popularity in Serbia. Another Niš band, post-punk/
darkwave Dark wave (also typeset as darkwave) is a music genre that emerged from the new wave and post-punk movement of the late 1970s. Dark wave compositions are largely based on minor key tonality and introspective lyrics and have been perceived as be ...
band Dobri Isak, released their only album '' Mi plačemo iza tamnih naočara'' in 1983. The album, which was one of the first albums in Serbia released through an
independent record label An independent record label (or indie label) is a record label that operates without the funding or distribution of major record labels; they are a type of small- to medium-sized enterprise, or SME. The labels and artists are often represented ...
, saw little success at a time of its release, but saw critical acclaim when it was rereleased in 2009. Other bands which featured the post-punk/gothic rock influences were the new wave bands
Električni Orgazam Električni Orgazam ( sr-cyr, Електрични Оргазам, lit=Electric Orgasm, translit=) is a Serbian rock band from Belgrade. Originally starting as a combination of new wave, punk rock and post-punk, the band later slowly changed th ...
, on their second album '' Lišće prekriva Lisabon'' (1982), and
Idoli Idoli ( sr-cyr, Идоли; trans. The Idols) were a Serbian new wave band from Belgrade. They are considered to be one of the most notable acts of the Yugoslav rock scene, and their 1982 album ''Odbrana i poslednji dani'' was on several occas ...
, on their debut ''
Odbrana i poslednji dani ''Odbrana i poslednji dani'' ( sr-Cyrl, Одбрана и последњи дани; trans. ''The Defense and the Last Days'') is the first studio album by Yugoslav new wave band Idoli released in 1982. ''Džuboks'' magazine critics voted the ...
'' (1982), and the
alternative rock Alternative rock, or alt-rock, is a category of rock music that emerged from the independent music underground of the 1970s and became widely popular in the 1990s. "Alternative" refers to the genre's distinction from Popular culture, mainstre ...
band
Ekatarina Velika Ekatarina Velika ( sr-Cyrl, Екатарина Велика, en, Catherine the Great), sometimes referred to as EKV for short, was a Yugoslav rock band from Belgrade, being one of the most successful and influential Yugoslav music acts. Initia ...
, firstly called Katarina II, on the albums ''
Katarina II Ekatarina Velika ( sr-Cyrl, Екатарина Велика, en, Catherine the Great), sometimes referred to as EKV for short, was a Yugoslav rock band from Belgrade, being one of the most successful and influential Yugoslav music acts. Initi ...
'' (1984), ''
Ekatarina Velika Ekatarina Velika ( sr-Cyrl, Екатарина Велика, en, Catherine the Great), sometimes referred to as EKV for short, was a Yugoslav rock band from Belgrade, being one of the most successful and influential Yugoslav music acts. Initia ...
'' (1985) and ''
S' vetrom uz lice ''S vetrom uz lice'' ( en, With The Wind Against Our Faces) is the third studio album by the Serbian rock band Ekatarina Velika, released in 1986. With this album Ekatarina Velika reached a wider audience, and it is considered to be the commerci ...
'' (1986). The second generation of punk rock acts in Serbia featured
Partibrejkers Partibrejkers (Serbian Cyrillic: Партибрејкерс, transliteration for: ''Partybreakers'') is a Serbian rock band from Belgrade, as well as one of the most acclaimed acts of the Yugoslav rock scene. The band was formed in 1982 and rele ...
,
Kazna Za Uši Kazna Za Uši ( sr-cyr, Казна За Уши; trans. ''Ear Punishment'') is a Serbian garage rock band from Belgrade. History Band formation, first releases (1986–1991) The band was formed in Autumn 1986 by lead guitarist and vocalist ...
and
Toni Montano Toni Montano (Serbian Cyrillic: Тони Монтано), real name Velibor Miljković (Serbian Cyrillic: Велибор Миљковић) is a Serbian rock musician. Biography Radost Evrope Miljković started his career as a vocalist of the ban ...
from
Belgrade Belgrade ( , ;, ; Names of European cities in different languages: B, names in other languages) is the Capital city, capital and List of cities in Serbia, largest city in Serbia. It is located at the confluence of the Sava and Danube rivers a ...
. Serbian
garage punk A garage is a covered structure built for the purpose of parking, storing, protecting, maintaining, and/or repairing vehicles. Specific applications include: * Garage (residential), a building or part of a building for storing one or more vehic ...
band
Partibrejkers Partibrejkers (Serbian Cyrillic: Партибрејкерс, transliteration for: ''Partybreakers'') is a Serbian rock band from Belgrade, as well as one of the most acclaimed acts of the Yugoslav rock scene. The band was formed in 1982 and rele ...
, formed in 1982, brought the public's attention to themselves with their live appearances and musical style, even as a demo act. The band was formed by former
Urbana Gerila Urbana Gerila ( sr-cyr, Урбана Герила, trans: ''urban area, Urban Guerrilla'') was a Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, former Yugoslav punk rock and New wave music, new wave band from Belgrade. The band is notable as the partic ...
and
Radnička Kontrola Radnička Kontrola ( sr-cyr, Радничка Контрола, trans. ''Workers' Control'') was a former Yugoslav punk rock/ new wave band from Belgrade, active in the late 1970s and early 1980s and notable for its appearance on the compilation ...
frontman, Zoran Kostić "Cane" and guitarist
Nebojša Antonijević Nebojša (Cyrillic script: Небојша ) is a Slavic given name, meaning "fearless". People with the name include: In arts and entertainment * Nebojša Bradić (born 1956), Serbian theater director *Nebojša Glogovac (born 1969), award-winning ...
"Anton", the two being the mainstay members of the band. By the time the band released their debut, self-titled album, in 1985, they already gained much popularity, kept through their later successful releases '' Partibrejkers II'' (1988), '' Partibrejkers III'' (1989), ''
Kiselo i slatko ''Kiselo i slatko'' is the fourth studio album by the Serbian garage rock/ punk rock band Partibrejkers, released by PGP RTB in 1994. Track listing All tracks written by Zoran Kostić and Nebojša Antonijević, except track 6 written by Milan ...
'' (1994) and ''
Ledeno doba ''Ledeno doba'' is the fifth studio album by Serbian garage rock/ punk rock band Partibrejkers, released by ZMEX in 1997. Track listing All tracks written by Zoran Kostić Srdjan Graovac and Nebojša Antonijević. Personnel Partibrejker ...
'' (1997), entering the 2000s as one of the top mainstream acts of the Serbian rock scene. In 1986, another prominent garage punk band was formed,
Kazna Za Uši Kazna Za Uši ( sr-cyr, Казна За Уши; trans. ''Ear Punishment'') is a Serbian garage rock band from Belgrade. History Band formation, first releases (1986–1991) The band was formed in Autumn 1986 by lead guitarist and vocalist ...
, but the band became prominent in the 1990s, winning the first place at
Gitarijada festival Gitarijada ( sr-Cyrl, Гитаријада, lit=Guitar Fest) is a music festival held in Zaječar, Serbia. Held since 1966, Gitarijada is one of the longest lasting festivals in Serbia and in South Eastern Europe and the largest festival of you ...
in 1992 and releasing their debut ''Ispod zemlje'' in the same year. During the mid-1980s the former vocalist of the punk rock band Radost Evrope, Velibor Miljković performed as a solo act using the pseudonym
Toni Montano Toni Montano (Serbian Cyrillic: Тони Монтано), real name Velibor Miljković (Serbian Cyrillic: Велибор Миљковић) is a Serbian rock musician. Biography Radost Evrope Miljković started his career as a vocalist of the ban ...
, and his albums featured a combination of punk rock and
rockabilly Rockabilly is one of the earliest styles of rock and roll music. It dates back to the early 1950s in the United States, especially the Southern United States, South. As a genre it blends the sound of Western music (North America), Western music ...
, also found on his future releases. Other prominent representatives of the second generation of punk rock bands in Serbia featured
Kragujevac Kragujevac ( sr-Cyrl, Крагујевац, ) is the fourth largest city in Serbia and the administrative centre of the Šumadija District. It is the historical centre of the geographical region of Šumadija in central Serbia, and is situated on ...
bands
KBO! KBO! is a Serbian punk rock band from Kragujevac, Serbia. They are one of the first hardcore punk acts on the former Yugoslav punk scene. Since the very beginning, the band accepted the DIY ethic by forming their own record label KBO! Records, ...
and
Trula Koalicija Trula Koalicija (Serbian Cyrillic: Трула Коалиција; trans. ''Rotten Coalition'') are a Serbian punk rock supergroup from Kragujevac. History The band was formed in 1986 by Predrag Drčelić "Skaki" (vocals) from Gornji Milanovac w ...
, both formed by Saša "Vuja" Vujić. Vujić formed KBO! in 1982, and their first recordings were released by foreign record labels, which was also the case with their first official studio album, ''Forever punk'' (1989). The band performed in many foreign countries, and also formed their own independent record label, KBO! Records, which released the band's demo recordings and studio albums. Vujić also formed the band
Trula Koalicija Trula Koalicija (Serbian Cyrillic: Трула Коалиција; trans. ''Rotten Coalition'') are a Serbian punk rock supergroup from Kragujevac. History The band was formed in 1986 by Predrag Drčelić "Skaki" (vocals) from Gornji Milanovac w ...
in 1986 with the vocalist Predrag "Skaki" Drčelić. Punk rock continued to be popular in the 1990s with the appearance the bands
Atheist Rap Atheist Rap is a Serbian punk rock band from Novi Sad, formed in 1989, which has released six studio albums, one compilation album and one live DVD. Their music is often characterized as "fun punk" due to its cheerful music and vocals. Their ly ...
and
Zbogom Brus Li Zbogom Brus Li (Serbian Cyrillic: Збогом Брус Ли; trans. ''Goodbye Bruce Lee'') is a Serbian punk rock band from Novi Sad. Influenced by Misfits, Ramones, Toy Dolls, Cock Sparrer, Dickies, T.Rex, Hard-Ons and other acts, the band ...
from
Novi Sad Novi Sad ( sr-Cyrl, Нови Сад, ; hu, Újvidék, ; german: Neusatz; see below for other names) is the second largest city in Serbia and the capital of the autonomous province of Vojvodina. It is located in the southern portion of the Pan ...
,
Goblini Goblini ( sr-Cyrl, Гоблини; trans. ''The Goblins'') are a Serbian punk rock band from Šabac. History Formation, rise to prominence (1992–1999) Guitarist Alen Jovanović and Vladislav Kokotović "Vlada", who lived in Karlovac, ...
from
Šabac Šabac (Serbian Cyrillic: Шабац, ) is a city and the administrative centre of the Mačva District in western Serbia. The traditional centre of the fertile Mačva region, Šabac is located on the right banks of the river Sava. , the city p ...
,
Džukele Džukele ( sr-Cyrl, Џукеле; transl. '' The Curs'') were a Serbian punk rock band from Subotica. History The band Phoenix was formed in 1991 by Dragan Neorčić (bass guitar), Slobodan Vukosavljević (guitar, vocals), and Rudolf Aleksije ...
from
Subotica Subotica ( sr-cyrl, Суботица, ; hu, Szabadka) is a List of cities in Serbia, city and the administrative center of the North Bačka District in the autonomous province of Vojvodina, Serbia. Formerly the largest city of Vojvodina region, ...
and
Novembar Novembar (Serbian Cyrillic: Новембар; trans. ''November'') is a Serbian punk rock band from Niš. History Studeni Studeni, band formation (1986–1991) During the late 1980s, one of the most promising former Yugoslav bands from Zagreb ...
from
Niš Niš (; sr-Cyrl, Ниш, ; names in other languages) is the third largest city in Serbia and the administrative center of the Nišava District. It is located in southern part of Serbia. , the city proper has a population of 183,164, while ...
. Atheist Rap's sound, a combination of punk rock with humorous lyrics found on their studio albums ''
Maori i Crni Gonzales ''Maori i Crni Gonzales'' is the debut album by the Serbian punk rock band Atheist Rap, released by Scorned Records in 1993. The album, previously available only on compact cassette, was rereleased by Take It Or Leave It Records, featuring bonus m ...
'' (1992), ''
Ja eventualno bih ako njega eliminišete ''Ja eventualno bih ako njega eliminišete'' is the second studio album by the Serbian punk rock band Atheist Rap, released by PGP-RTS in 1995. The album, previously available only on compact cassette, was re-released by Hi-Fi Centar, featuring ...
'' (1996) and '' II liga zapad'' (1998), was described by the band themselves as "happy punk". Zbogom Brus Li combined punk rock and
folk music Folk music is a music genre that includes traditional folk music and the contemporary genre that evolved from the former during the 20th-century folk revival. Some types of folk music may be called world music. Traditional folk music has b ...
of
Vojvodina Vojvodina ( sr-Cyrl, Војводина}), officially the Autonomous Province of Vojvodina, is an autonomous province that occupies the northernmost part of Serbia. It lies within the Pannonian Basin, bordered to the south by the national capital ...
into a style the band describes as "tamburaški punk" ("
tamburitza Tamburica ( or ) or tamboura ( sh-Latn-Cyrl, separator=" / ", tamburica, тамбурица, little tamboura; hu, tambura; el, Ταμπουράς, Tampourás; sometimes written tamburrizza or tamburitza), refers to a family of long-necked lute ...
punk") on their albums ''Penk Punk Pink Pank Ponk'' (1995) and ''Zlobro'' (1997). The band Goblini was formed in 1992, and with the release of their first two studio albums, ''
Goblini Goblini ( sr-Cyrl, Гоблини; trans. ''The Goblins'') are a Serbian punk rock band from Šabac. History Formation, rise to prominence (1992–1999) Guitarist Alen Jovanović and Vladislav Kokotović "Vlada", who lived in Karlovac, ...
'' (1994) and ''
Istinite priče I deo ''Istinite priče I deo'' (''True Stories Part I'') is the second studio album by the Serbian punk rock band Goblini, released by Metropolis Records in 1994. The album was available on compact cassette The Compact Cassette or Musicassette ( ...
'' (1994), the band had become a live attraction, performing in Serbia and abroad. On their third studio album '' U magnovenju'' (1996), the band was joined by Leonid Pilipović from the band Džukele. After the album release, Pilipović returned to his own band, which, having released their debut ''
Gledajući u mrak ''Gledajući u mrak'' (''Looking Into The Darkness'') is the debut album by the Serbian rock band Džukele, released by Metropolis Records in 1994. Track listing Lyrics by Slobodan Vukosavljević, music by Džukele, except for track 4, written ...
'' in 1994 and the second album ''
Zubato Sunce ''Zubato Sunce'' (''Toothed Sunbeam'') is the second and last studio album by the Serbian rock band Džukele, released by Metropolis Records in 1998. As backing vocalists on the album appeared Atheist Rap, Goblini, and Generacija Bez Budućnosti ...
'' in 1998, disbanded. Punk rock band Novembar released three studio albums, ''Deguelo'' (1994), ''Blues južne pruge'' (1997), and ''Licem prema zemlji'' in (2000) featuring the band's combination of
America The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territorie ...
n guitar oriented rock sound combined with punk rock,
pop punk Pop punk (or punk pop) is a rock music genre that combines elements of punk rock with power pop or pop. It is defined for its emphasis on classic pop songcraft, as well as adolescent and anti-suburbia themes, and is distinguished from other pu ...
and new wave influences. The 2000s featured disbandment and reunions of many punk rock groups. In 2001, Goblini disbanded, reuniting in 2010. In 2002, Džukele, Novembar and Trula Koalicija disbanded, but the latter two reformed a few years later, Trula Koalicija with a new lineup in 2005, and November in 2007, releasing a new album, ''Radulizam'' in 2008. Džukele guitarist and vocalist Slobodan Vukosavljević formed the
garage rock Garage rock (sometimes called garage punk or 60s punk) is a raw and energetic style of rock and roll that flourished in the mid-1960s, most notably in the United States and Canada, and has experienced a series of subsequent revivals. The sty ...
band Nafta, which released the albums ''Samo senke prolaze'' (2008) and ''Alternator'' (2011). In 2004, at the EXIT festival,
gothic rock Gothic rock (also called goth rock or simply goth) is a style of rock music that emerged from post-punk in the United Kingdom in the late 1970s. The first post-punk bands which shifted toward dark music with gothic overtones include Siouxsie a ...
band
Luna Luna commonly refers to: * Earth's Moon, named "Luna" in Latin * Luna (goddess), the ancient Roman personification of the Moon Luna may also refer to: Places Philippines * Luna, Apayao * Luna, Isabela * Luna, La Union * Luna, San Jose Roma ...
reunited in the original lineup, and, four years later at the same festival, the original
Pekinška Patka Pekinška Patka (Serbian Cyrillic: Пекиншка Патка; trans. ''Peking Duck'') is an eminent Serbian and former Yugoslav punk rock band from Novi Sad. Their debut album, ''Plitka poezija'', released in 1980, is considered the first punk ...
lineup reunited to perform at the festival main stage, alongside
Sex Pistols The Sex Pistols were an English punk rock band formed in London in 1975. Although their initial career lasted just two and a half years, they were one of the most groundbreaking acts in the history of popular music. They were responsible for ...
. The band announced the release of a cover album, featuring songs performed at the Yugoslav 1960s pop festivals.


New wave (late 1970s – early 1980s)

The origin of the new wave scene in Serbia can be found in
Belgrade Belgrade ( , ;, ; Names of European cities in different languages: B, names in other languages) is the Capital city, capital and List of cities in Serbia, largest city in Serbia. It is located at the confluence of the Sava and Danube rivers a ...
1970s bands Zvuk Ulice, Limunovo Drvo and Hipnotisano Pile. The three bands featured the future members of the Serbian new wave bands
Idoli Idoli ( sr-cyr, Идоли; trans. The Idols) were a Serbian new wave band from Belgrade. They are considered to be one of the most notable acts of the Yugoslav rock scene, and their 1982 album ''Odbrana i poslednji dani'' was on several occas ...
,
Šarlo Akrobata Šarlo Akrobata ( sr-Cyrl, Шарло Акробата; trans. ''Charlot the Acrobat'', a Serbo-Croatian language version of Charlie Chaplin's name in the Kingdom of Yugoslavia) were a seminal Serbian new wave/post-punk band from Belgrade. Short- ...
and
Električni Orgazam Električni Orgazam ( sr-cyr, Електрични Оргазам, lit=Electric Orgasm, translit=) is a Serbian rock band from Belgrade. Originally starting as a combination of new wave, punk rock and post-punk, the band later slowly changed th ...
. Zvuk Ulice member
Vlada Divljan Vladimir "Vlada" Divljan ( sr-Cyrl, Владимир "Влада" Дивљан; 10 May 1958 – 4 March 2015), was a Serbian singer and songwriter. He was known as the frontman of the Serbian and Yugoslav rock band Idoli, one of the bands which ...
, with two friends,
Nebojša Krstić Nebojša Krstić ( sr-cyrl, Небојша Крстић; born 9 July 1957) is a Serbian media personality, political commentator, former musician (VIS Idoli) and physician. He is also a former public relations advisor to the office of the Presid ...
and
Srđan Šaper Srđan Šaper ( sr-cyr, Срђан Шапер; born October 9, 1958) is a founder of I&F McCann Grupa. He is also well known as a founder and a member of the Yugoslav new wave band Idoli in the 1980s.P. Janjatović, Idoli, YU rock enciklopedija ...
formed a conceptual band VIS Dečaci in 1979, whose photographs appeared in the ''Vidici'' youth magazine and attracted media's attention. The band soon included bassist
Zdenko Kolar Zdenko Kolar ( sr-cyr, Зденко Колар) is a Serbian bass guitarist, most notable as the member of Idoli and Zona B. Biography Kolar was born in Zemun in 1956 where he lived until 1963 when he moved to inner town in Belgrade. He moved t ...
, also from Zvuk Ulice, and drummer
Boža Jovanović Boža Jovanović was the first drummer of the Serbian rock band Idoli. He was the band member until 1982 and released two singles and one EP with the band. Biography Jovanović has lived in Belgrade in the same apartment building where Vlada ...
and was renamed to
Idoli Idoli ( sr-cyr, Идоли; trans. The Idols) were a Serbian new wave band from Belgrade. They are considered to be one of the most notable acts of the Yugoslav rock scene, and their 1982 album ''Odbrana i poslednji dani'' was on several occas ...
, in 1980. Limunovo Drvo, featuring guitarists
Milan Mladenović Milan Mladenović ( sr-Cyrl, Милан Младеновић; 21 September 1958 – 5 November 1994) was a Serbian and Yugoslavian musician best known as the frontman of the Yugoslav art rock band Ekatarina Velika. Early life Born to Serbian f ...
and
Dragomir Mihajlović Dragomir "Gagi" Mihajlović ( sr-Cyrl, Драгомир Михајловић "Гаги") is a Serbian rock guitarist. Musical career Mihajlović started his career as a guitarist in a progressive rock group Limunovo Drvo, which, formed in 1978 b ...
"Gagi", performed
hard rock Hard rock or heavy rock is a loosely defined subgenre of rock music typified by aggressive vocals and distorted electric guitars. Hard rock began in the mid-1960s with the garage, psychedelic and blues rock movements. Some of the earliest hard ...
for two years, before adopting the new wave and punk rock musical style on the arrival of the bassist
Dušan Kojić Dušan "Koja" Kojić ( sr-Cyrl, Душан Којић Која; born 14 June 1961) is a Serbian rock bassist, singer, and songwriter. He is the frontman of the Serbian Alternative rock band Disciplin A Kitschme (formerly known as Disciplina Kičm ...
"Koja" and drummer
Ivan Vdović Ivan "Ivica" Vdović ( sr-cyr, Иван "Ивица" Вдовић; 14 March 1961 – 25 September 1992), also known as Vd ( sr-cyr, Вд), was a Serbian musician, drummer of Yugoslav rock bands such as Suncokret, Šarlo Akrobata and Katarin ...
"VD". After the departure of Mihajlović, the band was renamed to
Šarlo Akrobata Šarlo Akrobata ( sr-Cyrl, Шарло Акробата; trans. ''Charlot the Acrobat'', a Serbo-Croatian language version of Charlie Chaplin's name in the Kingdom of Yugoslavia) were a seminal Serbian new wave/post-punk band from Belgrade. Short- ...
.
Električni Orgazam Električni Orgazam ( sr-cyr, Електрични Оргазам, lit=Electric Orgasm, translit=) is a Serbian rock band from Belgrade. Originally starting as a combination of new wave, punk rock and post-punk, the band later slowly changed th ...
was formed as an ad hoc band of the melodic hard rock band Hipnotisano Pile. The band was formed to perform at the 1980 Palilula Culture Olympics as an opening act for Hipnotisano Pile. Guitarist
Ljubomir Jovanović Ljubomir Jovanović ( sr-cyr, Љубомир Јовановић, 14 February 1865 – 2 October 1928) was a Serbian politician and historian. He was a professor at the University of Belgrade since its establishment in 1905, a member of the SK ...
"Jovec" was to play the drums and the drummer
Srđan Gojković Srđan (Срђан); ; ; ) is a Serbo-Croatian masculine given name, usually written as ''Srdjan'' when the letter đ is unavailable. It is usually considered to be a form of the name Sergius, honoring the Christian martyr and saint Sergius. In ...
"Gile" was to play guitar and sing lead vocals. The band gained the public's attention at the performances and, soon after, the band ended their activity as Hipnotisano Pile and continued as Električni Orgazam. Idoli, Šarlo Akrobata and Električni Orgazam had their first recordings released on the compilation ''
Paket aranžman ''Paket aranžman'' (''Package Tour'') is a new wave music compilation album released in 1981 by Jugoton. Featuring eminent Belgrade acts Šarlo Akrobata, Električni Orgazam and Idoli, it is considered to be one of the most important and influent ...
'', today considered one of the most prominent Serbian and Yugoslav rock releases, and by the time the compilation was released, the bands had already started working on their debut albums. The promotional video for Idoli song "
Maljčiki "Maljčiki" (Serbian Cyrillic: Маљчики, Russian for "Boys") is the second single by the Serbian and former Yugoslav new wave music band Idoli. It also appeared on the Yugoslav new wave compilation '' Paket aranžman'' which is one of the ...
" which followed the release of the compilation featured a parody of soc-realist iconography. It was broadcast for the first time at the New Year's Eve on the then-popular ''Rokenroler'' show on the national television, and the Soviet embassy sent a protest note to the TV and radio stations which broadcast the song and some of them banned it. During the same show, for the first time were broadcast the promotional videos for Električni Orgazam's "Krokodili dolaze" and Šarlo Akrobata's "Niko kao ja", all three appearing on the compilation. Idoli released their self titled EP in 1981 and ''
Odbrana i poslednji dani ''Odbrana i poslednji dani'' ( sr-Cyrl, Одбрана и последњи дани; trans. ''The Defense and the Last Days'') is the first studio album by Yugoslav new wave band Idoli released in 1982. ''Džuboks'' magazine critics voted the ...
'' in 1982, the latter polled in 1998 as the greatest Yugoslav popular music album in the book '' YU 100: najbolji albumi jugoslovenske rok i pop muzike'', Električni Orgazam released their self titled debut in 1981 and
post-punk Post-punk (originally called new musick) is a broad genre of punk music that emerged in the late 1970s as musicians departed from punk's traditional elements and raw simplicity, instead adopting a variety of avant-garde sensibilities and non-roc ...
oriented '' Lišće prekriva Lisabon'' in 1982, and Šarlo Akrobata released their only album, '' Bistriji ili tuplji čovek biva kad...'' in 1981. Električni Orgazam and Šarlo Akrobata also had short tours in
Poland Poland, officially the Republic of Poland, is a country in Central Europe. It is divided into 16 administrative provinces called voivodeships, covering an area of . Poland has a population of over 38 million and is the fifth-most populous ...
and the
Polish Polish may refer to: * Anything from or related to Poland, a country in Europe * Polish language * Poles, people from Poland or of Polish descent * Polish chicken *Polish brothers (Mark Polish and Michael Polish, born 1970), American twin screenwr ...
bands recorded a tribute to the Yugoslav rock bands, including cover versions of Idoli and Električni Orgazam songs, released on the 2001 album ''
Yugoton ''Yugoton'' is a tribute album to the former Yugoslav rock scene released in Poland by ZIC ZAC Music Company and BMG Poland in 2001. It features cover versions of eminent ex-Yugoslav artists performed in Polish by the cover band named Yugoton, c ...
''. By 1983, Idoli and Električni Orgazam had moved towards mainstream pop and rock, and Šarlo Akrobata disbanded. Due to the success of ''Paket aranžman'',
Jugoton Jugoton was the largest record label and chain record store in the former Yugoslavia based in Zagreb, SR Croatia. History Jugoton was formed in 1947. It is notable for releasing some of the most important former Yugoslav pop and rock records ...
wanted to release another compilation featuring the new new wave and punk rock acts from Belgrade. The compilation '' Artistička radna akcija'', released in 1981, featured
Radnička Kontrola Radnička Kontrola ( sr-cyr, Радничка Контрола, trans. ''Workers' Control'') was a former Yugoslav punk rock/ new wave band from Belgrade, active in the late 1970s and early 1980s and notable for its appearance on the compilation ...
,
Bezobrazno Zeleno Bezobrazno Zeleno ( sr-cyr, Безобразно Зелено, trans. ''Rudely Green'') was a Yugoslav rock band formed in Belgrade in 1980. Led by bass guitarist Bojan Vasić, the band belonged to the second generation of Belgrade new wave band ...
,
Profili Profili Profili Profili ( sr-cyr, Профили Профили, trans: ''Profiles Profiles'') was a Serbian and former Yugoslav new wave/experimental music duo from Belgrade, notable as the participant of the '' Artistička radna akcija'' project in 19 ...
,
Defektno Efektni Defektno Efektni ( sr-Cyrl, Дефектно Ефектни; trans. ''Defective-Effective'') were a Serbian new wave/ punk rock band from Belgrade, notable as the participant of the '' Artistička Radna Akcija'' project in 1981. History The ...
,
Urbana Gerila Urbana Gerila ( sr-cyr, Урбана Герила, trans: ''urban area, Urban Guerrilla'') was a Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, former Yugoslav punk rock and New wave music, new wave band from Belgrade. The band is notable as the partic ...
,
Petar i Zli Vuci Petar i Zli Vuci ( sr-cyr, Петар и Зли Вуци; trans. ''Peter and the Wolf Pack'') were a former Yugoslav new wave/ ska band from Belgrade, notable as the participant of the '' Artistička radna akcija'' project. History During the ...
,
U Škripcu U Škripcu ( sr-cyr, У Шкрипцу; trans. ''In Dire Straits'') was a Yugoslav rock band formed in Belgrade in 1980. The band was formed in 1980 by Milan Delčić "Delča" (vocals), Aleksandar Vasiljević "Vasa" (guitar) and Zoran Vulovi ...
,
Pasta ZZ Pasta ZZ was a former Yugoslav new wave band from Belgrade, notable as participants in the '' Artistička Radna Akcija'' project in 1981. History The band was formed by vocalist Đorđe Lukić and guitarists Branislav Petrović "Banana" Sr ...
,
VIA Talas VIA Talas ( sr-cyr, ВИА Талас; trans. ''VIE The Wave'') was a SFRY, former Yugoslav New wave music, new wave band, notable as one of the participants of the ''Artistička radna akcija'' project. The band name featured the prefix ''VIA'' a ...
and TV Moroni, each with two songs, but it did not repeat the success of the previous compilation. Half of the bands did not release any other recordings except the ones on the compilation. Bezobrazno Zeleno released two
pop rock Pop rock (also typeset as pop/rock) is a fusion genre with an emphasis on professional songwriting and recording craft, and less emphasis on attitude than rock music. Originating in the late 1950s as an alternative to normal rock and roll, earl ...
-oriented studio albums, Profili Profili released a split album with Kazimirov Kazneni Korpus, Petar i Zli Vuci released two singles, U Škripcu released several studio albums and gained mainstream popularity moving to
synthpop Synth-pop (short for synthesizer pop; also called techno-pop; ) is a subgenre of new wave music that first became prominent in the late 1970s and features the synthesizer as the dominant musical instrument. It was prefigured in the 1960s a ...
and pop rock, and VIA Talas released one studio album before disbanding in 1982. Other notable new wave acts include Belgrade acts
Bulevar Bulevar ( sr-cyr, Булевар; English language, English: Boulevard) is an urban neighborhood of the city of Novi Sad, Serbia. Its name simply means "boulevard" in Serbian language, Serbian. Bulevar is not a traditional city neighborhood; it is ...
, fronted by later
Bajaga i Instruktori Bajaga i Instruktori (Serbian Cyrillic: Бајага и Инструктори; trans. ''Bajaga and the Instructors'') are a Serbian and Yugoslav rock band formed in Belgrade in 1984. Founded and led by vocalist, guitarist and principal composer ...
vocalist and solo singer
Dejan Cukić Dejan Cukić ( sr-cyr, Дејан Цукић; born November 4, 1959) is a Serbian rock musician, journalist, writer and translator. During the late 1970s and early 1980s, Cukić was the frontman of the new wave band Bulevar, releasing two alb ...
, which released two albums, ''
Loš i mlad ''Loš i mlad'' (''Bad and young'') is the first studio album by the Serbian new wave band Bulevar, released by PGP RTB in 1981. The album was remastered and released on CD in 2006 on the compilation album ''Nestašni dečaci'' by PGP RTS, the su ...
'' (1981) and ''
Mala noćna panika ''Mala noćna panika'' (''Little Night Panic'') is the second and final studio album by the Serbian new wave band Bulevar, released by PGP RTB in 1982. The album was remastered and released on CD in 2008 on the compilation album ''Nestašni deča ...
'' (1982),
Piloti Pilotis, or piers, are supports such as columns, pillars, or stilts that lift a building above ground or water. They are traditionally found in stilt and pole dwellings such as fishermen's huts in Asia and Scandinavia using wood, and in elev ...
, which released albums ''Piloti'' (1981) and ''Dvadeset godina'' (1982) before disbanding, turning towards pop rock after their 1987 reunion, and Kozmetika, which released only one album, '' Kozmetika'' (1983), and Novi Sad act Čista Proza, which released only one album, '' Čista Proza'' (1983). Initial works of the bands
Laki Pingvini Laki Pingvini ( sr-Cyrl, Лаки Пингвини; transl. ''The Easy Penguins'') were a Serbian and Yugoslav rock band formed in Belgrade in 1979. Initially a part of the Yugoslav new wave scene, the band later turned towards synth-pop and p ...
and Zana were new wave-oriented, but these acts later moved towards more commercial pop rock and synthpop. During the early 1980s, new wave influences were present in the works of
Grupa I Grupa I ( sr-Cyrl, Група И; trans. ''Group I'') was a Serbian and former Yugoslav new wave band from Belgrade, active in the late 1970s and early 1980s. History The band was formed in January 1979 by guitarists Dejan Kostić and Predrag ...
,
Du Du A Du Du A ( sr-Cyrl, Ду Ду А) was a Serbian and Yugoslav alternative rock band formed in Belgrade in 1981. Formed by Dejan Kostić (vocals, guitar, bass guitar) and Vuk Vujačić (saxophone), and soon joined by Zoran Zagorčić (vocals, keyb ...
,
Pekinška Patka Pekinška Patka (Serbian Cyrillic: Пекиншка Патка; trans. ''Peking Duck'') is an eminent Serbian and former Yugoslav punk rock band from Novi Sad. Their debut album, ''Plitka poezija'', released in 1980, is considered the first punk ...
,
Kontraritam Kontraritam ( sr-cyr, Контраритам; trans. ''Counterrhythm'') was a former Yugoslav 2 Tone/ska band from Novi Sad. History The band was formed in Autumn 1980 by former Gomila G members Žolt Horvat (guitar), Robert "Robi" Radić (drums ...
,
Doktor Spira i Ljudska Bića Doktor Spira i Ljudska Bića ( sr-cyr, Доктор Спира и Људска Бића; trans. ''Doctor Spira and the Human Beings'') were a Serbian new wave/alternative rock band from Belgrade. They were a prominent act of the Yugoslav new wav ...
,
La Strada ''La strada'' () is a 1954 Italian drama film directed by Federico Fellini and co-written by Fellini, Tullio Pinelli and Ennio Flaiano. The film tells the story of Gelsomina, a simple-minded young woman (Giulietta Masina) bought from her mother ...
,
Obojeni Program Obojeni Program ( sr-cyr, Обојени Програм, trans. ''Colored Program'') is a Serbian alternative rock band from Novi Sad. The band are pioneers of the Serbian alternative rock scene. The first letters of the band's first seven studio a ...
and
Gjurmët Gjurmët (trans. ''The Traces'') was a SFRY, Yugoslav New wave music, new wave band formed in Pristina in 1980. The band is notable for being one of the first Yugoslav Rock music, rock bands formed by Kosovo Albanians and the first New wave music, ...
, as well as in the works of some acts that gained popularity in the 1970s, most notably
Slađana Milošević Aleksandra Milošević Hagadone ( sr-cyr, Александра Милошевић Хагадон; born 3 October 1955), better known as Slađana Milošević ( sr-Cyrl, Слађана Милошевић, ) is a Serbian singer-songwriter, composer, ...
and
Laboratorija Zvuka Laboratorija Zvuka ( sr-cyr, Лабораторија Звука; trans. ''Sound Laboratory''), credited as Laboratorija (''Laboratory'') only on some of their releases, was a Serbian and Yugoslav rock band formed in Novi Sad in 1977. Noted for t ...
.


Synthpop (early 1980s – mid-1980s)

One of the first Serbian
synthpop Synth-pop (short for synthesizer pop; also called techno-pop; ) is a subgenre of new wave music that first became prominent in the late 1970s and features the synthesizer as the dominant musical instrument. It was prefigured in the 1960s a ...
acts was the band
Beograd Belgrade ( , ;, ; names in other languages) is the capital and largest city in Serbia. It is located at the confluence of the Sava and Danube rivers and the crossroads of the Pannonian Plain and the Balkan Peninsula. Nearly 1,166,763 million ...
, which were also one of the pioneers of the former Yugoslav
electronic music Electronic music is a genre of music that employs electronic musical instruments, digital instruments, or circuitry-based music technology in its creation. It includes both music made using electronic and electromechanical means ( electroac ...
scene. The band was formed in 1981, and in 1983 released their only album '' Remek depo'', which featured a combination of synthpop and
brass instrument A brass instrument is a musical instrument that produces sound by sympathetic vibration of air in a tubular resonator in sympathy with the vibration of the player's lips. Brass instruments are also called labrosones or labrophones, from Latin a ...
-oriented
soul In many religious and philosophical traditions, there is a belief that a soul is "the immaterial aspect or essence of a human being". Etymology The Modern English noun ''soul'' is derived from Old English ''sāwol, sāwel''. The earliest attes ...
. With the decline of the new wave scene around 1982, some new wave bands, like
U Škripcu U Škripcu ( sr-cyr, У Шкрипцу; trans. ''In Dire Straits'') was a Yugoslav rock band formed in Belgrade in 1980. The band was formed in 1980 by Milan Delčić "Delča" (vocals), Aleksandar Vasiljević "Vasa" (guitar) and Zoran Vulovi ...
and Zana, moved towards synthpop. '' Artistička radna akcija'' participant U Škripcu, having started as a conceptual new wave band in 1980, moved towards synth music. The band's debut album ''Godine ljubavi'' (1982), featuring several hit songs, was followed by even more successful ''O je!'' (1983) and the EP ''Nove godine'' (1983). However, on their later releases, the band turned towards
electropop Electropop is a hybrid music genre combining elements of electronic and pop genres. Writer Hollin Jones has described it as a variant of synth-pop with heavy emphasis on its electronic sound. The genre was developed in the 1980s and saw a re ...
sound, which, having proved unsuccessful, led them to disband. Despite two reunion comeback albums (in 1987 and 1990), the band could not repeat the early success. In the 1990s, the band's vocalist
Milan Delčić Milan ( , , Lombard: ; it, Milano ) is a city in northern Italy, capital of Lombardy, and the second-most populous city proper in Italy after Rome. The city proper has a population of about 1.4 million, while its metropolitan city h ...
"Delča" formed the
electronic rock Electronic rock is a music genre that involves a combination of rock music and electronic music, featuring instruments typically found within both genres. It originates from the late 1960s, when rock bands began incorporating electronic instrume ...
band Delča & Sklekovi. Zana, named after the band's vocalist
Zana Nimani Zana Šiškin (; sr-cyr, Зана Шишкин, ; born in September 1961) is a Serbian former singer, best known as the first frontress of the pop rock band Zana. Biography Zana Nimani was born in 1961 in Belgrade, to Kosovo Albanian parents ...
, having released their debut album (1981), made a shift towards radio-friendly
pop rock Pop rock (also typeset as pop/rock) is a fusion genre with an emphasis on professional songwriting and recording craft, and less emphasis on attitude than rock music. Originating in the late 1950s as an alternative to normal rock and roll, earl ...
,
New Romantic The New Romantic movement was an underground subculture movement that originated in the United Kingdom in the late 1970s. The movement emerged from the nightclub scene in London and Birmingham at venues such as Billy's and The Blitz. The New ...
and
synthpop Synth-pop (short for synthesizer pop; also called techno-pop; ) is a subgenre of new wave music that first became prominent in the late 1970s and features the synthesizer as the dominant musical instrument. It was prefigured in the 1960s a ...
sound with the release of their second album (1982). Despite the success of and the following album, ''Natrag na voz'' (1983), vocalist Nimani left the band. The rest of the band continued performing as Zana, changing several vocalists and gradually turning towards pop music. Other notable synthpop acts include bands
Laki Pingvini Laki Pingvini ( sr-Cyrl, Лаки Пингвини; transl. ''The Easy Penguins'') were a Serbian and Yugoslav rock band formed in Belgrade in 1979. Initially a part of the Yugoslav new wave scene, the band later turned towards synth-pop and p ...
,
D' Boys D' may resemble: * D' (''D'' + apostrophe), the contracted form of words in several languages (for example, a French indefinite article); for a full list, see the Wiktionary entry * Dʼ (''D'' + modifier apostrophe), Slavic notation for palata ...
and
Jakarta Jakarta (; , bew, Jakarte), officially the Special Capital Region of Jakarta ( id, Daerah Khusus Ibukota Jakarta) is the capital and largest city of Indonesia. Lying on the northwest coast of Java, the world's most populous island, Jakarta ...
. Laki Pingvini, despite working occasionally and with an unsteady lineup since 1979, gained mainstream popularity in 1983 with the debut EP ''Šizika''. Their debut album ''Muzika za mlade'' (1984) was also successful, however, their later releases did not repeat the previous success. The band disbanded in 1989, but had short reunions in 1994, 1995 and 2006. The duo
D' Boys D' may resemble: * D' (''D'' + apostrophe), the contracted form of words in several languages (for example, a French indefinite article); for a full list, see the Wiktionary entry * Dʼ (''D'' + modifier apostrophe), Slavic notation for palata ...
featuring a former
VIA Talas VIA Talas ( sr-cyr, ВИА Талас; trans. ''VIE The Wave'') was a SFRY, former Yugoslav New wave music, new wave band, notable as one of the participants of the ''Artistička radna akcija'' project. The band name featured the prefix ''VIA'' a ...
member Miško Petrović (also known as Miško Plavi) and a former West German
krautrock Krautrock (also called , German for ) is a broad genre of experimental rock Experimental rock, also called avant-rock, is a subgenre of rock music that pushes the boundaries of common composition and performance technique or which experiments ...
group
Jane Jane may refer to: * Jane (given name), a feminine given name * Jane (surname), related to the given name Film and television * ''Jane'' (1915 film), a silent comedy film directed by Frank Lloyd * ''Jane'' (2016 film), a South Korean drama fil ...
member Predrag Jovanović (also known as Peđa D'Boy), was formed in 1982. With the albums ''Ajd' se zezamo'' (1984) and ''Muvanje'' (1985), the band became popular with humorous lyrical style, featuring
kitsch Kitsch ( ; loanword from German) is a term applied to art and design that is perceived as naïve imitation, overly-eccentric, gratuitous, or of banal taste. The avant-garde opposed kitsch as melodramatic and superficial affiliation with ...
y and frivolous motifs dealing with nightlife, parties and girls. The band disbanded in 1985, with Jovanović forming a short lived Peđa D'Boy Band and later pursuing a solo career, and Petrović joining
Piloti Pilotis, or piers, are supports such as columns, pillars, or stilts that lift a building above ground or water. They are traditionally found in stilt and pole dwellings such as fishermen's huts in Asia and Scandinavia using wood, and in elev ...
and then
Ekatarina Velika Ekatarina Velika ( sr-Cyrl, Екатарина Велика, en, Catherine the Great), sometimes referred to as EKV for short, was a Yugoslav rock band from Belgrade, being one of the most successful and influential Yugoslav music acts. Initia ...
, and later taking up playing accordion and forming his Miško Plavi Band. The band
Jakarta Jakarta (; , bew, Jakarte), officially the Special Capital Region of Jakarta ( id, Daerah Khusus Ibukota Jakarta) is the capital and largest city of Indonesia. Lying on the northwest coast of Java, the world's most populous island, Jakarta ...
, formed in 1981, released their
synth-funk Post-disco (also called boogie, synth-funk, or electro-funk) is a term to describe an aftermath in popular music history circa 1979–1985, imprecisely beginning with an unprecedented backlash against disco music in the United States, leading to c ...
-oriented debut album ''Maske za dvoje'' in 1984, featuring several hits. However, the band moved towards
pop rock Pop rock (also typeset as pop/rock) is a fusion genre with an emphasis on professional songwriting and recording craft, and less emphasis on attitude than rock music. Originating in the late 1950s as an alternative to normal rock and roll, earl ...
on their second album ''Bomba u grudima'' (1986).


Funk rock (early 1980s – present)

Funk rock Funk rock is a fusion genre that mixes elements of funk and rock. James Brown and others declared that Little Richard and his mid-1950s road band, The Upsetters, were the first to put the funk in the rock and roll beat, with a biographer sta ...
in Serbia appeared in the 1980s with the bands
Jakarta Jakarta (; , bew, Jakarte), officially the Special Capital Region of Jakarta ( id, Daerah Khusus Ibukota Jakarta) is the capital and largest city of Indonesia. Lying on the northwest coast of Java, the world's most populous island, Jakarta ...
, Heroina and
Oktobar 1864 Oktobar 1864 ( sr-cyr, Октобар 1864; trans. ''October 1864'') was a Serbian and former Yugoslav rock band. Biography 1984 – 1992 Oktobar 1864 was formed in 1984 in Zemun by Goran Tomanović and have changed several line-ups before ...
. Formed in 1981, Jakarta released their
synth-funk Post-disco (also called boogie, synth-funk, or electro-funk) is a term to describe an aftermath in popular music history circa 1979–1985, imprecisely beginning with an unprecedented backlash against disco music in the United States, leading to c ...
-oriented debut album ''Maske za dvoje'' in 1984, featuring several hits. However, despite the success of the first album, the band moved towards
pop rock Pop rock (also typeset as pop/rock) is a fusion genre with an emphasis on professional songwriting and recording craft, and less emphasis on attitude than rock music. Originating in the late 1950s as an alternative to normal rock and roll, earl ...
on their second album ''Bomba u grudima'', which was not well received by the fans, and the band ceased to exist in 1986. The band Heroina, formed in 1982, featured
Zoran Janjetov Zoran Janjetov ( sr-cyr, Зоран Јањетов; born 23 June 1961) is a Serbian comics artist. Janjetov is among most prominent comics creators of former Yugoslavia, published worldwide. He is best known as the illustrator of '' Avant l'Incal'' ...
, at the time already a well-known comic book artist, as vocalist. Their debut and only studio album, ''Heroina'', released in 1985, featured a mixture of funk and
art rock Art rock is a subgenre of rock music that generally reflects a challenging or avant-garde approach to rock, or which makes use of modernist, experimental, or unconventional elements. Art rock aspires to elevate rock from entertainment to an art ...
. Oktobar 1864, formed in 1984 and featuring the female vocalist
Tanja Jovićević Tanja ( sr, Тања) is a feminine given name. It may refer to: Mononyms *''Tanja'' (born 1983), Russian-Estonian singer, also known as Tanja Mihhailova Given name *Tanja Andrejeva (born 1978), Macedonian handball player * Tanja Bogosavljevi ...
, released their debut self-titled album, released in 1987, featuring several hit songs. On their two following albums '' Igra bojama'' (1988), and '' Crni ples'' (1990), they successfully combined funk rock with
jazz Jazz is a music genre that originated in the African-American communities of New Orleans, Louisiana in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, with its roots in blues and ragtime. Since the 1920s Jazz Age, it has been recognized as a major ...
and pop elements. Despite the successful career, they disbanded in 1992 and Tanja Jovićević pursued a solo career as a jazz and funk musician. In 2005, she started collaborating with the
funk Funk is a music genre that originated in African American communities in the mid-1960s when musicians created a rhythmic, danceable new form of music through a mixture of various music genres that were popular among African Americans in the m ...
band Rich Bitch and with them, in 2008, released the album ''10''. During the 1980s, funk influences could also be found in the works of
Idoli Idoli ( sr-cyr, Идоли; trans. The Idols) were a Serbian new wave band from Belgrade. They are considered to be one of the most notable acts of the Yugoslav rock scene, and their 1982 album ''Odbrana i poslednji dani'' was on several occas ...
and
Disciplina Kičme Disciplin A Kitschme, originally known as Disciplina Kičme ( sr-Cyrl, Дисциплина Кичме, transl. ''Backbone Discipline''), was a Serbian and Yugoslav and, for a period of time, British rock band, formed in Belgrade in 1981. The b ...
. In the following decades funk rock was again popularized in Serbia with the appearance of
Deca Loših Muzičara Deca Loših Muzičara ( sr-cyr, Деца Лоших Музичара; transl. ''Bad Musicians' Children''), often abbreviated to DLM, are a funk rock band formed in Belgrade in 1988. They were one of the most prominent bands of the 1990s Serbian r ...
and
Plejboj Plejboj ( sr-cyr, Плејбој; transliteration for ''Playboy'') is a Serbian rock band from Belgrade. History Formation, rise to prominence (1992-1993) The band was formed in 1992 by former Euforija and Presing members, bassist Roman Gorš ...
in the 1990s. Formed in 1988, Deca Loših Muzičara played a combination of funk and rock, found on their albums ''Dobar dan'' (1992), and ''Prolećni dan'' (1995). In 1998, the band wrote music for the ''Virus'' theater play, in which the main character was played by the actor Ivan Jevtović, who, after the release of their 2005 studio album ''...gde cveta Samsung žut'', joined the band as a new vocalist, replacing Aleksandar Siljanovski. Plejboj, formed in 1992, combined funk and
soul In many religious and philosophical traditions, there is a belief that a soul is "the immaterial aspect or essence of a human being". Etymology The Modern English noun ''soul'' is derived from Old English ''sāwol, sāwel''. The earliest attes ...
with
ska Ska (; ) is a music genre that originated in Jamaica in the late 1950s and was the precursor to rocksteady and reggae. It combined elements of Caribbean mento and calypso with American jazz and rhythm and blues. Ska is characterized by a walki ...
, punk rock,
jazz fusion Jazz fusion (also known as fusion and progressive jazz) is a music genre that developed in the late 1960s when musicians combined jazz harmony and jazz improvisation, improvisation with rock music, funk, and rhythm and blues. Electric guitars, ...
and
pop rock Pop rock (also typeset as pop/rock) is a fusion genre with an emphasis on professional songwriting and recording craft, and less emphasis on attitude than rock music. Originating in the late 1950s as an alternative to normal rock and roll, earl ...
on their albums ''Sviraj dečko'' (1994) and ''Overdrive'' (1997).


Alternative rock (early 1980s–present)

The alternative rock scene developed in the early 1980s with the decline of the new wave scene, when a part of the new wave scene became the base of the future Serbian alternative rock scene. The pioneers of alternative rock can be found in
Novi Sad Novi Sad ( sr-Cyrl, Нови Сад, ; hu, Újvidék, ; german: Neusatz; see below for other names) is the second largest city in Serbia and the capital of the autonomous province of Vojvodina. It is located in the southern portion of the Pan ...
bands
Laboratorija Zvuka Laboratorija Zvuka ( sr-cyr, Лабораторија Звука; trans. ''Sound Laboratory''), credited as Laboratorija (''Laboratory'') only on some of their releases, was a Serbian and Yugoslav rock band formed in Novi Sad in 1977. Noted for t ...
, with their eccentric style,
erotic Eroticism () is a quality that causes sexual feelings, as well as a philosophical contemplation concerning the aesthetics of sexual desire, sensuality, and romantic love. That quality may be found in any form of artwork, including painting, scul ...
lyrics, unusual line ups and bizarre
circus A circus is a company of performers who put on diverse entertainment shows that may include clowns, acrobats, trained animals, trapeze acts, musicians, dancers, hoopers, tightrope walkers, jugglers, magicians, ventriloquists, and unicyclist ...
-inspired stage performances,
La Strada ''La strada'' () is a 1954 Italian drama film directed by Federico Fellini and co-written by Fellini, Tullio Pinelli and Ennio Flaiano. The film tells the story of Gelsomina, a simple-minded young woman (Giulietta Masina) bought from her mother ...
, featuring the poet Slobodan Tišma on guitar and vocals,
Obojeni Program Obojeni Program ( sr-cyr, Обојени Програм, trans. ''Colored Program'') is a Serbian alternative rock band from Novi Sad. The band are pioneers of the Serbian alternative rock scene. The first letters of the band's first seven studio a ...
, featuring former
Urbana Gerila Urbana Gerila ( sr-cyr, Урбана Герила, trans: ''urban area, Urban Guerrilla'') was a Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, former Yugoslav punk rock and New wave music, new wave band from Belgrade. The band is notable as the partic ...
vocalist Branislav "Kebra" Babić, and the girl band Boye whose debut album ''Dosta! Dosta! Dosta!'' (1988) was the first Serbian all-female release since the 1960s. In Belgrade, former
Šarlo Akrobata Šarlo Akrobata ( sr-Cyrl, Шарло Акробата; trans. ''Charlot the Acrobat'', a Serbo-Croatian language version of Charlie Chaplin's name in the Kingdom of Yugoslavia) were a seminal Serbian new wave/post-punk band from Belgrade. Short- ...
members
Dušan Kojić Dušan "Koja" Kojić ( sr-Cyrl, Душан Којић Која; born 14 June 1961) is a Serbian rock bassist, singer, and songwriter. He is the frontman of the Serbian Alternative rock band Disciplin A Kitschme (formerly known as Disciplina Kičm ...
and
Milan Mladenović Milan Mladenović ( sr-Cyrl, Милан Младеновић; 21 September 1958 – 5 November 1994) was a Serbian and Yugoslavian musician best known as the frontman of the Yugoslav art rock band Ekatarina Velika. Early life Born to Serbian f ...
formed two of the most notable bands of the alternative rock scene in Serbia,
Disciplina Kičme Disciplin A Kitschme, originally known as Disciplina Kičme ( sr-Cyrl, Дисциплина Кичме, transl. ''Backbone Discipline''), was a Serbian and Yugoslav and, for a period of time, British rock band, formed in Belgrade in 1981. The b ...
and
Ekatarina Velika Ekatarina Velika ( sr-Cyrl, Екатарина Велика, en, Catherine the Great), sometimes referred to as EKV for short, was a Yugoslav rock band from Belgrade, being one of the most successful and influential Yugoslav music acts. Initia ...
. Former Šarlo Akrobata bassist and vocalist Dušan Kojić Koja, formed the band
Disciplina Kičme Disciplin A Kitschme, originally known as Disciplina Kičme ( sr-Cyrl, Дисциплина Кичме, transl. ''Backbone Discipline''), was a Serbian and Yugoslav and, for a period of time, British rock band, formed in Belgrade in 1981. The b ...
in 1982. The band, in the initial period consisting only of Kojić and the drummer Srđan "Žika" Todorović, combining influences from punk rock,
funk Funk is a music genre that originated in African American communities in the mid-1960s when musicians created a rhythmic, danceable new form of music through a mixture of various music genres that were popular among African Americans in the m ...
,
jazz fusion Jazz fusion (also known as fusion and progressive jazz) is a music genre that developed in the late 1960s when musicians combined jazz harmony and jazz improvisation, improvisation with rock music, funk, and rhythm and blues. Electric guitars, ...
,
motown Motown Records is an American record label owned by the Universal Music Group. It was founded by Berry Gordy Jr. as Tamla Records on June 7, 1958, and incorporated as Motown Record Corporation on April 14, 1960. Its name, a portmanteau of ''moto ...
,
jungle A jungle is land covered with dense forest and tangled vegetation, usually in tropical climates. Application of the term has varied greatly during the past recent century. Etymology The word ''jungle'' originates from the Sanskrit word ''jaṅ ...
, and the works of
Jimi Hendrix James Marshall "Jimi" Hendrix (born Johnny Allen Hendrix; November 27, 1942September 18, 1970) was an American guitarist, singer and songwriter. Although his mainstream career spanned only four years, he is widely regarded as one of the most ...
. During the early 1990s, the band moved to London and changed the name to Discipline A Kitschme, performing with female vocalist, African-American singer Gofie Bebe, only to return to Serbia in the mid-2000s. Ekatarina Velika, having at first called Katarina II, featured former Šarlo Akrobata and Limunovo Drvo guitarists Milan Mladenović and
Dragomir Mihajlović Dragomir "Gagi" Mihajlović ( sr-Cyrl, Драгомир Михајловић "Гаги") is a Serbian rock guitarist. Musical career Mihajlović started his career as a guitarist in a progressive rock group Limunovo Drvo, which, formed in 1978 b ...
. Having released their
post-punk Post-punk (originally called new musick) is a broad genre of punk music that emerged in the late 1970s as musicians departed from punk's traditional elements and raw simplicity, instead adopting a variety of avant-garde sensibilities and non-roc ...
influenced records, the band moved to a more guitar-oriented
alternative rock Alternative rock, or alt-rock, is a category of rock music that emerged from the independent music underground of the 1970s and became widely popular in the 1990s. "Alternative" refers to the genre's distinction from Popular culture, mainstre ...
, found on their releases '' Ljubav'' (1987), ''
Samo par godina za nas ''Samo par godina za nas'' ( en, Only a Few Years Left for Us) is the fifth studio album by the Serbian rock band Ekatarina Velika, released in 1989. It is the last one recorded with Bojan Pečar as a bassist. The album was produced by Mitar " ...
'' (1989), and ''
Dum dum Dum Dum is a city and a municipality of Kolkata district in the Indian state of West Bengal. It is a part of Kolkata urban area and also a part of the area covered by Kolkata Metropolitan Development Authority (KMDA). Etymology During the 19th ...
'' (1991). Another prominent figure of the Serbian alternative rock scene,
Mitar Subotić Mitar Subotić "Suba" ( sr-Cyrl, Митар Суботић Суба; June 23, 1961 – November 2, 1999), also known as Rex Ilusivii (Latin for ''The King of Illusions''), was a Serbian-born musician and composer who was set to become one of Brazi ...
, also known as Rex Illusivi, a composer, producer and one of the pioneers of
electronic music Electronic music is a genre of music that employs electronic musical instruments, digital instruments, or circuitry-based music technology in its creation. It includes both music made using electronic and electromechanical means ( electroac ...
in Serbia, was closely associated with the works of Ekatarina Velika. In 1985, Subotić, Mladenović and
Goran Vejvoda Goran Vejvoda ( Serbian: Горан Вејвода, ''Goran Vejvoda'') (born 1956 in London, United Kingdom) is an English-born, French-based, Serbian media artist (musician, composer, sound and visual artist, performance artist, photographer, wri ...
started the short-lived project Dah Anđela. At the about same time, Subotić was closely associated with the work of the
art rock Art rock is a subgenre of rock music that generally reflects a challenging or avant-garde approach to rock, or which makes use of modernist, experimental, or unconventional elements. Art rock aspires to elevate rock from entertainment to an art ...
band Heorina, which featured comic book artist
Zoran Janjetov Zoran Janjetov ( sr-cyr, Зоран Јањетов; born 23 June 1961) is a Serbian comics artist. Janjetov is among most prominent comics creators of former Yugoslavia, published worldwide. He is best known as the illustrator of '' Avant l'Incal'' ...
on vocals. In 1990, Subotić moved to
São Paulo São Paulo (, ; Portuguese for 'Saint Paul') is the most populous city in Brazil, and is the capital of the state of São Paulo, the most populous and wealthiest Brazilian state, located in the country's Southeast Region. Listed by the GaWC a ...
, Brazil, where he worked as a musician and producer. In 1994, Subotić and Mladenović, with a group of Brazilian musicians, reactivated the project as Angel's Breath, releasing the album ''Angel's Breath'' in 1994. The second half of the 1980s brought the formation of the prominent alternative rock acts which gained the mainstream popularity with their works during the 1990s,
Van Gogh Vincent Willem van Gogh (; 30 March 185329 July 1890) was a Dutch Post-Impressionist painter who posthumously became one of the most famous and influential figures in Western art history. In a decade, he created about 2,100 artworks, inclu ...
and
Rambo Amadeus Antonije Pušić (; born 14 June 1963), known professionally as Rambo Amadeus () is a Montenegrin author. A self-titled "musician, poet, and media manipulator", he is a noted artist across the countries of former Yugoslavia. His songs combine ...
. Despite the fact that Van Gogh, formed by guitarist
Zvonimir Đukić Van Gogh is a Serbian and former Yugoslav rock band from Belgrade. The band was formed in 1986, and released their debut alternative rock-oriented self-titled album during the same year. During the 1990s, the band released a number of well-re ...
"Đule", released their debut self-titled album in 1986, which was also the year of their formation, it was in the early 1990s that the band which, having disbanded, and reformed in 1990, became successful with the albums ''
Svet je moj ''Svet je moj'' (trans. ''The World Is Mine'') is the second studio album from Serbian rock band Van Gogh, released in 1991. ''Svet je moj'' is the first Van Gogh album released after their 1990 reunion. Track listing All songs were written by Z ...
'' (1991), ''
Strast ''Strast'' (trans. ''Passion'') is the third studio album from Serbian rock band Van Gogh, released 1993. The album was produced by Saša Habić, except for the track "Strast" which was produced by Vladimir Barjakaterević. Track listing All s ...
'' (1993), '' Hodi'' (1996), and ''
Opasan ples ''Opasan ples'' (trans. ''Dangerous Dance'') is the fifth studio album from a Serbian rock band Van Gogh. Track listing #"Puls" ( S. Habić, S. Radivojević, Z. Đukić) – 4:08 #"Da li zna?" (Z. Đukić) – 3:22 #"Demagogija" (S. Radivojević ...
'' (1999). In the 2000s the band moved towards more commercial sound, and established themselves as one of the top mainstream acts on the Serbian rock scene. The
Belgrade Belgrade ( , ;, ; Names of European cities in different languages: B, names in other languages) is the Capital city, capital and List of cities in Serbia, largest city in Serbia. It is located at the confluence of the Sava and Danube rivers a ...
-based Montenegrin singer-songwriter Antonije Pušić, who works under the pseudonym Rambo Amadeus, with his debut album '' O tugo jesenja'' (1988), created the unique combination of different musical styles, including
jazz Jazz is a music genre that originated in the African-American communities of New Orleans, Louisiana in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, with its roots in blues and ragtime. Since the 1920s Jazz Age, it has been recognized as a major ...
, rock, and
folk music Folk music is a music genre that includes traditional folk music and the contemporary genre that evolved from the former during the 20th-century folk revival. Some types of folk music may be called world music. Traditional folk music has b ...
, which he called "
turbo folk In an internal combustion engine, a turbocharger (often called a turbo) is a forced induction device that is powered by the flow of exhaust gases. It uses this energy to compress the intake gas, forcing more air into the engine in order to pro ...
". The term was later used for the subgenere of the folk music from the
Balkans The Balkans ( ), also known as the Balkan Peninsula, is a geographical area in southeastern Europe with various geographical and historical definitions. The region takes its name from the Balkan Mountains that stretch throughout the who ...
. Pušić continued in the same manner on his later releases also making influence on the
Serbian hip hop Serbian hip hop refers to all genres of hip hop music in the Serbian language. The term is also sometimes used to refer to any hip hop music made by Serbs, including instrumental hip hop, as well as rap songs by members of the Serbian diaspora, ...
scene with the albums '' Hoćemo gusle'' (1989) and '' Psihološko propagandni komplet M-91'' (1991). The beginning of the 1990s featured the prominent alternative rock acts:
Dža ili Bu Dža ili Bu ( sr-cyr, Џа или Бу, Serbian language expression for ''to be, or not to be'') are a Serbian punk/alternative rock band formed in Belgrade in 1987. The band was one of the most prominent acts of the 1990s and 2000s Serbian rock ...
,
Darkwood Dub Darkwood Dub was a Serbian alternative rock band formed in Belgrade in 1988. In the years after the formation the band gradually grew to prominence on the Serbian rock scene, eventually becoming one of the most notable acts of the 1990s and 2000 ...
,
Presing Presing is a Serbian alternative rock band from Belgrade. Formed in 1990 and named after pressure defense in basketball (and some other team sports), Presing were, together with Darkwood Dub and Kanda, Kodža i Nebojša, representatives of the so ...
,
Kanda, Kodža i Nebojša Kanda, Kodža i Nebojša ( sr-cyr, Канда, Коџа и Небојша; , trans. ''Probably, Plenty and Daredevil'') is a Serbian alternative rock band from Belgrade. History Formation, first releases (1991–1995) The band, consisting of ...
, and Block Out from
Belgrade Belgrade ( , ;, ; Names of European cities in different languages: B, names in other languages) is the Capital city, capital and List of cities in Serbia, largest city in Serbia. It is located at the confluence of the Sava and Danube rivers a ...
,
Obojeni Program Obojeni Program ( sr-cyr, Обојени Програм, trans. ''Colored Program'') is a Serbian alternative rock band from Novi Sad. The band are pioneers of the Serbian alternative rock scene. The first letters of the band's first seven studio a ...
from
Novi Sad Novi Sad ( sr-Cyrl, Нови Сад, ; hu, Újvidék, ; german: Neusatz; see below for other names) is the second largest city in Serbia and the capital of the autonomous province of Vojvodina. It is located in the southern portion of the Pan ...
and
Bjesovi Bjesovi ( sr-cyr, Бјесови; trans. ''The Demons'') are a Serbian alternative rock band formed in Gornji Milanovac in 1989. The band was one of the most notable acts of the 1990s Serbian rock scene. Formed in 1989 by vocalists and songwriter ...
from
Gornji Milanovac Gornji Milanovac ( sr-Cyrl, Гoрњи Милановац, ) is a town and municipality located in the Moravica District of central Serbia. The population of the town is 24,216, while the population of the municipality is 44,406. The town was foun ...
. Dža ili Bu, formed in 1987, featuring a combination
hard rock Hard rock or heavy rock is a loosely defined subgenre of rock music typified by aggressive vocals and distorted electric guitars. Hard rock began in the mid-1960s with the garage, psychedelic and blues rock movements. Some of the earliest hard ...
and punk rock, with their 1992 album ''Hej mornari'' presented the political situation in the country with their ironical lyrical style. Darkwood Dub, formed in 1988, performed a combination of
electronic music Electronic music is a genre of music that employs electronic musical instruments, digital instruments, or circuitry-based music technology in its creation. It includes both music made using electronic and electromechanical means ( electroac ...
and rock.
Presing Presing is a Serbian alternative rock band from Belgrade. Formed in 1990 and named after pressure defense in basketball (and some other team sports), Presing were, together with Darkwood Dub and Kanda, Kodža i Nebojša, representatives of the so ...
, formed in 1990, combined
post rock Post Rock may refer to: * Post-rock, a form of experimental rock music * Post Rock (South Georgia) Elsehul (also Paddocks Cove, Else Cove, Elsie Bay, Elsa Bay, Else's Hole, and Else Bay) is a bay along the north coast of South Georgia Island in th ...
,
soul In many religious and philosophical traditions, there is a belief that a soul is "the immaterial aspect or essence of a human being". Etymology The Modern English noun ''soul'' is derived from Old English ''sāwol, sāwel''. The earliest attes ...
,
free jazz Free jazz is an experimental approach to jazz improvisation that developed in the late 1950s and early 1960s when musicians attempted to change or break down jazz conventions, such as regular tempos, tones, and chord changes. Musicians during ...
and
krautrock Krautrock (also called , German for ) is a broad genre of experimental rock Experimental rock, also called avant-rock, is a subgenre of rock music that pushes the boundaries of common composition and performance technique or which experiments ...
.
Kanda, Kodža i Nebojša Kanda, Kodža i Nebojša ( sr-cyr, Канда, Коџа и Небојша; , trans. ''Probably, Plenty and Daredevil'') is a Serbian alternative rock band from Belgrade. History Formation, first releases (1991–1995) The band, consisting of ...
, formed in 1991, performed a combination of rock, jazz and
reggae Reggae () is a music genre that originated in Jamaica in the late 1960s. The term also denotes the modern popular music of Jamaica and its diaspora. A 1968 single by Toots and the Maytals, " Do the Reggay" was the first popular song to use ...
. Block Out, formed in 1991, initially inspired by various diverse bands and
grunge Grunge (sometimes referred to as the Seattle sound) is an alternative rock genre and subculture that emerged during the in the American Pacific Northwest state of Washington, particularly in Seattle and nearby towns. Grunge fuses elements of p ...
/
hard rock Hard rock or heavy rock is a loosely defined subgenre of rock music typified by aggressive vocals and distorted electric guitars. Hard rock began in the mid-1960s with the garage, psychedelic and blues rock movements. Some of the earliest hard ...
-oriented, after the release of ''
Crno, belo i srebrno ''Crno, belo i srebrno'' (trans. ''Black, White and Silver'') is the debut album by the Serbian alternative rock band Block Out, released by ITV Melomarket records in 1994. The album was rereleased in 2000 by Metropolis records with the bonus tra ...
'' (1994) started to move towards a darker, heavier atmosphere and sound under
Nikola Vranjković Nikola () is a given name which, like Nicholas, is a version of the Greek ''Nikolaos'' (Νικόλαος). It is common as a masculine given name in the South Slavic countries (Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, North Macedonia, Montene ...
's songwriting, combining elements of
doom metal Doom metal is an extreme subgenre of heavy metal music that typically uses slower tempos, low-tuned guitars and a much "thicker" or "heavier" sound than other heavy metal genres.K. Kahn-Harris, ''Extreme Metal: Music and Culture on the Edge'' ...
,
psychedelic rock Psychedelic rock is a rock music Music genre, genre that is inspired, influenced, or representative of psychedelia, psychedelic culture, which is centered on perception-altering hallucinogenic drugs. The music incorporated new electronic sound ...
, hard rock and punk rock with social-related lyrics. Obojeni Program, although formed in 1980, released their debut album '' Najvažnije je biti zdrav'' in 1990. Bjesovi, formed in 1989, combining grunge, hard rock, psychedelic rock and doom metal, released their debut ''
U osvit zadnjeg dana ''U osvit zadnjeg dana'' (trans. ''At the Break of the Last Day'') is the debut album by the Serbian rock band Bjesovi, released in 1991. Track listing All tracks by Goran Marić and Zoran Marinković except where noted. # "Zašto ovo ne bi bil ...
'' in 1991, but achieved success with the release of their second, self-titled album, released in 1992. The mid-1990s featured the disbandment of
Ekatarina Velika Ekatarina Velika ( sr-Cyrl, Екатарина Велика, en, Catherine the Great), sometimes referred to as EKV for short, was a Yugoslav rock band from Belgrade, being one of the most successful and influential Yugoslav music acts. Initia ...
, and the formation of the bands Supernaut,
357 __NOTOC__ Year 357 ( CCCLVII) was a common year starting on Wednesday (link will display the full calendar) of the Julian calendar. At the time, it was known as the Year of the Consulship of Constantius and Iulianus (or, less frequently, year ...
,
Jarboli Jarboli ( sr-cyr, Јарболи; trans. '' The Masts'') is a Serbian alternative rock band from Belgrade. History 1990s The band was formed in 1991 by Daniel Kovač (guitar, vocals), Boris Mladenović (guitar, vocals), Žolt Kovač (bass gu ...
,
Kristali Kristali ( sr-Cyrl, Кристали; trans. ''The Crystals'') are a Serbian pop rock band from Belgrade. History 1990s The band was formed in January 1993, by bassist and vocalist Dejan Gvozden and guitarist Željko Markuš, who, having perf ...
and
E-Play E-Play are a Serbian alternative rock band from Belgrade. History The band was formed in 1997, initially having several lineup changes before the lineup consisting of Biljana Todorovski (guitar, vocals), Maja Cvetković (bass guitar, vocals) and ...
. The band Supernaut, featuring former
Radnička Kontrola Radnička Kontrola ( sr-cyr, Радничка Контрола, trans. ''Workers' Control'') was a former Yugoslav punk rock/ new wave band from Belgrade, active in the late 1970s and early 1980s and notable for its appearance on the compilation ...
member
Srđan Marković Srđan (Срђан); ; ; ) is a Serbo-Croatian masculine given name, usually written as ''Srdjan'' when the letter đ is unavailable. It is usually considered to be a form of the name Sergius, honoring the Christian martyr and saint Sergius. In ...
, influenced by
Suicide Suicide is the act of intentionally causing one's own death. Mental disorders (including depression, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, personality disorders, anxiety disorders), physical disorders (such as chronic fatigue syndrome), and s ...
, wrote plays and performed a combination of art exhibitions, theater plays and rock concerts. 357 performed a combination of
hard rock Hard rock or heavy rock is a loosely defined subgenre of rock music typified by aggressive vocals and distorted electric guitars. Hard rock began in the mid-1960s with the garage, psychedelic and blues rock movements. Some of the earliest hard ...
,
rap rock Rap rock is a fusion genre that fuses vocal and instrumental elements of hip hop with various forms of rock. Rap rock's most popular subgenres include rap metal and rapcore, which include heavy metal and hardcore punk-oriented influences, resp ...
, Serbian
folk Folk or Folks may refer to: Sociology *Nation *People * Folklore ** Folk art ** Folk dance ** Folk hero ** Folk music *** Folk metal *** Folk punk *** Folk rock ** Folk religion * Folk taxonomy Arts, entertainment, and media * Folk Plus or Fol ...
and
reggae Reggae () is a music genre that originated in Jamaica in the late 1960s. The term also denotes the modern popular music of Jamaica and its diaspora. A 1968 single by Toots and the Maytals, " Do the Reggay" was the first popular song to use ...
, combined with socially critical lyrical style. Jarboli, a guitar-oriented club band formed in 1993, independently released the prominent album ''Čizmanoga'', but after the album release, moved to a more softer rock sound, found on their later releases. Kristali, like Jarboli, were formed in 1993, and combined the simple
pop rock Pop rock (also typeset as pop/rock) is a fusion genre with an emphasis on professional songwriting and recording craft, and less emphasis on attitude than rock music. Originating in the late 1950s as an alternative to normal rock and roll, earl ...
song structures backed with
brass Brass is an alloy of copper (Cu) and zinc (Zn), in proportions which can be varied to achieve different mechanical, electrical, and chemical properties. It is a substitutional alloy: atoms of the two constituents may replace each other with ...
sections, making a communicative musical performance found on their releases ''Kristali'' and ''Dolina ljubavi''. E-Play, featuring a majority of female members, combined alternative rock with various electronic music genres. The 2000s brought new alternative rock acts, large number of them usually denoted as Nova srpska scena (''New Serbian Scene'').


Oi!, ska, hardcore and pop punk (late 1980s–present)

The late 1980s brought a variety of punk rock bands and genres on the Serbian scene and the
Oi! Oi! is a subgenre of punk rock that originated in the United Kingdom in the late 1970s. The music and its associated subculture had the goal of bringing together punks, skinheads, and other disaffected working-class youth. The movement was ...
,
ska Ska (; ) is a music genre that originated in Jamaica in the late 1950s and was the precursor to rocksteady and reggae. It combined elements of Caribbean mento and calypso with American jazz and rhythm and blues. Ska is characterized by a walki ...
,
hardcore punk Hardcore punk (also known as simply hardcore) is a punk rock music genre and subculture that originated in the late 1970s. It is generally faster, harder, and more aggressive than other forms of punk rock. Its roots can be traced to earlier punk ...
and
pop punk Pop punk (or punk pop) is a rock music genre that combines elements of punk rock with power pop or pop. It is defined for its emphasis on classic pop songcraft, as well as adolescent and anti-suburbia themes, and is distinguished from other pu ...
bands emerged from the local demo scenes to the major record labels and nationwide popularity. The Oi! scene, with
Ritam Nereda Ritam Nereda (Serbian Cyrillic: Ритам Нереда; trans. ''Rhythm of Disorder'') is a Serbian and Yugoslav oi!/ punk rock band from Novi Sad. History 1980s The band was formed in 1986, by Boban Petronić (bass guitar, vocals), who pr ...
and
Direktori Direktori ( sr-cyr, Директори; trans. ''The Executives'') is a Serbian oi! punk/ska group from Belgrade. History 1989 – 1999 During the spring of 1989, vocalist Nebojša Drakula, with the former Varšavski Geto member Miroslav P ...
, quickly found the way to the fans with their political-related lyrics, aggressive music and effective live performances. Direktori, unlike Ritam Nereda, were also turned towards
ska Ska (; ) is a music genre that originated in Jamaica in the late 1950s and was the precursor to rocksteady and reggae. It combined elements of Caribbean mento and calypso with American jazz and rhythm and blues. Ska is characterized by a walki ...
music, which became very popular on the Serbian scene. Even though ska appeared in the early 1980s with the band
Kontraritam Kontraritam ( sr-cyr, Контраритам; trans. ''Counterrhythm'') was a former Yugoslav 2 Tone/ska band from Novi Sad. History The band was formed in Autumn 1980 by former Gomila G members Žolt Horvat (guitar), Robert "Robi" Radić (drums ...
, formed in 1980, which released only one album before disbanding in 1983, it was only with the bands like
Plejboj Plejboj ( sr-cyr, Плејбој; transliteration for ''Playboy'') is a Serbian rock band from Belgrade. History Formation, rise to prominence (1992-1993) The band was formed in 1992 by former Euforija and Presing members, bassist Roman Gorš ...
and
Familija Familija ( sr-cyr, Фамилија; trans. ''Family'') was a Serbian rock supergroup from Belgrade, consisting of Vampiri, Košava and U Škripcu members. The band's musical style was a combination of ska, pop, ethnic and rock music. History T ...
that it gained a vast number of fans. Plejboj, formed in 1992, gained popularity with their combination of punk rock, ska,
soul In many religious and philosophical traditions, there is a belief that a soul is "the immaterial aspect or essence of a human being". Etymology The Modern English noun ''soul'' is derived from Old English ''sāwol, sāwel''. The earliest attes ...
,
funk Funk is a music genre that originated in African American communities in the mid-1960s when musicians created a rhythmic, danceable new form of music through a mixture of various music genres that were popular among African Americans in the m ...
,
jazz fusion Jazz fusion (also known as fusion and progressive jazz) is a music genre that developed in the late 1960s when musicians combined jazz harmony and jazz improvisation, improvisation with rock music, funk, and rhythm and blues. Electric guitars, ...
, and
pop rock Pop rock (also typeset as pop/rock) is a fusion genre with an emphasis on professional songwriting and recording craft, and less emphasis on attitude than rock music. Originating in the late 1950s as an alternative to normal rock and roll, earl ...
, found on their albums ''Sviraj dečko'' (1994) and ''Overdrive'' (1997). Familija, formed in 1994, gained popularity with their ska/pop rock songs with humorous lyrics found on their albums ''
Narodno pozorište ''Narodno pozorište'' is the debut album of the Serbian rock supergroup Familija, released in 1995. In 2021 the album was polled 99th on the list of 100 best Serbian rock albums published after the breakup of SFR Yugoslavia. The list was publis ...
'' (1994) and ''
Seljačka buna ''Seljačka buna'' is the second and the last album by the Serbian rock supergroup Familija Familija ( sr-cyr, Фамилија; trans. ''Family'') was a Serbian rock supergroup from Belgrade, consisting of Vampiri, Košava and U Škripcu mem ...
'' (1998). However, despite the success of the releases, they disbanded in 1998. In 2003, the band's former vocalist Dejan Pejović formed the band
The Dibidus The Dibidus is a Serbian pop rock/ska band formed in Belgrade in 2001. The Dibidus was formed by former Vampiri and Familija member Dejan Pejović "Peja", former Deca Loših Muzičara member Jova Jović (guitar) and former Hush member Milan Sari ...
, whose albums ''The Dibidus'' (2003) and ''Trenerka i sako'' (2011) were stylistically similar to the works of Familija. Hardcore punk scene, founded in the late 1980s, gained the mainstream popularity in the 1990s with the bands
Sick Mother Fakers Sick Mother Fakers (''Fakers'' being transliteration for ''Fuckers''), also known as SMF for short, is a Serbian hardcore punk/crossover thrash band from Belgrade. History 1980s The band was formed in 1989 as a side project of musicians, who ...
from Belgrade, which were one of the pioneers of the genre in Serbia, Ništa Ali Logopedi from
Šabac Šabac (Serbian Cyrillic: Шабац, ) is a city and the administrative centre of the Mačva District in western Serbia. The traditional centre of the fertile Mačva region, Šabac is located on the right banks of the river Sava. , the city p ...
, which featured
accordion Accordions (from 19th-century German ''Akkordeon'', from ''Akkord''—"musical chord, concord of sounds") are a family of box-shaped musical instruments of the bellows-driven free-reed aerophone type (producing sound as air flows past a reed ...
-oriented
Serbian folk music Serbian folk music ( sr, српска народна музика / ''srpska narodna muzika'') refers to, in the narrow sense, the "older" style of Serbian folk music, predating the "newer" ( sr, link=no, новокомпонована / ''novokomp ...
combined with hardcore punk, the
rapcore Rap rock is a fusion genre that fuses vocal and instrumental elements of hip hop with various forms of rock. Rap rock's most popular subgenres include rap metal and rapcore, which include heavy metal and hardcore punk-oriented influences, resp ...
band
Sunshine Sunlight is a portion of the electromagnetic radiation given off by the Sun, in particular infrared, visible, and ultraviolet light. On Earth, sunlight is scattered and filtered through Earth's atmosphere, and is obvious as daylight when th ...
from Belgrade, which combined rap and hardcore punk with sexually overt lyrics, and the hardcore punk/
metalcore Metalcore (also known as metallic hardcore) is a fusion music genre that combines elements of extreme metal and hardcore punk. As with other styles blending metal and hardcore, such as crust punk and grindcore, metalcore is noted for its use of ...
band
Overdrive Overdrive may refer to: Organizations * OverDrive, Inc., a digital distributor of entertainment media ** OverDrive Media Console, a media player developed by OverDrive, Inc. * Overdrive PC, a subsidiary of Velocity Micro Technology * Overdrive ...
from
Zrenjanin Zrenjanin ( sr-Cyrl, Зрењанин, ; hu, Nagybecskerek; ro, Becicherecu Mare; sk, Zreňanin; german: Großbetschkerek) is a List of cities in Serbia, city and the administrative center of the Central Banat District in the autonomous pro ...
. One of the most popular bands of the genre was
Eyesburn Eyesburn is a Serbian band that combines hardcore punk and crossover thrash with reggae music. History 1994–2007 The band was formed in 1994, and the original line-up featured former Dead Ideas guitarist Nemanja "Kojot" Kojić (guitar, b ...
, a
brass Brass is an alloy of copper (Cu) and zinc (Zn), in proportions which can be varied to achieve different mechanical, electrical, and chemical properties. It is a substitutional alloy: atoms of the two constituents may replace each other with ...
-oriented combination of hardcore punk and
reggae Reggae () is a music genre that originated in Jamaica in the late 1960s. The term also denotes the modern popular music of Jamaica and its diaspora. A 1968 single by Toots and the Maytals, " Do the Reggay" was the first popular song to use ...
music. The band's growing popularity with the releases of ''Fool Control'' /2000) and later ''Solid'' (2003), gave them the opportunity to tour Europe with
Soulfly Soulfly is an American heavy metal band formed in Los Angeles, California, in 1997, and later based out of Phoenix, Arizona. Soulfly is led by former Sepultura frontman Max Cavalera, who formed the band after he left the Brazilian group in 199 ...
. The band disbanded in 2005, but reunited in 2011. Pop punk scene in Serbia mainly developed in the 1990s, due to the popularity of the bands
Oružjem Protivu Otmičara Oružjem Protivu Otmičara (Serbian Cyrillic: Оружјем Противу Отмичара, trans. ''With Weapons Against Kidnappers'') is a Serbian pop punk/power pop band from Zrenjanin. History 1990s The band was formed by two teenage fr ...
, Six Pack and Čovek Bez Sluha. Oružjem Protivu Otmičara from Zrenjanin are one of the pioneers of the genre in
Serbia Serbia (, ; Serbian language, Serbian: , , ), officially the Republic of Serbia (Serbian language, Serbian: , , ), is a landlocked country in Southeast Europe, Southeastern and Central Europe, situated at the crossroads of the Pannonian Bas ...
and their 1996 album ''BarbieCue'' became one of the most popular releases of the 1990s. Six Pack and Čovek Bez Sluha, the two bands currently having the same vocalist Milan "Miki" Radojević, the former from
Smederevska Palanka Smederevska Palanka ( sr-cyr, Смедеревска Паланка, ) is a town and municipality located in the Podunavlje District and the geographical region of Šumadija. According to the 2011 census, the town has 23,601, while the municipality ...
, and the latter from
Kragujevac Kragujevac ( sr-Cyrl, Крагујевац, ) is the fourth largest city in Serbia and the administrative centre of the Šumadija District. It is the historical centre of the geographical region of Šumadija in central Serbia, and is situated on ...
, moved from local prominence to performing abroad and having their recordings released by foreign record labels. The popularity of the genre continued in the 2000s (decade) with the work of the above-mentioned bands and the newly formed bands Lude Krawe, formed in 1998, Super s Karamelom, featuring two female vocalists, formed in 2003, and
Strip Strip or Stripping may refer to: Places * Aouzou Strip, a strip of land following the northern border of Chad that had been claimed and occupied by Libya * Caprivi Strip, narrow strip of land extending from the Okavango Region of Namibia to ...
, initially a project by Serbian
graphic Graphics () are visual images or designs on some surface, such as a wall, canvas, screen, paper, or stone, to inform, illustrate, or entertain. In contemporary usage, it includes a pictorial representation of data, as in design and manufacture, ...
and comic book artists, which combines graphic art with
power pop Power pop (also typeset as powerpop) is a form of pop rock based on the early music of bands such as the Who, the Beatles, the Beach Boys, and the Byrds. It typically incorporates melodic hooks, vocal harmonies, an energetic performance, and ch ...
and
pop punk Pop punk (or punk pop) is a rock music genre that combines elements of punk rock with power pop or pop. It is defined for its emphasis on classic pop songcraft, as well as adolescent and anti-suburbia themes, and is distinguished from other pu ...
, formed in 2005.


Industrial rock (late 1980s–present)

Despite being a part of the developed Yugoslav
industrial rock Industrial rock is a fusion genre that fuses industrial music and rock music. It initially originated in the 1970s, and drew influence from early experimental and industrial acts such as Cromagnon, Throbbing Gristle, Einstürzende Neubauten a ...
scene, Serbian scene gave a small number of notable acts. One of the most notable acts was the band VIVIsect from
Novi Sad Novi Sad ( sr-Cyrl, Нови Сад, ; hu, Újvidék, ; german: Neusatz; see below for other names) is the second largest city in Serbia and the capital of the autonomous province of Vojvodina. It is located in the southern portion of the Pan ...
, which was formed in 1989 and released two cassette albums. Early 1990s brought acts like Overdose from
Belgrade Belgrade ( , ;, ; Names of European cities in different languages: B, names in other languages) is the Capital city, capital and List of cities in Serbia, largest city in Serbia. It is located at the confluence of the Sava and Danube rivers a ...
and also Katarza from
Novi Sad Novi Sad ( sr-Cyrl, Нови Сад, ; hu, Újvidék, ; german: Neusatz; see below for other names) is the second largest city in Serbia and the capital of the autonomous province of Vojvodina. It is located in the southern portion of the Pan ...
, both whom combined industrial rock with elements of
alternative rock Alternative rock, or alt-rock, is a category of rock music that emerged from the independent music underground of the 1970s and became widely popular in the 1990s. "Alternative" refers to the genre's distinction from Popular culture, mainstre ...
and
crossover Crossover may refer to: Entertainment Albums and songs * ''Cross Over'' (Dan Peek album) * ''Crossover'' (Dirty Rotten Imbeciles album), 1987 * ''Crossover'' (Intrigue album) * ''Crossover'' (Hitomi Shimatani album) * ''Crossover'' (Yoshino ...
. Another two notable 1990s acts were the bands Retromind from
Kruševac Kruševac ( sr-cyr, Крушевац, , tr, Alacahisar or Kruşevca) is a city and the administrative center of the Rasina District in central Serbia. It is located in the valley of West Morava, on Rasina river. According to the 2011 census, t ...
and Pure from
Jagodina ) , image_shield = Jagodina-grb.png , image_flag = FLAG Jagodina.png , image_skyline = , image_caption = , image_map = File:Municipalities of Serbia Jagodina.png , map_caption = Location of Jagodina w ...
, both combining
Ministry Ministry may refer to: Government * Ministry (collective executive), the complete body of government ministers under the leadership of a prime minister * Ministry (government department), a department of a government Religion * Christian ...
-like
industrial metal Industrial metal is the fusion of heavy metal and industrial music, typically employing repeating metal guitar riffs, sampling, synthesizer or sequencer lines, and distorted vocals. Prominent industrial metal acts include Ministry, Nine In ...
with rock music. The late 1990s brought new industrial rock acts into the scene, such as DreDDup and Žexon 5 from
Novi Sad Novi Sad ( sr-Cyrl, Нови Сад, ; hu, Újvidék, ; german: Neusatz; see below for other names) is the second largest city in Serbia and the capital of the autonomous province of Vojvodina. It is located in the southern portion of the Pan ...
and Klopka za Pionira from
Pančevo Pančevo (Serbian Cyrillic: Панчево, ; german: Pantschowa; hu, Pancsova; ro, Panciova; sk, Pánčevo) is a city and the administrative center of the South Banat District in the autonomous province of Vojvodina, Serbia. It is located on ...
. DreDDup released seven albums, did several European tours and also collaborated with cult Slovenian industrial group Borghesia. The 2000s brought new bands to the scene: Youth A.D. from
Srbobran Srbobran ( sr, Србобран, ; hu, Szenttamás) is a town and municipality located in the South Bačka District of the autonomous province of Vojvodina, Serbia. The town is located on the north bank of the Danube-Tisa-Danube canal. The town ...
, Syphil from
Sombor Sombor ( sr-Cyrl, Сомбор, ; hu, Zombor; rue, Зомбор, Zombor) is a List of cities in Serbia, city and the administrative center of the West Bačka District in the autonomous province of Vojvodina, Serbia. The city has a total popula ...
, Figurative Theatre and Pornhouse from
Niš Niš (; sr-Cyrl, Ниш, ; names in other languages) is the third largest city in Serbia and the administrative center of the Nišava District. It is located in southern part of Serbia. , the city proper has a population of 183,164, while ...
. Several notable acts incorporated industrial rock elements into their sound:
grindcore Grindcore is an extreme fusion genre of heavy metal and hardcore punk that originated in the mid-1980s, drawing inspiration from abrasive-sounding musical styles, such as thrashcore, crust punk, hardcore punk, extreme metal, and industrial. G ...
band Urgh!, with their 2001 album ''Sumo'', alternative rock band
Dža ili Bu Dža ili Bu ( sr-cyr, Џа или Бу, Serbian language expression for ''to be, or not to be'') are a Serbian punk/alternative rock band formed in Belgrade in 1987. The band was one of the most prominent acts of the 1990s and 2000s Serbian rock ...
, with their 2007 album ''Ultra muk'', and alternative rock act, Supernaut, drawing on many different musical influences, featured a kind of
experimental An experiment is a procedure carried out to support or refute a hypothesis, or determine the efficacy or likelihood of something previously untried. Experiments provide insight into cause-and-effect by demonstrating what outcome occurs when ...
variant of industrial rock.


Grunge and post-grunge (early 1990s–present)

The bands Block Out from
Belgrade Belgrade ( , ;, ; Names of European cities in different languages: B, names in other languages) is the Capital city, capital and List of cities in Serbia, largest city in Serbia. It is located at the confluence of the Sava and Danube rivers a ...
and
Bjesovi Bjesovi ( sr-cyr, Бјесови; trans. ''The Demons'') are a Serbian alternative rock band formed in Gornji Milanovac in 1989. The band was one of the most notable acts of the 1990s Serbian rock scene. Formed in 1989 by vocalists and songwriter ...
from
Gornji Milanovac Gornji Milanovac ( sr-Cyrl, Гoрњи Милановац, ) is a town and municipality located in the Moravica District of central Serbia. The population of the town is 24,216, while the population of the municipality is 44,406. The town was foun ...
were the representatives of
grunge Grunge (sometimes referred to as the Seattle sound) is an alternative rock genre and subculture that emerged during the in the American Pacific Northwest state of Washington, particularly in Seattle and nearby towns. Grunge fuses elements of p ...
on the Serbian rock scene. After their debut album ''
Crno, belo i srebrno ''Crno, belo i srebrno'' (trans. ''Black, White and Silver'') is the debut album by the Serbian alternative rock band Block Out, released by ITV Melomarket records in 1994. The album was rereleased in 2000 by Metropolis records with the bonus tra ...
'' (1994), the early
hard rock Hard rock or heavy rock is a loosely defined subgenre of rock music typified by aggressive vocals and distorted electric guitars. Hard rock began in the mid-1960s with the garage, psychedelic and blues rock movements. Some of the earliest hard ...
concept of Block Out started to move towards a darker, heavier atmosphere and sound under
Nikola Vranjković Nikola () is a given name which, like Nicholas, is a version of the Greek ''Nikolaos'' (Νικόλαος). It is common as a masculine given name in the South Slavic countries (Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, North Macedonia, Montene ...
's songwriting. The followup ''
Godina sirotinjske zabave ''Godina sirotinjske zabave'' (trans. ''A Year of Poverty Amusement'') is the second album by the Serbian alternative rock band Block Out, released by Metropolis Records in 1996. The album was rereleased by Multimedia records in 2004. Track lis ...
'' (1996) featured the material written during the six years of the band existence, and the lyrical themes were mainly oriented around the end of
socialism Socialism is a left-wing economic philosophy and movement encompassing a range of economic systems characterized by the dominance of social ownership of the means of production as opposed to private ownership. As a term, it describes the e ...
in Serbia. With the release of the next album, ''
San koji srećan sanjaš sam ''San koji srećan sanjaš sam'' (trans. ''A Dream You Happily Dream Alone'') is the third album by the Serbian alternative rock band Block Out, released by Metropolis Records in 1998. Considered to be one of the best Serbian rock albums ever. Som ...
'' (1998), the band moved from grunge sound towards
art rock Art rock is a subgenre of rock music that generally reflects a challenging or avant-garde approach to rock, or which makes use of modernist, experimental, or unconventional elements. Art rock aspires to elevate rock from entertainment to an art ...
and
alternative rock Alternative rock, or alt-rock, is a category of rock music that emerged from the independent music underground of the 1970s and became widely popular in the 1990s. "Alternative" refers to the genre's distinction from Popular culture, mainstre ...
. Bjesovi released their debut ''
U osvit zadnjeg dana ''U osvit zadnjeg dana'' (trans. ''At the Break of the Last Day'') is the debut album by the Serbian rock band Bjesovi, released in 1991. Track listing All tracks by Goran Marić and Zoran Marinković except where noted. # "Zašto ovo ne bi bil ...
'' in 1991, but achieved success with the release of their second, self-titled album (1994). Achieving success with the album, the band turned towards religiously oriented lyrics and music on their following album ''
Sve što vidim i sve što znam ''Sve što vidim i sve što znam'' (Serbian Cyrillic: ''Све што видим и све што знам''; trans. ''All I See and All I Know'') is the third album by the Serbian rock band Bjesovi, released in 1997. Track listing All written b ...
'' (1997). After the album release, Bjesovi disbanded, after which the band member Goran Marić became one of the originators of the
Christian rock Christian rock is a form of rock music that features lyrics focusing on matters of Christian faith, often with an emphasis on Jesus, typically performed by self-proclaimed Christian individuals. The extent to which their lyrics are explicitly Ch ...
project ''
Pesme iznad istoka i zapada ''Pesme iznad istoka i zapada'' (trans. ''Songs above East and West'') is an album comprising the works of various artists, released in 2001, featuring thirteen songs recorded by Serbian Rock music, rock musicians based on the poems of Nikolaj Veli ...
'' (2001). The band reformed with a new lineup in 2000 and released ''
Bolje ti ''Bolje ti'' is the fourth studio album by the Serbian rock band Bjesovi Bjesovi ( sr-cyr, Бјесови; trans. ''The Demons'') are a Serbian alternative rock band formed in Gornji Milanovac in 1989. The band was one of the most notable acts of ...
'' in 2009. The 2000s featured three notable
post-grunge Post-grunge is a derivative of grunge that has a less abrasive or intense tone than traditional grunge. Originally, the term was used almost pejoratively to label mid-1990s rock bands such as Bush (British band), Bush, Candlebox and Collective So ...
bands, Night Shift, Euforia, and Broken Strings. Night Shift, even though formed in 1991, released their debut album '' Undercovers'' in 2002. The album, which featured covers of songs by various rock and pop artists, was well-accepted by the audience and the critics, and the band moved towards writing their own songs, releasing their second album '' Bez zaklona'' in 2009. Euforia, formed in 1999 and mainly influenced by
Nirvana ( , , ; sa, निर्वाण} ''nirvāṇa'' ; Pali: ''nibbāna''; Prakrit: ''ṇivvāṇa''; literally, "blown out", as in an oil lampRichard Gombrich, ''Theravada Buddhism: A Social History from Ancient Benāres to Modern Colombo.' ...
, released their debut, self-titled album in 2005. The band single "Blokovi" was pronounced the Single of the Year 2005 on the
B92 RTV B92, or simply B92 (stylized as b92, formerly BΞ92 and B 92), is a Serbian news station and broadcaster with national coverage headquartered in Belgrade. Founded in 1989 as radio station, it was a rare outlet for Western news and informat ...
annual singles top list. The band continued performing, and in 2008 released their second album ''2''. Broken Strings, starting as a
Pearl Jam Pearl Jam is an American rock band formed in Seattle, Washington, in 1990. The band's lineup consists of founding members Jeff Ament (bass guitar), Stone Gossard (rhythm guitar), Mike McCready (lead guitar), and Eddie Vedder (lead vocals, guita ...
tribute band, moved towards writing their own material. Winning the 39th
Gitarijada festival Gitarijada ( sr-Cyrl, Гитаријада, lit=Guitar Fest) is a music festival held in Zaječar, Serbia. Held since 1966, Gitarijada is one of the longest lasting festivals in Serbia and in South Eastern Europe and the largest festival of you ...
in
Zaječar Zaječar ( sr-Cyrl, Зајечар, ; ro, Zaicear or ) is a city and the administrative center of the Zaječar District in eastern Serbia. According to the 2011 census, the city administrative area has a population of 59,461 inhabitants. Zaječar ...
, the band released their debut album ''Svaki trenutak ostaje...'' in 2007.


Britpop (early 1990s – present)

Britpop Britpop was a mid-1990s British-based music culture movement that emphasised Britishness. It produced brighter, catchier alternative rock, partly in reaction to the popularity of the darker lyrical themes of the US-led grunge music and to the ...
appeared in Serbia with the band
Eva Braun Eva Anna Paula Hitler (; 6 February 1912 – 30 April 1945) was a German photographer who was the longtime companion and briefly the wife of Adolf Hitler. Braun met Hitler in Munich when she was a 17-year-old assistant and model for his ...
from
Bečej Bečej ( sr-cyrl, Бечеј, ; hu, Óbecse, ) is a town and municipality located in the South Bačka District of the autonomous province of Vojvodina, Serbia. The town has a population of 23,895, while the municipality has 37,351 inhabitants. It ...
, and the band's faction Popcycle. Eva Braun was formed in 1990 by Goran Vasović, Petar Dolinka and Milan Glavaški. Influenced by
The Beatles The Beatles were an English Rock music, rock band, formed in Liverpool in 1960, that comprised John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison and Ringo Starr. They are regarded as the Cultural impact of the Beatles, most influential band of al ...
,
Little Richard Richard Wayne Penniman (December 5, 1932 – May 9, 2020), known professionally as Little Richard, was an American musician, singer, and songwriter. He was an influential figure in popular music and culture for seven decades. Described as the " ...
,
The Byrds The Byrds () were an American rock band formed in Los Angeles, California, in 1964. The band underwent multiple lineup changes throughout its existence, with frontman Roger McGuinn (known as Jim McGuinn until mid-1967) remaining the sole cons ...
, and the Serbian band
Idoli Idoli ( sr-cyr, Идоли; trans. The Idols) were a Serbian new wave band from Belgrade. They are considered to be one of the most notable acts of the Yugoslav rock scene, and their 1982 album ''Odbrana i poslednji dani'' was on several occas ...
, the band released their debut album ''Prisluškivanja'' in 1992. The album had minor hits, but the single "Sasvim običan dan" found on the band's second album ''Pop music'', released in 1995, had drawn the public's attention to the band's work. The ''
Rolling Stone ''Rolling Stone'' is an American monthly magazine that focuses on music, politics, and popular culture. It was founded in San Francisco, San Francisco, California, in 1967 by Jann Wenner, and the music critic Ralph J. Gleason. It was first kno ...
'' review of the album described the album as "the best Brit-pop album never to come out of the UK". Despite the success of the release, the internal conflicts lead to the disbandment of the band. Part of the band moved to their newly formed band Popcycle, while Vasović, with a new lineup reformed Eva Braun. The band's third album ''Heart Core'' repeated the success of the previous release, and the band, having performed at the
International Pop Overthrow The International Pop Overthrow (often referred to as simply The IPO) is an American-originated music festival, devoted to power pop music and related genres. The festival is dedicated to bring classic pop music to the public, and is run by CEO an ...
, also gained the opportunity to release an album for the North American market with the release of ''Nowhere Land''. In 2000, the band started working on an ambitious project which came out as ''Everest'' in 2001, however, after the album release, the band disbanded. Popcycle, formed by former Eva Braun members Petar Dolinka and Milan Glavaški, released their debut album ''Orbitalna putovanja'' in 1996, and ''Popcyclopedia'' in 1997. The band disbanded in 1999, and Dolinka and Glavaški reunited with the rest of the original Eva Braun lineup in 2007, releasing the album ''Playback'' in 2011. In 2006, Glavaški, with a group of Serbian and Hungarian musicians formed his side project,
alternative country Alternative country, or alternative country rock (sometimes alt-country, insurgent country, Americana, or y'allternative), is a loosely defined subgenre of country music and/or country rock that includes acts that differ significantly in style ...
/
pop rock Pop rock (also typeset as pop/rock) is a fusion genre with an emphasis on professional songwriting and recording craft, and less emphasis on attitude than rock music. Originating in the late 1950s as an alternative to normal rock and roll, earl ...
band Rebel Star. Other notable representatives of the Serbian britpop scene are
Kristali Kristali ( sr-Cyrl, Кристали; trans. ''The Crystals'') are a Serbian pop rock band from Belgrade. History 1990s The band was formed in January 1993, by bassist and vocalist Dejan Gvozden and guitarist Željko Markuš, who, having perf ...
,
Veliki Prezir Veliki Prezir ( sr-cyr, Велики Презир; trans. ''The Great Contempt'') is a Serbian alternative rock band from Vrbas. History 1990s Veliki Prezir was formed on June 1994 by a former Holidays member Vladimir Kolarić "Kole" (voca ...
, Instant Karma and Lutke.


Irish folk and Celtic rock (early 1990s – present)

The
Irish folk Irish traditional music (also known as Irish trad, Irish folk music, and other variants) is a genre of folk music that developed in Ireland. In ''A History of Irish Music'' (1905), W. H. Grattan Flood wrote that, in Gaelic Ireland, there w ...
and
Celtic rock Celtic rock is a genre of folk rock, as well as a form of Celtic fusion which incorporates Celtic music, instrumentation and themes into a rock music context. It has been extremely prolific since the early 1970s and can be seen as a key foundat ...
scene appeared in
Serbia Serbia (, ; Serbian language, Serbian: , , ), officially the Republic of Serbia (Serbian language, Serbian: , , ), is a landlocked country in Southeast Europe, Southeastern and Central Europe, situated at the crossroads of the Pannonian Bas ...
with the works of
Orthodox Celts Orthodox Celts is a Serbian band formed in Belgrade in 1992 which plays Irish folk music combined with rock elements. Despite their uncharacteristic genre in their home country, the band is one of the top acts of the Serbian rock scene and has ...
from
Belgrade Belgrade ( , ;, ; Names of European cities in different languages: B, names in other languages) is the Capital city, capital and List of cities in Serbia, largest city in Serbia. It is located at the confluence of the Sava and Danube rivers a ...
. During the mid-1980s, Dušan Živanović, the drummer of the pub rock band
Roze Poze Roze Poze ( sr-Cyrl, Розе Позе, transl. ''Pink Poses'') is a Serbian and Yugoslav rock band, formed in Belgrade in 1985. Led by guitarist and vocalist Željko Nikolić, the band gained popularity with their pub/garage rock sound with Ce ...
, wanted to form a band which would perform cover versions of Irish folk songs, and the influence of the idea was partially achieved through the works of Roze Poze. However, it was in 1992 that Živanović formed the first Serbian Irish folk band called Orthodox Celts with the vocalist Aleksandar "Aca Celtic" Petrović and violinist Ana Đokić. The band, having released their first two albums, ''
Orthodox Celts Orthodox Celts is a Serbian band formed in Belgrade in 1992 which plays Irish folk music combined with rock elements. Despite their uncharacteristic genre in their home country, the band is one of the top acts of the Serbian rock scene and has ...
'' (1994) and ''
The Celts Strike Again ''The Celts Strike Again'' is the second studio album by the Serbian Irish folk/Celtic rock band Orthodox Celts released in 1997. ''The Celts Strike Again'' was the band's first album to feature their own songs – besides covers of traditional ...
'' (1997), which mainly featured cover versions of Irish folk songs, started writing their own material. Since the release of '' Green Roses'' in 1999, the band centered on writing and recording their own songs. The traditional performances for
Saint Patrick's Day Saint Patrick's Day, or the Feast of Saint Patrick ( ga, Lá Fhéile Pádraig, lit=the Day of the Festival of Patrick), is a cultural and religious celebration held on 17 March, the traditional death date of Saint Patrick (), the foremost patr ...
and at the
Belgrade Beer Fest The Belgrade Beer Fest ( sr, Београдски фестивал пива, Beogradski festival piva) is an annual festival of beer in Belgrade, Serbia. Started in 2003, the festival is held annually over five days each August as a showcase even ...
made the band become a live attraction, having well-visited live appearances in Serbia and abroad. During the early 2000s, appeared two bands, Tir na n'Og and
Irish Stew of Sindidun Irish Stew of Sindidun (often referred to as Irish Stew only) is a Serbian Celtic rock band from Belgrade. While initially playing Irish folk music, the band later made a shift towards light punk rock, inspired by Irish folk music and other genres ...
, both from Belgrade, inspired by the works of Orthodox Celts. Tir na n'Og, formed in 2000, performed a combination of Irish and
Serbian folk music Serbian folk music ( sr, српска народна музика / ''srpska narodna muzika'') refers to, in the narrow sense, the "older" style of Serbian folk music, predating the "newer" ( sr, link=no, новокомпонована / ''novokomp ...
with punk rock, and their debut album '' Tir na n'Og'' was released in 2006. However, in 2008, the band changed the name to Alfapop and moved towards
power pop Power pop (also typeset as powerpop) is a form of pop rock based on the early music of bands such as the Who, the Beatles, the Beach Boys, and the Byrds. It typically incorporates melodic hooks, vocal harmonies, an energetic performance, and ch ...
sound. Irish Stew of Sindidun, formed in 2003, having started as a cover band, started writing their own material. The band recorded their debut album '' So Many Words...'' in 2005. In 2011, they released ''
New Tomorrow "New Tomorrow" is a 2011 English language song by Danish pop/rock band A Friend in London. It represented Denmark in the Eurovision Song Contest 2011, held in Düsseldorf, Germany. On 26 February 2011, the song won the Danish preselection contest ...
'', their first album not to feature any covers of Irish folk songs.


New Serbian Scene (late 2000s – early 2010s)

The term Nova srpska scena (''New Serbian Scene'') was coined in the second half of the 2000s by the web magazine ''Popboks'', which was initially one of the main promoters of the scene.Vlada Milovanović, "Grizi sistem. Živi poraz (I)", pescanik.net
Although the term was mostly used to denote bands promoted in Popboks and released their albums through the record label Odličan Hrčak, the term was also often used to denote many young Serbian bands formed after 2000. Also, some of the bands active in the 1990s, most notably the
alternative rock Alternative rock, or alt-rock, is a category of rock music that emerged from the independent music underground of the 1970s and became widely popular in the 1990s. "Alternative" refers to the genre's distinction from Popular culture, mainstre ...
band
Goribor Goribor ( sr-Cyrl, Горибор; trans. '' Burning bor'') is a Serbian alternative rock band from Bor. Having performed as a teenage band called Projekat ( sr-Cyrl, Пројекат; trans. ''The Project'') from 1988 until 1992, after a four-ye ...
, were closely associated to the scene. The bands differed by genre: although a part of the bands were influenced by the Yugoslav new wave and the contemporary
indie Indie is a short form of "independence" or "independent"; it may refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media Gaming *Independent video game development, video games created without financial backing from large companies *Indie game, any game (board ...
and
pop rock Pop rock (also typeset as pop/rock) is a fusion genre with an emphasis on professional songwriting and recording craft, and less emphasis on attitude than rock music. Originating in the late 1950s as an alternative to normal rock and roll, earl ...
, not all the bands considered part of the scene were. The most notable bands which were associated with the scene include Klopka Za Pionira, Multietnička Atrakcija, The Mothership Orchestra, Nežni Dalibor,
Repetitor Repetitor ( sr-cyr, Репетитор; trans. ''Repeater'') is a Serbian alternative rock band from Belgrade. The band was formed in 2005 by guitarist and vocalist Boris Vlastelica and drummer Milena Milutinović, who were soon joined by bass gui ...
,
Petrol Gasoline (; ) or petrol (; ) (see ) is a transparent, petroleum-derived flammable liquid that is used primarily as a fuel in most spark-ignited internal combustion engines (also known as petrol engines). It consists mostly of organic co ...
,
S.A.R.S. Sveže Amputirana Ruka Satrijanija ( sr-cyr, Свеже ампутирана рука Сатријанија, lit=The Freshly Amputated Arm of Satriani), or S.A.R.S. for short, are a Serbian alternative rock band from Belgrade. Presenting a comb ...
, Stuttgart Online, Svi Na Pod!, Zemlja Gruva, ŽeneKese, Virvel, Kralj Čačka and others. In 2007,
PGP-RTS PGP-RTS ( sr, Produkcija gramofonskih ploča Radio televizije Srbije) is a major record label based in Belgrade, Serbia. It is a successor of PGP-RTB which was established in 1959 in Belgrade, then capital of Socialist Republic of Serbia and So ...
, in cooperation with Popboks, released the compilation album '' Jutro će promeniti sve?'', which featured songs by sixteen bands associated with the scene. By the end of the decade, the most notable representatives of the scene released their debut albums.
Goribor Goribor ( sr-Cyrl, Горибор; trans. '' Burning bor'') is a Serbian alternative rock band from Bor. Having performed as a teenage band called Projekat ( sr-Cyrl, Пројекат; trans. ''The Project'') from 1988 until 1992, after a four-ye ...
, formed in 1996, gained popularity in the 2000s with their demo recordings officially released through the Croatian label Slušaj Najglasnije!, releasing their first studio album, ''
Goribor Goribor ( sr-Cyrl, Горибор; trans. '' Burning bor'') is a Serbian alternative rock band from Bor. Having performed as a teenage band called Projekat ( sr-Cyrl, Пројекат; trans. ''The Project'') from 1988 until 1992, after a four-ye ...
'', in 2007.
Petrol Gasoline (; ) or petrol (; ) (see ) is a transparent, petroleum-derived flammable liquid that is used primarily as a fuel in most spark-ignited internal combustion engines (also known as petrol engines). It consists mostly of organic co ...
, formed in 2003, released their debut album, ''Nezgodno vreme opasni dani'', in 2008. Nežni Dalibor, active in the 1990s and reformed in 2000, released their debut album, ''Sredstva i veštine'', in 2008.
Repetitor Repetitor ( sr-cyr, Репетитор; trans. ''Repeater'') is a Serbian alternative rock band from Belgrade. The band was formed in 2005 by guitarist and vocalist Boris Vlastelica and drummer Milena Milutinović, who were soon joined by bass gui ...
, formed in 2005, released their debut album, ''
Sve što vidim je prvi put ''Sve što vidim je prvi put'' (''Everything I See Is For The First Time'') is the debut album by the Serbian alternative rock band Repetitor released by the Odličan Hrčak independent record label in 2008. Track listing All music written by R ...
'', in 2009.
S.A.R.S. Sveže Amputirana Ruka Satrijanija ( sr-cyr, Свеже ампутирана рука Сатријанија, lit=The Freshly Amputated Arm of Satriani), or S.A.R.S. for short, are a Serbian alternative rock band from Belgrade. Presenting a comb ...
, which gained nationwide popularity with the hit song "Buđav lebac", released their debut, self-titled album in 2009. At the turn of the decades, the scene started to dissolve, as the band's started to set off towards their individual careers, with some of them, like S.A.R.S. and Zemlja Gruva, achieving large mainstream popularity and the others remaining popular in alternative rock circles only. In 2013, Popboks announced the end of its activity, publishing its final text on 25 August 2013."Hvala na pažnji i doviđenja", popboks.com
/ref>


References


Bibliography

* ''EX YU ROCK enciklopedija 1960–2006'', Janjatović Petar; * ''Fatalni ringišpil: hronika beogradskog rokenrola 1959—1979'', Žikić Alkesandar, publisher: Geopoetika, Belgrade, Yugoslavia, 1999 * Siniša Škarica, ''Kada je rock bio mlad: Priča s istočne strane (1956.-1970.)'', V.B.Z. d.o.o., Zagreb, 2005. godine. * ''Punk u Jugoslaviji'', Dragan Pavlov and Dejan Šunjka, publisher: IGP Dedalus, Yugoslavia, 1990 * ''Moj život je novi val'', Branko Kostelnik, knjiga intervjua, publisher: Fraktura, Zagreb, Croatia, 2004 * ''Od Čivija do Goblina: šabačka rock enciklopedija'', Ivković Živko, 1999; * ''NS Rockopedija, novosadska rock scena 1963–2003'', Bogomir Mijatović, Publisher: SWITCH, 2005 * ''Enciklopedija niškog Rock 'n' Rolla 1962 – 2000'', Stanojević Vladan; * ''Neka druga scena'', Davor Bogdanović; Publisher: GraphIT, 2009 * ''Riblja čorba'', Jakovljević Mirko; * ''Nevidljive terazije Slobodana Stojanovića Kepe'', Jakovljević Mirko; * ''Ljuba Ninković: S vremena na vreme'', Kajlovic Vladimir;


See also

*
Music of Serbia Music of Serbia represents the music, musical heritage of Serbia, both historical and modern. It has a variety of traditional music styles, which are part of the wider Music of Southeastern Europe, Balkan musical tradition, with its own distinctiv ...
*
Popular music in the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia Popular music in Yugoslavia includes the pop and rock music of the former SFR Yugoslavia, including all their genres and subgenres. The scene included the constituent republics: SR Slovenia, SR Croatia, SR Bosnia and Herzegovina, SR Montenegro, S ...
*
New wave music in Yugoslavia New wave in Yugoslavia ( sr-Cyrl-Latn, Нови талас, Novi talas; hr, Novi val; sl, Novi val; mk, Нов бран) was the new wave music scene of the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia. As its counterparts, the British and the Amer ...
*
Punk rock in Yugoslavia Punk rock in Yugoslavia was the punk subculture of the former Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia. The most developed scenes across the federation existed in the Socialist Republic of Slovenia, the Adriatic coast of the Socialist Republic of Cr ...
*
YU Rock Misija YU Rock Misija (known in English as YU Rock Mission) was the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia's contribution to Bob Geldof's Band Aid campaign, which culminated with the Live Aid concert. It consisted of recording the "Za milion godina" ...
* ''
Rockovnik ''Rockovnik'' (trans. ''Chrocknicle'') is a forty-episode documentary aired on Radio Television of Serbia in 2011, written by Sandra Rančić and Dušan Vesić and directed by Vesić. The series focuses on the history of former Yugoslav rock sce ...
'' {{DEFAULTSORT:Serbian Rock Serbian rock music Music scenes Serbian styles of music