American rock band formed in New York City in 1981 by Thurston Moore (guitar/vocals), Kim Gordon (bass/vocals/guitar), Lee Ranaldo (guitar/vocals), and various drummers — Steve Shelley joined in 1985 and remained continuous. Foundational to no-wave, noise rock, and alternative rock; key influence on the 1990s indie scene.
Fifteen studio albums between Sonic Youth (1982) and The Eternal (2009). Critical peaks: Daydream Nation (1988), Goo (1990), and Dirty (1992). The band dissolved in 2011 after Moore and Gordon's high-profile divorce. Members have continued in various solo projects since.
