Neue Deutsche Welle

The abbreviation NDW stands for Neue Deutsche Welle , which translates literally as New German Wave. But it would be only partially correct to assume that this is an equivalent term for new wave. What unites the heterogeneous variants of NDW as a recognizable style is the use of German lyrics. The use of German in place of the usual English was, especially in the beginning, an expression of its mission to portray reality. The concept of subversion is a major factor in the consideration and evaluation of juvenile subcultures. In the context of popular music, therefore, subversive power and authenticity are often valued more highly than craftsmanship. This idea of juvenile subcultures as a space for displaying subversive ways of thinking and acting seemed to work for punk at first Dick Hebdige explicitly included punk in his influential book Subculture: The Meaning of Style about juvenile subcultures in Great Britain.