Kings of the beach. Photo: Wavves // Instagram
If you were to tap a stranger on the shoulder and ask them to describe surf rock, they might chirp out their favorite Beach Boys tune, or hum the repetitive looping choruses of instrumental 1960s hits like Wipeout by The Surfaris, or Dick Dale’s rendition of Misirlou (later popularized by Quentin Tarantino’s Pulp Fiction). Early surf music is often characterized by the Middle Eastern sound Dale brought to the genre (Misirlou itself is an Eastern Mediterranean folk song). Popular instrumentals feature rapidly ascending and descending scales and heavy use of spring reverb (creating a drippy, wet, or washed-out sound).
But over the last 60-some years, surf rock has evolved and fragmented into a handful of new subgenres. Brian Wilson and The Beach Boys brought the genre lyrics that glorified a perceived California surf lifestyle (despite the fact that Brian himself didn’t surf). The Cramps introduced elements of psychedelic rock. Agent Orange brought in a heavier, punk sound, and the short-lived Surf MCs gave us just a single album of surf-themed rap rock. Today, surf music predominantly thrives in grunge, DIY, and indie spaces.
So, in the spirit of celebrating surf music’s continued evolution, here are seven of the best bands still making surf music today (listed in no particular order).
1. Los Protones
Formed in Lima in 2007, this Peruvian band keeps the spirit of ’60s surf rock alive with instrumental tracks replete with classic climbing scales and an old-school spring reverb sound. In a 2024 Bandcamp article chronicling the history of South American surf rock, writer Luis Minvielle compared their sound to the music found in spaghetti western films. The band’s songs radiate between groovy, poppy, surf rock, and dark, grungy, garage punk. They recently released a vinyl compilation album that spans hits from their entire discography (up to 2023).
2. Queentide
Groovy bass-lines accompany airy melodies and beach-soaked guitar riffs in this Santa Barbara band’s 2025 single Bad Mood. Queentide self-describes their genre as porch-rock, but there are ample surf-rock-adjacent sounds and themes found throughout their discography (like the beachside settings of their music videos and the occasional soliloquy about boys from Goleta). Their music is rife with indie, bluesy epithets, while their lyrical content teeters between celebrating the joys of exploring SoCal with moody alt-punk angst.
3. Walter, Etc. + Walter Mitty and His Makeshift Orchestra
Frontman Dustin Hayes formed the earliest iteration of Walter Mitty and His Makeshift Orchestra (WMAHMO) in 2009, while he was still in high school. The indie folk-punk band’s music is laden with kazoos, acoustic guitars, and lyrics that romanticize aimlessly wandering the West Coast. From 2017 to 2023 the group rebranded as Walter Etc. Though, the rebrand could likewise be described as a musical side project (like Box Car Racer was for Blink). Albums released under the Walter Etc. moniker often featured a heavier use of electric guitars than anything WMAHMO put out. Songs like 101 Unread Emails champion a laissez-fair attitude, where quiet contentment and casual sunset surfs take precedence over lofty ambitions. As of their 2025 album Yikes Almighty, the band has returned to using its original moniker, and is currently on tour.
4. Shannon and The Clams
Shannon and The Clams hail from Oakland, California. Their poppy, retro doo-wop sound is peppered with elements of surf, garage-rock, and experimental noise-punk. Shannon Shaw’s elevated, jazz-infused vocals on tracks like Year of the Spider are rich and powerful. The band has an impressive collection of intriguing, high-concept music videos. Though, the video for Hunk Hunt (one of their earliest) rocks a DIY aesthetic that romanticizes a seedy, summertime boardwalk.
5. Wavves
Some might argue Wavves’ frontman Nathan Williams is single-handedly keeping the spirit of surf rock alive. The band’s music is ostensibly as mainstream as contemporary surf rock gets, despite their DIY beginnings. That’s likely due to the pop-punk influences behind Wavves’ otherwise washed-out, garage-rock sound. Travis Barker was a guest producer on the band’s 2025 album Spun, and, like Blink-182, the group has San Diego roots. The beach and the ocean are thematic mainstays throughout their lyrics, with songs like King of the Beach championing a sun-soaked lifestyle. The song was likewise featured on the soundtrack of the Tony Hawk Pro Skater 3 + 4 remake. Wavves is currently gearing up for a Summer 2026 UK/Euro Tour before returning to the states in July.
6. Skeggs
Skeggs was once an Australian, surf-punk quartet, but they’ve since evolved into a power trio. Like many other contemporary bands in the genre, Skeggs’ earliest tracks glorify a sun-baked, slacker lifestyle. But they’re not so simple and shallow. Thematically, the group explores the heartbreak, growing pains, and introspection that accompany late adolescence (see So Excited). Try as you might, it’s hard not to tap your foot to a Skeggs track. Groovy, rolling bass-lines accompany infectious, poppy, earworm hooks on songs like Ain’t For the Faint. And their amped-up, Like A Version cover of Sheryl Crow’s If It Makes You Happy brings a buoyant, joyful sound to the otherwise angsty tune.
7. La Luz
La Luz mellows the vibe with groovy, ethereal tunes that emulate the slow-lap of low tide against a sunny shore. Stacked vocals and snappy snares punctuate their poppier, 2024 album News of the Universe, and the elevated production quality of music videos like Strange World illustrate how much they’ve grown since their DIY days. The band originated in Seattle but has since relocated to Los Angeles. They’ve been billed alongside the likes of Portugal. The Man and King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard. In recent years, the group has undergone significant lineup changes, though founding member Shana Cleveland remains on lead vocals and guitar.
