5 Best Ukrainian Rock Bands

When I was 14, every teenager in my surrounding could be classified as follows: a rocker, a rapper, a gopnyk (listening to pop). I was a cool girl wearing very torn jeans and listening to Nirvana. Some time later I discovered rock could also be Ukrainian and was represented by the following (in order of discovering):

1. Vopli Vidopliassova

 Photo Credit: Orfo

Ukrainian rock band created in 1986 by Yuri Zdorenko and Pipa on one side and Oleh Skrypka on the other. It was Pipa who proposed the name he found in Dostoyevsky. Music was a mix of rock-and-roll, punk and different ethno-styles with Ukrainian language imparting its songs with a national sounding. Their songs like “Tantsi” or “Vesna” broke the discos all over Ukraine. Love these guys!!!

2. Mertvy Piven

 Photo Credit: evereversummer

Founded by the student of Lviv University Lyubomyr Futorsky in 1989. “Mertvy Piven” (Dead Cock) began as an acoustic formation, but with introduction of new performers the style grew heavier up to grange. Their first album came out after they won one of the nominations in a popular festival “Tchervona Ruta” and was named “Eto”. They impressed me with a cover to Ukrainian pop song “Fransua” – it was something!

3. Okean Elzy

 Photo Credit: a-kuchma

Before summer 1994 three of its members were playing in a different band until they met Svyatoslav Vakarchuk. Since then they began to call themselves “Okean Elzy” and to play mostly a mix of rock and pop on Vakarchuck’s lyrics. His burring voice was sort of intriguing and the group gained many fans among teenage girls

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