Cold wave is a music genre that emerged in Europe the late 1970s, characterized by its detached lyrical tone, use of early electronic music instruments and a minimalist approach and style. It emerged from punk rock bands who, influenced by early electronic groups such as Kraftwerk, made use of affordable portable synthesizers such as the Korg MS-20.^[2] The term is an early synonym for what would later be termed "dark wave", "goth", and "deathrock".^[3] In later years, "cold wave" has become subsumed under the retrospective labels "minimal wave" or "minimal synth".^[4]

The term "cold wave" appeared in the 26 November 1977 issue of UK weekly music paper, Sounds: the caption of its picture-cover, showing Kraftwerk's Ralf Hütter and Florian Schneider was "New musick: The cold wave". That year, Kraftwerk released Trans-Europe Express.^[5] The term was repeated the following week in Sounds by journalist Vivien Goldman, in an article about Siouxsie and the Banshees.^[6] In 1977, Siouxsie and the Banshees described their music as "cold, machine-like and passionate at the same time" and Sounds magazine prophecised about the band: "Listen to the cold wave roar from the '70s into the '80s".^[6] Another scene of French and Belgian bands musicians, dubbed "cold wave", emerged in the early 1980s. According to Vice, the most notable acts were Marquis de Sade, Asylum Party, and Twilight Ritual.^[7]

Wierd Records is credited with establishing interest in the style in the United States, while The Liberty Snake Club did a great deal to popularize it within the United Kingdom.^[8] The Tigersushi Records compilation So Young but So Cold, compiled by Ivan Smagghe, is one document of the scene.^[9]