Discover the New Music Genre 'Cigarette Mom Rock' and Its Iconic Artists
Discover the New Music Genre 'Cigarette Mom Rock' and Its Iconic Artists
Craig RosenTue, February 10, 2026 at 12:20 AM UTC
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((Photo by Paul Natkin/Getty Images))
Fans and critics looking for words to describe a certain style of music have come up with a few noteworthy names for genres after the fact.
Yacht Rock has been used to describe the smooth soft-rock sounds of such 1970s and early 1980s acts as the Doobie Brothers, Christopher Cross, Steely Dan, Michael McDonald, Kenny Loggins and others.
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Dad Rock is a term used to described music made by middle-aged fathers for middle-aged fathers. Artists including Wilco, Spoon, Pearl Jam and classic rockers such as Bruce Springsteen, Tom Petty and Dire Straits have been grouped under that banner, which again was applied years after these bands were in existence.
Variations of Dad Rock include Sad Dad Music, an umbrella for such critically acclaimed artists as the National and Radiohead, and Divorced Dad Rock, a label that’s been applied to such late ‘90s, early 2000s mainstream rockers as Nickelback and Creed.
In a similar vein, a new belatedly named genre has been recently gaining traction on social media. It’s called Cigarette Mom Rock and apparently you don’t have to be a smoker to enjoy it.
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An early predecessor simply known as Mom Rock was highlighted in a blog by the streaming service Pandora back in 2024 with a blog that listed the music of bands and artists like Bread, the Association, Carole King, America and others that played in the background at Tupperware parties hosted by the author’s mother. Cigarette Mom Rock is a more current and attitudinal version.
A recent Instagram post from radio station FM 99 WNOR in Hampton Roads, Va. explained the recently named genre that attempts to put on a bow on a particular type of music from decades ago.
“There is a new trend in music called Cigarette Mom Rock. It’s the antithesis of Divorced Dad Rock, which is your Nickelbacks, Creeds, late ‘90s, early 2000s rock,” explained a station air personality known as Rik in a video clip. “So Cigarette Mom Rock is the gritty female ‘90s, 200s rockers—Alanis Morissette, Melissa Etheridge, Fiona Apple, Avril Lavigne, Pink, Indigo Girls and many more are considered Cigarette Mom Rock. So really all my playlists these days as Divorced Dad and Cigarette Mom Rock.”
Perhaps not surprisingly, not everyone agrees with Rik’s assessment.
“Cigarette mom rock is motley crue my dude,” wrote one commenter.
“Blondie, Def Leppard, Pat Benatar, Joan Jett, Stevie Nicks, Heart,” added another. “What he’s describing is Latchkey Kid Mom Rock 😂”
“You gotta have Hole in there. I feel that Courtney Love is the living (just about) embodiment of cigarette moms,” added a third.
This story was originally published by Parade on Feb 10, 2026, where it first appeared in the News section. Add Parade as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
Source: “AOL Entertainment”
