La Movida Madrileña

La Movida Madrileña (English: The Madrid movement) was a sociocultural movement that took place in Madrid during the 1980s, triggered by an increase in civil freedom after the death of Fascist dictator Francisco Franco and the economic rise of Spain. This hedonistic and cultural wave, la movida, also took place in other Spanish urban centers, such as Vigo. "La movida" is also characterized by the large use of recreational drugs by the youth.

Outside of Spain, the best known artist from that period is Pedro Almodóvar, whose first films, such as Pepi, Luci, Bom y otras chicas del montón (1980), reflected the freedom of the moment. Other important artists in "la movida" are musicians Aviador Dro, recording artist Alaska, who hosted the children's TV show La Bola de Cristal, pop groups Mecano and Los Nikis, Radio Futura, graffiti writer Muelle and photographers Ouka Leele, García Alix or Miguel Trillo.

Joaquin Sabina, Aviador Dro, La Unión, Loquillo y los Trogloditas and many others were musicians of the strongest pop-wave of Spanish history. In moods, looks and attitudes it resembles British New Wave and Neue Deutsche Welle, sometimes mimicking styles as New Romantic (e.g. Tino Casal).