 "Spin" writer Simon Reynolds has noted that the band's lyrics often contain sexual themes, which are "a paradoxical blend of force and tenderness".My Bloody Valentine are regarded by some as the pioneers of the alternative rock subgenre known as shoegazing, a term coined by "Sounds" journalists in the 1990 to describe certain bands' "motionless performing style, where they stood on stage and stared at the floor".The band's releases on Creation Records influenced shoegazing acts, including Slowdive, Ride and Lush, and are regarded as providing a platform to allow the bands to become recognised.