The following is a list of notable artists that have been described as gothic rock by reliable sources. "Gothic rock" is a term typically used to describe a musical subgenre of post-punk and alternative rock that formed during the late 1970s. Gothic rock bands grew from the strong ties they had to the English punk rock and emerging post-punk scenes. According to both Pitchfork and NME, proto-goth bands included Joy Division, Siouxsie and the Banshees, Bauhaus and the Cure. The term was first used by critic John Stickney in 1967 to describe the music and accompanying performances by the Doors. The Doors' lyrics and their "audience-antagonizing performances" have even been seen as the beginning of gothic rock.