Steve Roden was an American contemporary artist and musician born on 27 April 1964 in Los Angeles. Recognized as a pioneer of the lowercase music movement, Roden created intricate soundscapes by amplifying quiet, usually unheard sounds. He began his artistic career in 1985 and had previously performed in the punk rock band the Seditionaries while a student at Beverly Hills High School. Roden achieved significant international recognition for his 2001 sound art work, Forms of Paper, which was commissioned by the Los Angeles Public Library. His extensive discography includes the 1990 album The Secret of Happiness and the 2001 collaboration Japan with Bernhard Günter. Roden was the subject of a mid-career survey at the Armory Center for the Arts in 2010 and received an artist grant from the Foundation for Contemporary Arts in 2011. His work has been featured in museums and exhibitions globally. Following a diagnosis of early-onset Alzheimer's disease in 2017, Roden died at his home on 6 September 2023.
