Silica (SiO[Formula: see text]) aerogel is widely used in high-energy-density shock experiments due to its low and adjustable density. Reported here are measurements of the shock velocity, optical radiance, and reflectivity of shocked SiO[Formula: see text] aerogel with initial densities of 0.1, 0.2, and 0.3 g/cm[Formula: see text]. These results are compared with similar data from three solid polymorphs of SiO[Formula: see text], silica, quartz, and stishovite with initial densities 2.2, 2.65, and 4.3 g/cm[Formula: see text], respectively. Interestingly, below a brightness temperature of [Formula: see text] K, the slope of the radiance vs shock velocity is the same for each of the SiO[Formula: see text] aerogels and solid polymorphs. At [Formula: see text] K, there is an abrupt change in the radiance vs shock velocity slope for aerogels, but not seen in the solid polymorphs over the pressures and temperatures explored here. An empirical model of shock front radiance as a function of SiO[Formula: see text] density and laser drive parameters is reported to aid in the design of experiments requiring maximum shock front radiance.