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Unlike contemporary singer/songwriters, who followed the trends of mainstream pop, alternative artists like Liz Phair, Will Oldham (in his many guises), and Elliott Smith garnered widespread acclaim, and even a measure of mass popularity, but remained firmly rooted outsde of the mainstream.
- Alternative Definition and Genres
- The History of Alternative Music
- Important Alternative Bands and Artists
- Other Styles of Alternative Music
- Final Thoughts on Alternative Music
In music, alternative is a really simple concept that can get messy and confusing quickly. By definition, alternative music is produced by performers who are outside of the musical mainstream. It’s typically more eclectic, original, and challenging than most popular music and it’s usually distributed by independent labels instead of major ones. Urb...
Looking at the history of alternative music, we’ll mostly be focusing on just rock and pop since those two are the main genres that fit into the alternative categories (yes, I know, alternative doesn’t fit into categories, it’s too cool). This is mainly to help keep things simple and look at the two biggest movements in alternative music, both of w...
Nirvana
If you couldn’t tell from the history of alt-rock, we can’t talk about alternative music without discussing Nirvana. They literally and legitimately pioneered alternative rock and brought it to the mainstream music world, and were the first band to make alternative rock seem like a commercially viable genre for record studios. The band was formed in 1987 by Kurt Cobain and Krist Novoselic. In 1990, they would recruit Dave Grohl as their full-time drummer, and their lineup was set. Nirvana was...
Foo Fighters
After Nirvana ended, Dave Grohl wasn’t done making music. The Foo Fighters started off as a one-man project with Grohl as the sole member and picked up the alt-rock sound where Nirvana left off. They would continue evolving over time, bringing us massive hits like Everlong, Learn to Fly, The Pretender, and Times Like These. Foo Fighters are one of the most successful rock acts in history, racking up 15 Grammy Award wins, five of which were for Best Rock Album (even with an alternative rock st...
Red Hot Chili Peppers
The Red Hot Chili Peppers started out as an indie band that made it into the mainstream thanks in part to Nirvana opening the door, but mostly on the merits of their insane talent as musicians. It’s hard to describe their music as anything other than alternative, even if alternative rock is just one of the elements they use when producing music. Funk metal, rap rock, rap metal, nu metal, punk rock, psychedelic, funk, and hip-hop are all genres the band takes inspiration from to craft their on...
So look. It’s honestly a very complicated subject trying to dissect alternative music as a whole and distill it into something that’s actually digestible. Pretty much any music genre or style that doesn’t fit into a neat little category is potentially going to be deemed an alternative style of music. We have tons and tons of examples of this with a...
Some of my all-time favorite bands and music can be qualified as some form of alternative music, but it’s important to understand that the definition of it as a whole has changed as time has gone on. It’s not just indie music from independent labels that were produced in a garage. It’s also not the post-punk style of music that it originated from. ...
- Once in a Lifetime – Talking Heads (1981) A perfect example of alternative lyrics discussing social issues and inner turmoil, “Once in a Lifetime” is a kitschy, non-stop thrill ride from start to finish.
- People Are People – Depeche Mode (1984) Used as a self-acceptance anthem since its release, “People are People” by famed alternative musicians Depeche Mode is one of the most famous alternative jams of the 80s.
- Smells Like Teen Spirit – Nirvana (1991) “Smells Like Teen Spirit” did not just define the alternative genre – it outlined a decade. The iconic Nirvana hit launched the grunge era of the 90s and led to an immense increase in the popularity of alternative music.
- You Oughta Know – Alanis Morissette (1995) Finally, an alternative song by a woman! “You Oughta Know” is one of the most popular songs ever recorded, not to mention one of the most revolutionary.
Apr 22, 2024 · Without further ado, alternative music is: 1. The product of an artist making music on different terms than the typical standards for what the industry deems as popular. For a lot of listeners, the words “alternative music” and “non-mainstream” go hand in hand, almost interchangeable even.
Britpop: A British Invasion. Indie Rock: The Rise of the Independents. Emo: Music That Wears Its Heart on Its Sleeve. Post-Rock: The Art of Instrumental Exploration. Shoegaze: Gazing at a Wall of Sound. Iconic Bands and Artists of Alternative Music. Nirvana: The Voice of a Generation. Radiohead: Pushing the Boundaries of Sound.
This is a list of alternative rock artists. Bands are listed alphabetically by the first letter in their name (not including "The"), and individuals are listed by the first name.
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This is a list of singer-songwriters who write, compose, and perform their own musical material. The list is divided into two sections to differentiate between artists categorized as singer-songwriters and others who do not fall under the definition associated with the genre: Traditional singer-songwriters. Others who both write songs and sing.
