Alternative rock stands out from pop music by virtue of its DIY aesthetic, with roots in college radio and independent labels – this has propelled its rise among younger listeners.
Alternative music has much to offer – from the grungy guitars of grunge to the dark soundscapes of gothic rock. Even Kanye West has shown his appreciation of alternative genres with his experimental electronica album Yeezus.
R.E.M.
Alternative music may seem unfamiliar and daunting, yet its definition is easy enough for someone with little musical knowledge to grasp. Simply put, alternative is defined by music that’s more eclectic, original, and challenging than most popular rock. Independent labels tend to distribute this style of music instead of major ones; unlike its pop counterparts, alternative musicians typically don’t adhere to specific templates when crafting their songs.
Alternative music has its origins in punk rock, as well as earlier genres such as blues, folk, and garage rock. Many bands that fit this description predated punk by decades or more – such as The Velvet Underground, Hasil Adkins, Captain Beefheart, Can and Robert Wyatt; although these bands may not have been considered alternative at the time, their influence certainly contributed to what would eventually become known as alternative.
After punk, bands that adopted an alternative style became increasingly well-known and influential. They were promoted through college radio stations, mimeographed fanzines, independent record labels and even by television programs such as Late Night with David Letterman who often hosted some of its biggest stars as musical guests.
By the 1990s, alternative music had reached mainstream attention thanks to artists such as Nirvana and Pearl Jam. Grunge and Britpop became major hits as well; R.E.M., Jane’s Addiction, Dinosaur Jr. all became top 40 hits during this heyday of alternative rock. Bands experimented with sound and lyrics while pushing boundaries of traditional rock with themes of feminism, Gen X irony and intense emotions that would not fit the mold of Album-Oriented Radio.
At the close of the ’90s, alternative had reached its pinnacle. R.E.M. released their most successful album yet and alternative music had begun changing with Nirvana-influenced Nu Metal and Post-Grunge becoming more prevalent; some of this era’s finest work can still be heard today, such as Elliott Smith’s Either/Or and Stereolab’s Dots and Loops among many others. Today’s revival in indie music can largely be attributed to social media as record companies increasingly invest in streaming services rather than CD sales or releases from their artists.
The Smiths
The Smiths were one of the early alternative rock groups, yet their appeal did not fall strictly within that genre. Their timeless music remains popular even today thanks to Johnny Marr’s rousing guitar riffs and Morrissey’s keen wordsmithery; whether discussing an emotional experience from their past or describing another lonely night, Morrissey had an uncanny way with words that cut to the core of what was being discussed; truly an artist of words capable of creating worlds with his words alone.
Hatful of Hollow was released by The Smith in 1983 and became an instant classic. With its signature murkiness, sexual frankness and situational ambiguity – which directly addressed British pop music at that time – and signature debut songs on John Peel’s BBC Radio 1 show (leading to two anthologies: C86 and Louder Than Bombs), Hatful of Hollow quickly become an instant classic.
At first, “alternative music” wasn’t widely understood or appreciated in mainstream circles until after Kurt Cobain’s suicide in 1994 refocused attention from Gen Xers and music journalists onto an emerging underground scene, with bands like R.E.M., Twee English guitar-popsters The Primitives, C86 from Rough Trade Records becoming icons, while Yo La Tengo from Hoboken as well as Bob Mould-helmed Husker Du saw increased success as well.
Even as commercialization of the genre began to increase during the late ’90s, numerous indie acts such as The Flaming Lips and Built to Spill continued to thrive as well as folk-popsters Belle & Sebastian. At the same time, underground bands such as Pavement and Guided by Voices had managed to break out without selling out or abandoning their original musical vision – yet the genre was changing rapidly. Soon thereafter, The Spice Girls and Hanson became more successful than Nirvana members at selling albums; eventually leading to the decline of what once qualified as alternative music. Nowadays, “alternative” refers to any form of non-mainstream music which includes home production elements.
Fever 333
Fever 333, based out of South Los Angeles and featuring former Letlive vocalist Jason Aalon Butler as lead vocalist; guitarist Stephen Harrison; and Night Verses drummer Aric Improta have come together to form Fever 333. Since their formation on March 23, 2018, they have released two extended plays and an EP. Made an America was their debut release.
Alternative rock was an immensely popular genre during the 90s, thanks to Nirvana’s Smells Like Teen Spirit and Nevermind albums. These records gave birth to grunge music while simultaneously giving independent bands much-needed boost. They also marked a shift away from mainstream rock that dominated prior generations.
Alternative music is a broad term and encompasses many different styles. It’s typically applied to rock that’s outside of mainstream popular culture; previously this was also known as new wave and post punk music; more recently however this label has come to include other genres, such as post grunge and indie rock.
Indie rock, an independent style of music created in the 1970s, can be defined as an independent style distinguished by a homemade aesthetic with political overtones. One well-known exemplar would likely be The Strokes; other bands in this subgenre include The Kooks and Snow Patrol. Today it often refers to soft jangly songs without tension and edge that are polished off for FM radio playback.
Folktronica, an emerging subgenre of alternative rock, blends electronic with traditional acoustic instruments to form an eclectic sound, popularized by Bibio and Boards of Canada among others.
Genre-wise, this genre can be broadly classified as progressive, indie or post-punk; however it doesn’t adhere to any one defining genre; this allows for full artistic freedom. The music features guitars, drums and other acoustic and electronic instruments in its unique soundscape.
At a time of increasing racial and economic injustice, it’s important to recall that alternative music’s roots lie in social justice. Numerous artists have used their platforms to speak out against oppression and inequality and inspire new generations of activists fighting for change.
Independent Artists
In the 1990s, alternative music experienced massive mainstream popularity. Nirvana’s success opened doors for other grunge and Britpop bands to become part of mainstream musical culture. Many independent bands opted for smaller labels like Matador or Def Jam as opposed to major label deals; many preferred the BBC Radio’s John Peel show instead for broadcast.
The mid to late 1980s was a golden age of alternative rock, when bands such as Pavement and Guided by Voices successfully made careers without betraying their underground roots or signing with major record labels. Instead, these bands achieved both critical and commercial success by remaining independent record labels that allowed for maximum artistic freedom.
Some small, independent record labels expanded their services by creating imprints of their own, which made it even easier for new artists to break into alternative music scenes like Nine Inch Nails, No Doubt and Primus who signed with these imprints with hopes of making it big in music industry.
The 1990s also witnessed the birth of independent radio stations that offered independent musicians an avenue to reach a broad audience. These radio programs often played diverse genres from punk rock to experimental post-punk and beyond; thus helping these indie bands gain exposure both domestically and abroad, leading to more album sales and tour dates.
Alternative music remains a popular genre today, although its distinctive characteristics have diminished to be known more commonly as “indie”. There are still bands considered true indie rockers – Death Cab for Cutie and The National are great examples – that have maintained their distinct, uncomplicated sound from when first popularizing this style in the ’80s.
Resurgent indie music can be seen due to social media’s explosion and streaming services like Spotify. Not only are consumers exposed to an expansive library of independent music through these services, they make it simple and convenient for fans to discover new albums they wish to listen to and purchase them easily.