Alternative rock/pop is the umbrella term used to describe the bands that emerged between 1984 and 1995 as the exciting culmination of Punk, New Wave, and Hardcore. These artists represent a wide array of musical styles-the soft and sweet feel-good sounds of Twee Pop, the flannel-driven distorted guitars of Grunge, the moody darkness of Goth-Rock, and the pure metal noise of Industrial. While these bands all represent various styles and sub-genres, they're grouped under the generic term "Alternative" because of one common trait-they all functioned outside of the mainstream in the mid-80s and 90s. Today, Alternative has come to encompass a more mainstream sound with softer edges, catchy melodies, and sleeker sounds. Key Artists: Hüsker Dü, Nirvana, Pearl Jam, REM.
Read more: the ListenSmart article on this style.
All Alternative genres
- Adult Alternative
- Alt Country
- Alt Metal
- Alternative Brit Pop
- Alternative General
- Alternative Space Rock
- Ambient Alternative
- Avant-Rock
- Dream Pop
- Emo
- Experimental Alternative
- Goth Alternative Rock
- Grunge
- Neo Grunge (no definition archived)
- Post Grunge
- Grunge-Pop
- Indie
- Industrial
- Jangle Pop
- Noise Pop
- Power Alternative Pop
- Shoegazer
- Twee Cuddle Core