Originating Location: USA and UK

Originating Era: early 1980s

Key ArtistsEdit

• Nirvana
• Pixies
• R.E.M.
• The Velvet Underground
• Radiohead
• Sonic Youth
• David Bowie
• The Smiths
• Talking Heads
• Joy Division

Key AlbumsEdit

• Pixies - Doolittle
• Nirvana - Nevermind
• Sonic Youth - Daydream Nation

Genre DescriptionEdit

At its base, alternative is just rock music that's outside of the mainstream, although it tends to be used in conjunction with a specific genre of non-mainstream rock, typically defined by rather loud guitars with distortion, and typically little in the way of keyboards. Often lyrics will be screamed or mumbled, but sometimes sung as well. The grunge movement in Seattle was rolled into Alternative rock as its influence spread and ended up fizzling out.

Of course, as the mainstream evolves, so does the definition of Alternative, but that tends to be the main version of "alternative" -- sort of a blanket term for stuff that might otherwise be called Indie-Rock, though perhaps on a major label or in some other way not "indie" sounding, without sounding quite mainstream, either.

Artists in this genre Edit

• Frank Black Francis
• Nirvana
• Sonic Youth
• R.E.M.
• Pixies
• The Jesus and Mary Chain
• David Bowie
• Radiohead

Labels in this genreEdit

• Oglio
• Sub Pop
• Rough Trade
• Too Pure
• Thirsty Ear

Further ReadingEdit

• Wikipedia Page