These days, alternative music as a genre doesn’t have quite the same force as it once did. Most midsize towns that used to have dedicated alternative rock radio stations, where one could readily hear the latest from say, Ben Folds Five or the Gin Blossoms, either closed shop altogether or coalesced and transitioned into mainstream rock or some mix of mainstream and hard rock. Although many of the bands from the 1990s — and a handful from the 1980s — have continued making music, only a few of the major metro areas in the nation still have true alternative stations.
First, let’s take a look at what “alternative” actually means.
Wikipedia defines [[alternative rock]] this way:
The ‘alternative’ definition refers to the genre’s distinction from mainstream rock music, expressed primarily in a distorted guitar sound, transgressive lyrics and generally a nonchalant, defiant attitude. The term’s original meaning was broader, referring to a generation of musicians unified by their collective debt to either the musical style, or simply the independent, D.I.Y. ethos of punk rock, which in the late 1970s laid the groundwork for alternative music.
Music fans, particularly alternative music fans, will notice radio waves have few bands like Weezer, Bush or Stone Temple Pilots anymore, that is to say bands that use a lot of distorted guitars, driving rhythms and power chords. The culture seems to have changed, and as such, much of alternative today, with a few exceptions, could be more described as alt-pop. Although artists and bands like [[Lorde]], [[Chvches]], [[Of Monsters and Men]] and [[Foster the People]] maintain the off-the-beaten-path signature sound of alternative music, transgressiveness and to some degree, the defiance, the sound is more infused with keyboards, computer effects and experimental guitar techniques and chords. [[Muse]] is one of the few alternative bands in the modern era still producing the big rock sound reminiscent of bands in the 1990s, while still experimenting (See this video) and offering an alternative sound that’s different from the mainstream.
While this list is will be inevitably subjective, I am going to base it on some criteria and try to remove my personal preferences as best I can.
Here are the criteria on which I am basing this list:
- Impact on the music industry and influence on other bands
- Commercial and critical success
- Longevity
- Versatility
If this was a list of my personal favorite alternative bands of all time, for instance, Counting Crows and R.E.M. would probably be number one and two, respectively, along with a bunch of bands only a handful of people have heard of, like this list. But no, I’m going to try to keep it as objective as possible, with the understanding that subjectivity will inevitably creep in on any list like such as this. I can already think of a few bands that I absolutely cannot stand ([[Alice in Chains]] comes to mind), but that will and must be on the list because of their impact on the industry. I am also going to deduct points for bands that did not really stay truly within the alternative genre throughout their careers. For instance, U2 certainly had an alternative sound in the early 1980s, but quickly adopted, purposefully or not, more of a mainstream rock or adult rock sound by the mid- to late-1980s, carrying into the 1990s and 2000s.
The quintessential difference between alternative and the mainstream was best put in a review of Radiohead’s song “You and Whose Army” comparing Thom Yorke and Bono:
The lyrics, which seem to taunt authority into cracking down on the rabble, could have been given a completely different meaning had they been set to more triumphant music. (You can practically hear Bono delivering a song like this without a shred of irony). But here, Yorke sounds defeated, as if even he’s not confident that an insurgency would succeed.
That is alternative in a nutshell.
Without further adieu, here are picks 40-50:
40. Garbage — Sci-fi pop with a female kick and a wall of sound to boot, Garbage was widely influential in the mid-1990s. Although Garbage didn’t have much commercial success after its first two albums, the band still managed to sell more than 17 million albums worldwide.
41. The Killers — The Killers are one of the best bands of the 2000s, with four albums, “Hot Fuss,” “Sam’s Town,” “Day Age” and “Battle Born” reaching number one in England and Ireland, with “Sam’s Town” and “Hot Fuss” selling a total of 12 million units worldwide. The band has been nominated for seven Grammys and 24 NME awards.
42. Blur — All you need to know is “Whoo hoo!”
43. Everclear — Not one of my personal favorites, but more than deserving of being in the top 50.
44. Rage Against the Machine — No band spewed defiance with more punch than Rage.
45. The Pixies — Influencing countless bands through the years, The Pixies will forever be etched in alternative history for creating “the blueprint for alternative rock that would be followed and embellished upon by everyone from grunge to Britpop,” according to YouTube user iConcertsTelevision.
46. Dinosaur Jr. — Forming in 1984, Dinosaur Jr. has also influenced untold numbers of bands through the 30 years they have been playing music, although the band didn’t enjoy the commercial success of some of its successors.
47. The Church — Once described as “dense, shimmering, exquisite guitar pop,” while The Church also didn’t enjoy widespread commercial success, the band has a distinctive sound that makes them a must for any fan of alternative.
48. No Doubt. No doubt.
49. Mazzy Star — Mazzy Star’s 1994 song “Fade Into You” has been featured in more than 20 TV shows and movies. Enough said.
50. The Lemonheads — Again, not a personal fan, but The Lemonheads’ influence alone puts the band on the list.