Alternative rock bands have also gone by the name of alt-rock or simply alternative bands. The genre was born out of the broader rock and roll genre during the 1980s. The 1990s saw the tremendous rise in mainstream the popularity for many alternative rock bands, which helped elevate the entire genre. Many of the sub genres within alt-rock came from independent music. These sub genres include gothic rock, indie rock, indie pop, grunge and Brit pop. Although alternative rock bands within these genres may be very diverse, they all share a similar influence, with their roots going back to punk rock.
During its early years in the 1980s, the genre’s musicians were viewed as cult bands rather than anything close to the mainstream music industry. A great deal of an alternative rock band’s exposure came from word of mouth and college radio stations. On rare occasion an alternative song might enjoy a mention in a mainstream music publication, like Rolling Stone, but most were not given such attention and could only be read or heard through fanzines and independent labels. In turn, alternative rock bands managed to garner underground followings by frequently touring and releasing low budget albums for their fans.
If an American alternative rock band was to dissolve, the members would often go on to join other alternative acts and expand the network of fans to build an underground circuit that spread throughout the country. Musicians in 1980s alt-rock bands did not enjoy huge success, but they did manage to build a solid foundation for future acts. In 1989, alternative rock bands Public Image Limited, New Order and the Sugarcubes went on an arena tour, marking a significant rise in the genre’s popularity.
The British version of alternative rock bands had a different sound from those found in America. The British musicians had a more pop-esque sound with lyrics that focused on British issues. Although this went over well with their native audience, it did not draw in nearly as much attention from those in the United States.
America’s early alternative rock bands included R.E.M., Violent Femmes and the Feelies. Later, bands like Jane’s Addiction, Faith No More, Firehose and Dinosaur Jr. would become major successes. However few could top the enormous popularity of the alternative rock band Nirvana, whose song Smells Like Teen Spirit from their 1991 album Nevermind created a landmark in the history of alt-rock.
About 