Alternative rock is a very popular genre that has attracted the attention of thousands of fans. Although it is commonly associated with Seattle, Washington and other cities, the music made by alternative rock bands has been heard all over the world. Older music fans may view this genre as a newcomer however it has been slowly developing and growing for decades. As early as late 1970, bands were labeled as alternative and radio stations began playing the music they made.
The definition of alternative rock varies somewhat from one band to the next. In general, most alternative groups include a vocalist, guitar player, bass player and sometimes a keyboard player. In its early years, alternative was not wide spread and was slowly emerging as an underground musical genre. It was usually followed by college radio stations, independent record labels and publications created and distributed by its fans.
Alternative rock musicians of the 1980s did not sell a tremendous quantity of albums. They did, however, provide a strong foundation and influence for future musicians that would be placed in the same category. Most 80s alternative bands toured constantly, which helped them grow their fan base and popularity. They usually released low budget albums and were generally not taken on by major record labels. On occasion a hit song or album would be mentioned in Rolling Stone and other mainstream publications, but that was the extent of the genre’s exposure.
As the 1980s wound down to make room for the 1990s, alternative music had begun to get noticed. It was popular enough that New Order, the Sugarcubes, and Public Image Limited started a package tour around the United States. Across the pond, the British version of alternative took on a different, more pop culture sound. The difference in sound has restricted popularity of most British alternative musicians in the United States.
The 1990s was a pivotal time for alternative rock. 1992 saw Nirvana’s hugely popular single Smells Like Teen Spirit. This helped ignite further interest in the genre. Radio stations began switching platforms and playing alternative rock. Major record labels began signing popular bands like Dinosaur Jr., Jane’s Addiction, Faith No More, Nirvana, R.E.M. and Firehose. Alternative music had truly made the jump from a small, underground genre to a contender in the mainstream arena.
Nirvana and similar bands also brought on the “grunge explosion.” Nirvana was already successful, with other bands like Pearl Jam just on the horizon. In 1991, Pearl Jam released its debut album, Ten, the month before Nirvana’s Nevermind. The following year, Ten began to pick up momentum to become a breakthrough success by the last half of 1992. Today, fans adore alternative rock bands from the United States and Britain, including Oasis, Nirvana, Blur, Stone Temple Pilots, Pulp, Foo Fighters and Alice in Chains.
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