- Max Kuehn
There are many terms and phrases that music uses, especially when it comes to genres. Although alternative can be a tricky term, there are some aspects that make it stand out from other music styles.
So, what is alternative music exactly? In this article, Fidlar will digger dive into alternative music definition, the alternative music history, as well as characteristics of alternative rock music.
Definition Of Alternative Music
To be brief, alternative music is all that pop music isn’t. It is often argued that it is the best track. Although alternative can be a tricky term, there are some aspects that make it stand out from other music genres.
Alternative music could be compared to rock music. Alternative music can be described as alternative rock music, in that it challenges and pushes people’s ideas and beliefs.
A variety of artists have created alternative music, including Coldplay, and Radiohead.
It can also be found underground, far from the mainstream culture. You will need to search the internet for alternative music or listen to it on a podcast.
This music genre can often look different from mainstream music. It is often slower and more heavy than mainstream sound, and its rhythm doesn’t follow the music’s beat.
Why Should You Listen To Alternative Music?
You’re in the right spot if you are looking for alternative music. This article will provide some tips on why alternative music is important.
Alternative music can be described as a variety of music.
Music types include grunge, post-grunge, alternative rock, emo, hardcore, industrial, alternative metal, rap metal, and screamo. These genres of music have many similarities, so it is not difficult to distinguish between them.
You can search for grunge music and you’ll find some that argue it started in the 90s. They are most often associated with Soundgarden and Nirvana.
Grunge, a sub-genre in alternative rock, is more precise and focuses on guitar riffs and bass. Grunge music is slower and more industrial-sounding. Grunge is often compared to alternative music. Grunge music can be described as a mix of heavy metal, rock, and other elements.
Contrast grunge and alternative rock. It can encompass many genres. It can also include heavy metal and hard rock music.
Although some may argue that alternative music is at the top, we believe that it is the most popular music in terms of its popularity.
What does Alternative Music Mean?
I had previously mentioned a question about alternative music. Before I go into technical definitions, let me briefly list the answers that I received from my music-loving friends to this question. This genre is different to:
- Status quo.
- Classic rock.
- Pop music.
This information allowed me to get a general idea of how people see alternative music.
It’s considered “alternative” if the music presented is not within the confines of the genre. It’s considered “alternative” if the music presented sticks to the man, challenges repressive politics, challenges racism, classism, and sexism.
Alternative music is not about how well it sounds or how skilled it can be made. It’s all about the message. It is considered to be the underground sanctuary of radicals and free-thinkers around the globe.
All of this talk is understandable (hopefully! It’s just not enough to answer the question of what alternative music is. It would be better to give a definition.
However, we are referring to the mysterious alternative music and a lot of definitions would be more fitting if we were to capture the entire idea. Alternative music, as it is known, can be:
Definition 1
A product that an alternative artist creates music using terms other than those used by the industry to define what is popular music.
Many listeners find the words “alternative” and “nonmainstream” almost interchangeable. Therefore, any musician, musical genre, or musical style that is not in the mainstream music category, gets associated with it.
The artists can find themselves in a difficult spot. Artists who are part of the alternative music scene can be misunderstood. A member of the alternative music scene might not be considered an artist because of the stereotypical association.
You could be an alternative musician, but your music won’t be included in the same group as alternative music by Arctic Monkeys, Nirvana, or The Chainsmokers.
Instead, you will be lumped with every other alternative artist under the one false umbrella of this genre. Alternative artists can feel stigmatized because people don’t acknowledge them.
To be fair, however, I must point out that this issue isn’t new. It is well-known, and almost common knowledge by now that underground music and artists are not given enough attention by music critics or mainstream media.
The alternative artist in this genre is “opposite to mainstream”, and that is exactly what makes them so popular. You are correct, alternative.
This brings us back to the ultimate goal of alternative music, which is to bring together musicians who are open to breaking the rules and thinking outside the lines, and sticking it to “the man”.
These artists do this because they love the art and don’t mind if the tag is different.
Definition 2
An artistic/musical movement that promotes creativity without dictating it.
Alternative music has another wonderful aspect: it doesn’t need to be anything. It doesn’t need to be original, experimental, or non-orthodox. It can just be creative.
Many alternative rock artists see themselves as part of the alternative scene. Artists of alternative music, alternative rock, alt hip-hop, and others are examples. This definition states that music must be creative to be considered “alternative.”
Even if an alternative artist doesn’t consider themselves revolutionary, they can still be considered alternative so long as they are doing something different and changing the game. Artists need to be bold enough to present a new sound and stand out.
You can agree or disagree with Lorde’s definition of the term. Although she was “trendy”, and every blogger mentioned her at one point, making her mainstream, we cannot deny her unique sound and offering something new to pop music.
The same applies to other alternative artists who dare to offer something new and not just follow the safe path. This is the common trait among all of the best-selling alternative artists — they are all creative and don’t confirm to the standard mold.
Definition 3
A compilation of musical styles and genres
Many people tend to think of alternative music as a single genre.
However, this is not true. It can be viewed through a more experienced eye and you will see that it covers a broad range of musical genres and subgenres.
Alternative rock can be described as alternative music. It also includes alternative indie, alternative country, alternative folk music, punk rock, and electronic music.
It does not have to be restricted to one musical style. Alternative artists can also be considered alternatives. An experimental artist, progressive, or alternative artist is all possible.
It’s the same for a rock artist, a pop artish, electronic, hip hop, or punk-rock artist. It doesn’t matter what music you prefer, as long as your original music style is yours.
Consider alternative rock, for instance. It is basically alternative rock plus another country, alternative country plus. Alternative folk, Alternative folk plus folk rock, etc.
Definition 4
The opposite of mainstream
As we mentioned, alternative music is in the simplest sense the opposite of mainstream. It is not the same music that you hear on the radio, or in restaurants and cafes.
It doesn’t necessarily called alternative music is better. This simply means it is different from the rest.
Also, it’s important to note that being an alternative artist doesn’t necessarily mean you can fit in all categories and genres under the umbrella of alternative musicals. You are not an alternative artist if you are a punk musician.
Definition 5
The sound of outsiders.
Many people consider this genre to be outsiders’ music. This applies regardless of whether the musicians who created the music are the ones listening or not. This definition is not something I support, but I do believe it exists. They aren’t outsiders. They’re just different.
These outsider artists have something valuable to share with the world.
Although it is true that alternative music artists or those who have a background in this genre are not your typical “mainstream” artist they still show their creativity, even if the message they’re trying to convey is not what the audience is used too.
Although they may appear outsiders at first, they eventually become part of a team that appreciates what they have to offer.
Alternative music origin, history, and background
Alternative Rock
By the late 1980s, the American alt-rock was dominated by styles ranging from quirky alternative pop to noise rock and then to industrial rock, and to early Grunge.
This is a type of rock music that originated in the underground scene of the 1980s. It became popular in the 1990s. At the end of the decade, alternative bands began to sign with major labels.
Although Husker Du and The Replacements were unsuccessful in their early major label signings, R.E.M.’s major label signings in the 1980s proved to be a success.
Jane’s Addiction and Husker Du brought platinum and gold records, which set the stage for alternative’s eventual breakthrough.
The alternative rock was first used to describe punk-rock-influenced bands on independent record labels in the 1980s.
It didn’t fit within the mainstream music genres at the time. Alternative rock includes many subgenres that emerged from independent music scenes since the 1980s.
These include grunge and Britpop as well as gothic rock and indie rock. They are all united by the common ethos and style of punk, which was the foundation for alternative music in the 1970s.
Although the genre is considered rock, many subgenres of it are influenced by electronic music, folk music, and jazz, among other genres. Alternative rock is sometimes used to describe the underground rock music of the 1980s.
Even though american alternative artists in the 1980s never generated spectacular album sales, their influence was significant and helped to lay the foundation for the success of other musicians.
The U.S. underground scene, college radio, and commercial radio stations were dominated in the late 1980s by college rock bands like the Pixies and They Might Be Giants. Throwing Muses was also dominant, along with post-punk survivors hailing from Britain.
All music that descends from New Wave, and punk, as well as rock music styles generally in the 1990s and 2000s, has ironically been called alternative rock.
Indie rock was less prominent in the UK in the 1990s due to the decline in Manchester’s scene and the lack of glamour in shoegazing.
The tide of grunge from America dominated British alternative scene and music media in the early 1990s. Only a handful of British alternative bands, including Radiohead and Bush, managed to make an impression in America.
A flurry defiantly British band emerged in response and wanted to “get rid” of grunge and declare war on America. This took the native music press by storm.
R.E.M. was one of the few artists that achieved mainstream success. While some artists like R.E.M. and The Cure were successful and gained mainstream critical attention, most alternative rock acts of the 1980s were cult bands that recorded on independent record labels.
They also received exposure via college radio airplay and word of mouth. This subgenre became mainstream after the success of Nirvana’s breakthrough and the rise of Britpop and grunge in the early 1990s.
Alternative rock was popularized on UK radio, especially by DJs like John Peel (who championed alternative music on BBC Radio 1), Richard Skinner, and Annie Nightingale.
The exposure to British radio and the weekly music press in Britain gave artists a lot of visibility and chart success.
The music industry was abuzz with alternative rock’s commercial possibilities at the beginning of the 1990s and actively sought out alternative bands like Nirvana and Dinosaur Jr.
Many artists were given the label by mainstream record labels during the 1990s even though they did not fit the criteria for the “alternative” category. This was in an attempt to capitalize on the popularity of the alternative label.
The label was given to some pop musicians like Alanis Morissette or Hootie & the Blowfish based on nuanced differences with other pop artists.
Alternative Dance
Alternative dance refers to music that combines elements of dance-pop or other forms of electronic dance music like house or techno with alternative rock genres like indie pop.
Indie music is known for its songwriting. Unlike most dance music, alternative dance often contains lyrics as in indie pop or indie rock. Unlike commercial pop, they are often more complex and/or less polished than mainstream pop.
This music subgenre is often electronic and uses sampled beats or drum loops to create rhythms. It sounds very similar to commercial dance-pop. Indie music is the most prominent element. Alternative dance often contains lyrics.
Unlike commercial dance music, they are more complex than other forms of dance music.
New Order was inspired by Kraftwerk’s New York club scene and began combining sequenced electronic elements and their own brand of icy post-punk and sometimes enigmatic lyrics to create alternative dance.
The tradition of mixing traditional guitar-based indie music and electronic instrumentation and production continued with other Manchester bands like the Stone Roses or the Happy Mondays.
This culminated in the Madchester scene. Alternative dance is also evident in the later albums of PiL.
After the Second Summer of Love, alternative dance was gaining popularity. The sounds of Acid House music had already influenced chart pop and made it more popular.
Many people with indie rock backgrounds quickly adapted dance-pop’s equipment and techniques, adding a more sophisticated and populist songwriting sensibility. Saint Etienne, Dubstar are two well-known examples.
The Rapture, Tom Vek, and other musicians are two of the most prominent modern alternative bands that were inspired by this music scene.
Technological improvements have reduced both the musical skill and financial cost of making electronic music. As a result, alternative dance, which was once the dominant form of electronic pop, is now a subgenre of independent music.
Alternative Metal
Alternative metal, a form of music with a variety of influences, was popularized in the 1990s along with grunge. It can often be described as a mix of alternative and heavy metal. It has some heavy metal trappings, most notably heavy guitar riffs.
However, it is often characterized by an experimental edge. This includes unconventional lyrics, time signatures, unusual techniques,s and resistance to traditional approaches to heavy metal.
Alternative Hip-Hop
Alternative hip-hop is a genre that can be defined in many different ways. It is defined by All Music Guide as:
This is Hip-Hop that doesn’t conform to the traditional stereotypes of Rap, like a gangsta, funk and bass, party rap, and hardcore rap. They blur the lines between genres and draw equally from pop/rock, jazz, soul, and reggae.
Alternative Country
Alternative country can be defined as a variety of subgenres that are not mainstream or popular. Alternative country can be used to refer to many ideas. Any musician who plays a country music style that is not in the mainstream can be called “alternative”.
This means that, for instance, the Bakersfield sound in the 1950s was considered alternative, while the Lubbock, Texas musicians in the 1960s were considered alternative.
The alternative country was a term that emerged in the 1990s to describe a variety of singers and musicians who were not part of the mainstream music industry. These musicians avoided the Nashville-dominated music industry’s high production values and popular outlook.
Instead, they produced music with a low-fi sound and infused it with strong punk and rock and roll aesthetics, which questioned the traditional rules of country music. Many lyrics are dark, gothic, or socially conscious.
The musical styles of the artists who fall under this category often share little in common. They range from bluegrass and American folk songs to rockabilly and honky-tonk music but are not easily distinguished from a country or mainstream rock.
Many alternative country musicians come from rock and punk backgrounds.
Four Characteristics
Alt-rock (also called modern rock) encompasses a wide range of styles and moods. Although they may not sound exactly the same, The Cure and Violent Femmes are all examples of alt-rock. These acts and others are united by certain key characteristics.
Guitar-driven music
Alternative rock guitar is similar to most rock music. It’s driven by guitars and accompanied by drums and bass. Although keyboards were not common in the 1990s alternative, they are now an integral part of many alternative bands in the twenty-first century.
Influence strong from the 1970s and 80s
Many early alternative bands were heavily influenced by 1970s indie rockers such as Led Zeppelin or Black Sabbath. Many others reflected 1980s music icons such as The Smiths or Minor Threat.
Sonic Youth, Bob Mould, and R.E.M. rock bands were some of the stars of this alternative era. They had a successful career in 1980s college rock but continued to be successful into the 1990s.
Punk rock ethos
An overwhelming number of alternative rock bands reflect the energy and do-it-yourself (DIY), the energy of 1980s punk rock bands such as Black Flag, Minor Threat, and Minutemen.
Pop sensibility
Alternative rockers often write songs that are driven by diatonic, poppy melodies.
Conclusion
Alternative music refers to music by artists who do something completely different and push the boundaries of what music can be considered music. We hope you find this article helpful. If you have any questions, feel free to leave a comment on this article below.
