Alternative Rock Facts

Origins and early development

Alternative rock evolved from the independent music underground of the 1970s. The term originally referred to musicians influenced by the musical style or independent, DIY ethos of late-1970s punk rock. In the United States the music of the 1980s was often described as college rock due to its links to the college radio circuit, while in the United Kingdom dozens of small do it yourself record labels emerged as a result of the punk subculture.

Evolution or diversification

Throughout the 1980s magazines and zines, college radio airplay, and word of mouth increased the prominence of alternative rock and highlighted the diversity of its styles such as noise pop, indie rock, grunge, and shoegaze. Billboard introduced "alternative" into their charting system in September 1988 to reflect the rise of the format across radio stations. Initially several alternative styles achieved minor mainstream notice and a few bands such as R.E.M. and Jane's Addiction were signed to major labels while many bands remained on independent labels. With the breakthrough of Nirvana and the popularity of grunge and Britpop in the 1990s alternative rock entered the musical mainstream and many alternative bands became successful. In the 2000s emo and bands drawing on garage rock, post-punk and new wave found mainstream success and contributed to later revivals.

Cultural or musical significance

"Alternative" denotes the genre's distinction from mainstream or commercial rock and pop. The emergence of Generation X as a cultural force in the 1990s contributed to the rise of alternative music. The genre's mainstream breakthrough in the 1990s led to widespread commercial success for many alternative acts and influenced subsequent movements and revivals.