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Alternative
The musical term “alternative” was originally coined to refer to rock music that expounded a fiercely anti-commercialism philosophy and scoffed at mainstream media. Though the genre has by now been broken up into multiple subgenres, with influences of pop, metal, folk and nearly every other kind of modern style, alternative music was born in the 1980’s under the larger umbrella of rock. It emerged from the independent art culture and was spearheaded by such…
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The musical term “alternative” was originally coined to refer to rock music that expounded a fiercely anti-commercialism philosophy and scoffed at mainstream media. Though the genre has by now been broken up into multiple subgenres, with influences of pop, metal, folk and nearly every other kind of modern style, alternative music was born in the 1980’s under the larger umbrella of rock. It emerged from the independent art culture and was spearheaded by such bands as R.E.M., the Violent Femmes, and Sonic Youth. In Britain, the genre appeared on the scene concurrently, with bands like The Smiths and The Cure, though the British sound was slightly heavier as it came primarily out of 1970’s post punk.
In the nineties, alternative grew to commercial proportions. The music genre became more of a blanket term for different styles, most of which tended to blend folky sounds with rock, punk, and psychedelic influences. Song content generally tended toward darker subject matter, and the genre upheld its lyrical roots of dealing with social issues in the United States and the U.K. Big-name bands of the nineties, like Jane’s Addiction and Nirvana, popularized the alternative genre, as the industry began to favor more genuine, socially-conscious music over the fading trend of glam metal and its ilk.
Nowadays, the artists listed under the alternative heading are far too many to name, though The Strokes, The White Stripes, Modest Mouse and Radiohead are just a few of its leading bands. Further blurring the genre lines is the fact that in the 2000’s, “alternative rock” and “indie rock” became practically interchangeable terms. However, the authentic feel of this modern music, regardless of its label, is what makes it a beloved genre by its many loyal fans.
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