ALTERNATIVE

ROCK
By Alex McEwan

Introduction
to the genre.

Alternative rock was born in the mid 60s, however the

term wasnt defined until the mid 70s, due to Funk and
Disco music overshadowing the coterie of alternative rock
enthusiasts. However, the rock scene became a popular fad
after its connotations of rebellion appealed to youth,
seeking a lifestyle which reflected their personalities as
defiant and nonconformist. The genre didnt explode until
the 80s, which allowed younger fans to adopt a more
honest, softer rock, yet still held the foundations of refusing
to abide by societies expectations. Alternative rock can be
compared to many other forms and subcategories, as lyrics
can reflect those of grunge and college rock, whilst the
melodies may be similar to punk rock or gothic, as there
are elements of romance that course through the genre.

Influential bands that contributed to alternative rock

include Linkin Park, Green Day, Foo Fighters and The
Smashing Pumpkins. However, the most highly acclaimed
band to influence the broad genre of rock were, are and will
continue to be Nirvana. Their grunge/metal style shocked
the world, with such a positive reception to their
undeniable talent. Many associate the 1990s to be the high
of alternative rock, however the genre has consistently
provides its audiences with new, high-quality material.

Origin of
the term

Its with significant appraise for a number of independent companies as to

the formation of the term alternative rock, who tirelessly strived to
combine aspects of several genres, to create the perception of this form
of rock. The intertwining traits that derive from 1960s rock to the 80s
heavy metal introduced a new wave, portraying a rebellious, almost
futuristic representation of the genre, which led to marketing and
advertising campaigns to draw teenagers into the up-and-coming craze
sweeping not only the United States, yet the whole world. This being said,
America have a slightly different approach to alternative rock,
stereotypically using dance elements, which were comparable to that of
pop punk. This would then mean that significantly fewer amount of bands
that originate in Britain never reach the heights of success of those bands
within the US, due to their positivity and up-beat approach to rock, rather
than a pure, almost emotional representation within the United Kingdom.
By the late 1980s, America were dominating the alternative rock scene,
with up-and-coming bands that included Sonic Youth and The Offspring.
Around the same time, the grunge subgenre emerged in Seattle,
Washington, initially referred to as "The Seattle Sound" until its rise to
popularity in the early 1990s. Grunge featured a sludgy, murky guitar
sound that synthesized heavy metal and punk rock. Promoted largely by
Seattle indie label Sub Pop, grunge bands were noted for their thrift store
fashion which favoured flannel shirts and combat boots suited to the local
weather. Early grunge bands Soundgarden and Mudhoney found critical
acclaim in the U.S. and UK, respectively.

Ignition in
the 90s

The 1990s kick-started the craze surrounding alternative rock,

whilst the music industry were being seduced by the potential that
alternative rock could provide a variety of major labels. These
labels would then go out of their way to charm bands with promise
in this genre, such as Nirvana, Red Hot Chilli Peppers and Queens
of the Stone Age. This was particularly relevant for R.E.M (RapidEye-Movement) as their influence from the late 80s then lead
them to be an icon; already established as true fans of the genre
before it became popular, therefore being original and idolised for
their authenticity, becoming one of the biggest bands in the world
at the time.

Nirvana reaped the benefits of blossoming as such a perfect time,

as rock was fast becoming the most discussed topic within society.
This was said to have heralded new openness to alternative rock,
allowing much heavier and even softer assortments of rock to be
played on major radio stations and influence audiences even
further. Despite this, many alternative-rock enthusiasts were said
to have "found themselves dragged-kicking and screaming ... into
the mainstream. The anguish and infuriation that their somewhat
unique style has been adopted by the masses caused an uproar, as
the majority of labels were rushing to sign bands. The New York
Times declared in 1993, "Alternative rock doesn't seem so
alternative anymore. Every major label has a handful of guitardriven bands in shapeless shirts and threadbare jeans, bands with
bad posture and good riffs who cultivate the oblique and the

Deterioration
at the turn of
the century

Turning points for the genre occurred concurrently, first

with the death of Kurt Cobain. Such a tragic event was
coupled with Pearl Jam's lawsuit against concert venue
promoter Ticketmaster, excluding the band from playing a
number of significant, major venues around the United
States.

This sparked a significant decline in the grunge/alternative

rock genre, due to an overhaul of pop music that surged
throughout the industry, stealing many alternative rock
fanatics away from the genre. However, some artists
retained their popularity, with up and coming bands such
as Blink-182, Green Day and Circa Survive all
accumulating a vast following. The term "emo" has been
applied by critics and journalists to a variety of artists,
including multi-platinum acts such as Fall Out Boy and My
Chemical Romance and disparate groups such as Paramore
and Panic! at the Disco, despite their rejection of this term.
This would retract a number of artists into a new wave of
rock, which left alternative rock in a musical purgatory,
unsure of its purpose to the industry. The essence of rock
that made it so influential in the early 90s had subsided,
leaving artists with no solid foundation to base their music
around.

Current state
of alternative
rock

Artists such as PVRIS and Neck Deep have emerged as

talented revivals of the popular genre of alternative rock,
with older bands such as Blink and Foo Fighters adapting to
the current state of the field, accepting of the fact that rock
doesnt necessarily connote extreme rebellion as much as it
did in the 90s, yet still hold key foundations which have
ultimately influenced their lyrics and attire. The genre
intertwines with pop in the 21st century, due to the diversity
is has within society; more commonly listened to than ever
before. This then leads many artists to adopt traits of the
genre, such as centralised guitar and drum solos, a
stronger depth of instrument-based music and more
emotional lyrics, rather than non-conformist views.

Due to the fact that the term alternative could now

categorise all of Lana Del Ray, Bring me the Horizon and Ed
Sheeran, its difficult to distinguish what genre of music you
truly favour. This is because the term doesnt necessarily
mean the same it did in the late early 2000s, with the term
now connoting what some would categorise as indie,
artists.