alt-rock
Non-mainstream guitar music
Alt-rock is alternative rock music—a broad category of guitar-driven rock that emerged in the 1980s as an alternative to mainstream commercial rock.
The genre encompasses diverse sounds from college radio favorites to grunge to indie rock: I grew up on alt-rock bands like R.E.M. and Nirvana.
Alt-rock stations and playlists remain a radio format category.
Accumulated dirt or filth
- shoegazeDistortion-heavy ethereal rock
- BritpopMid-nineties UK rock movement
- post-punkExperimental rock after '77
- lo-fiImperfect audio quality, informally
post-grunge · emo · gothic · new-wave · neo-psychedelia
Release from earthly existence
- RadioheadBritish art rock band
- SoundgardenSeattle grunge rock band
- WeezerCalifornian alternative rock band
- BeckGerman-origin family name
R.E.M. · Sublime · Pixies · MTV · flannel · mixtape · zine · TRL
Below ground or countercultural
- independentFree from external control
- DIYAmateur home projects
- lo-fiImperfect audio quality, informally
- BandcampIndependent music distribution site
crossover · mainstream · sellout · breakout
Twisting from original state
- feedbackReturned response data
- dynamicsStudy of forces
- fuzzFine downy fibers
- reverbProlonged sound reflection
jangly · droning · angular · dissonant · atmospheric · layered · raw · gritty
Rejects prevailing social standards
- anti-establishmentOpposing dominant institutions
- countercultureRejection of mainstream values
- angstDeep unfocused worry
- authenticityQuality of being genuine
irony · disaffected · outsider · slacker · apathetic · cynical · introspective · alienation
grunge
Accumulated dirt or filth
- shoegazeDistortion-heavy ethereal rock
- BritpopMid-nineties UK rock movement
- post-punkExperimental rock after '77
lo-fi · post-grunge · emo · gothic · new-wave · neo-psychedelia
Nirvana
Release from earthly existence
- RadioheadBritish art rock band
- SoundgardenSeattle grunge rock band
- WeezerCalifornian alternative rock band
Beck · R.E.M. · Sublime · Pixies · MTV · flannel · mixtape · zine · TRL
underground
Below ground or countercultural
- independentFree from external control
- DIYAmateur home projects
- lo-fiImperfect audio quality, informally
Bandcamp · crossover · mainstream · sellout · breakout
distortion
Twisting from original state
reverb · jangly · droning · angular · dissonant · atmospheric · layered · raw · gritty · crunchy
nonconformist
Rejects prevailing social standards
- anti-establishmentOpposing dominant institutions
- countercultureRejection of mainstream values
- angstDeep unfocused worry
authenticity · irony · disaffected · outsider · slacker · apathetic · cynical · introspective · alienation · rebellion
- Alt Rockgrunge, post-grunge, post-punk, new wave, indie pop
- indie cultureindie film, indie games, indie music, indie press, indie comics
alt-rockmainstream pop
Widely popular commercial music
bubblegum pop · arena rock · pop music · chart music · radio pop
alt-rockhair metal
Flashy 1980s rock subgenre
glam metal · stadium rock · classic rock · soft rock · power ballads
rock, alternative, rocker, rockers, alternatives, indie rock, alternative rock, alt-country, alt-pop