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5 days ago · From the brooding undertones of post-punk to the rebellious spirit of grunge, alternative rock bands and singers have provided the soundtrack for countless generations, delivering powerful lyrics, innovative sounds, and unforgettable performances.
- The Best Alternative Bands Of 2022 - Ranker
2022's alternative music scene is officially off to an...
- The Best Alternative Rock Bands Of 2020, Ranked
Some of the best alternative rock bands of 2020 have massive...
- The Best Alternative Bands Of 2022 - Ranker
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- Nirvana
- R.E.M.
- U2
- Cage The Elephant
- Radiohead
- Weezer
- Violent Femmes
- The Smashing Pumpkins
- Red Hot Chili Peppers
- Arctic Monkeys
The first band on our list is perhaps the most influential alt-rock band of all time, Nirvana. The year 1987 witnessed the birth of this band. Their musical style is grunge, punk rock, hard rock, and alternative rock. Nirvana exploded onto the mainstream just a year later with the classic song “Smells Like Teen Spirit.” This came from their smash-h...
Our next alt-rock band is R.E.M., one of the flagship groups of the alternative rock movement. Founded in 1980 and remaining active for 31 years, R.E.M. has proven to be one of the best-selling alt-rock bands of all time. R.E.M. is noteworthy for creating a bridge between the tried-and-true sounds of mainstream rock and the more edgy work that woul...
The next group on our list, U2, might come as a surprise. After all, it was founded in the ’70s and might be considered a more mainstream rock band. The band made its first splash with songs like “Sunday Bloody Sunday” and “Pride (In the Name of Love).” The fab four of Irish rock took a turn for the alternative in the early 1990s. No album demonstr...
With Cage the Elephant, we take a jump into the alt-rock history of the twenty-first century. The band was formed in 2006 and found enormous success with their self-titled debut album. The most successful singles from the album are “In One Ear” and “Ain’t No Rest for the Wicked.” Cage the Elephant’s sound offers a mix of catchy lyrics, heart-poundi...
Another foundational band in alt-rock music history is Radiohead. Though Radiohead was formed in 1985, it first found global appeal with its 1993 hit “Creep.” From there, the band established itself as an alternative icon, perhaps second only to Nirvana. The legendary band has released nine studio albums. Nearly all of these have achieved meteoric ...
The boundaries between alt-rock and punk are blurry. But if there’s a bridge between the two, it’s certainly Weezer. Notably, the band has been in existence for over 30 years. Within that period, they cemented themselves as a titan among alt-rockers. What made that possible is also one of their greatest achievements: their power to evolve. Their se...
The next band on our list is Violent Femmes. Though the band’s musical style is alternative rock, it skews toward the folk side of things. Thus, one of their other genre designations is folk punk. Some of their most famous songs are really works of art. Think of “Blister in the Sun” and “Gone Daddy Gone.” Both of these blend the head-banging power ...
If there were a Mount Olympus of alt-rock bands, then The Smashing Pumpkins would most certainly be sitting on a godly throne. The band was considered one of those who popularized this genre. What makes The Smashing Pumpkins so interesting? They bring a different approach to alternative rock than we’ve seen on this list so far. While bands like Wee...
The next seat in alternative rock immortality belongs to Red Hot Chili Peppers, one of the best-selling bands of all time. Formed in 1982, Red Hot Chili Peppers is a band of abundance. They’ve had 14 members, 14 #1 singles, 13 studio albums, and 120 million records sold. For all their popularity, the band’s style is a bit challenging to pin down. T...
The English rock band Arctic Monkeys is one of the defining alternative rock bands of the aughts. They hit the scene right in time for the early-2000s explosion of the Internet. The band is famous for its staccato vocals and complex lyricism. Both of these persisted across the band’s seven albums and five EPs. In keeping with their place in alt-roc...
Top Alternative Artists. Ranking is based on an artist's chart performance on the Hot Alternative Songs, Top Alternative Albums and Boxscore touring revenue.
- Nirvana. Nirvana - Smells Like Teen Spirit (Official Music Video) Nirvana was formed by Kurt Cobain and Krist Novoselic in 1987 in the suburbs of Washington.
- Sonic Youth. Teen Age Riot. After forming in New York City in 1981, Sonic Youth emerged from the experimental music scene before creating traditional alternative rock.
- Radiohead. Radiohead - Pyramid Song. Radiohead is an English band formed in 1985 including Thom Yorke, Jonny Greenwood, Colin Greenwood, Ed O’Brien, and Philip Selway.
- My Chemical Romance. My Chemical Romance - Welcome To The Black Parade [Official Music Video] [HD] From Newark, New Jersey, My Chemical Romance would form in 2001 with band members Gerard Way, Ray Toro, Frank Iero, and Mikey Way.
- Green Day. 166 votes. Green Day, an American punk rock band, established their name in the music industry with their distinctive blend of raw energy, rebellious spirit, and catchy melodies.
- Muse. 155 votes. Muse, a renowned alternative rock band, hails from Teignmouth, Devon in the United Kingdom. Consisting of Matthew Bellamy as the lead vocalist, guitarist and primary songwriter, Christopher Wolstenholme on bass and backing vocals, and Dominic Howard on drums, Muse was formed in 1994.
- The Strokes. 120 votes. The Strokes are an American rock band formed in New York City in 1998, consisting of Julian Casablancas, Nick Valensi, Albert Hammond, Jr., Nikolai Fraiture and Fabrizio Moretti.
- The Smashing Pumpkins. 130 votes. The Smashing Pumpkins, a renowned American alternative rock band, was formed in Chicago, Illinois in 1988. The initial line-up included Billy Corgan as the lead vocalist and guitarist, James Iha on guitar, D'arcy Wretzky on bass, and Jimmy Chamberlin on drums.
Jul 3, 2024 · Some of the best alternative rock bands of 2020 have massive tours on the calendar while others, like Evanescence, are releasing highly anticipated new albums. Everyone from the Foo Fighters to the Killers, and Maroon 5 to Imagine Dragons are making an epic splash in 2020.
Sep 9, 2013 · To celebrate the 25th anniversary of Billboard's Alternative Songs chart, we're counting down the top 100 tunes in the tally's quarter-century history. (Scroll to the bottom of this page to see...
