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Alternative country (commonly abbreviated to alt-country; [1] also known as alternative country rock, [2] insurgent country, [3] Americana, or y'allternative [4]) is a loosely defined subgenre of country music and/or country rock that includes acts that differ significantly in style from mainstream country music, mainstream country rock, and cou...
- Late 20th century
- Uncle Tupelo – Anodyne (1993) The last entry in the band’s catalog before Jeff Tweedy and Jay Farrar parted ways saw the band at its most fully realized.
- Lucinda Williams – Car Wheels on a Gravel Road (1998) Up until this album Lucinda Williams was primarily known for her songwriting, earning a Grammy for Best Country Song with Mary Chapin Carpenter’s crossover hit “Passionate Kisses.”
- Gillian Welch – Revival (1996) Gillian Welch and her musical partner may have hailed from Los Angeles and Rhode Island, respectively, but they arrived on the alt-country scene in 1996 as if they’d just melted out of Depression-era Appalachian Mountain ice.
- Son Volt – Trace (1995) Long before there was Yankee Hotel Foxtrot, it looked like Jay Farrar was the genius behind Uncle Tupelo, as Trace was a near-perfect collection of laid-back alt-country ballads like the brilliant windows-rolled-down “Windfall” and guitar-charged college rockers like lead single “Drown.”
- Uncle Tupelo. Uncle Tupelo was an Illinois music group that was active between 1987 and 1994. The trio of Jay Farrar, Jeff Tweedy and Mike Heidorn recorded four studio albums during that time frame.
- Lucinda Williams. Three-time Grammy winner Lucinda Williams has said that she never felt part of the "straighter country music industry of Nashville." Her 1979 debut album featured a more traditional country style and received little interest from radio stations.
- Cowboy Junkies. Canadian alternative country band Cowboy Junkies formed in Toronto in 1985 and features siblings Michael Timmins, Peter Timmins, vocalist Margo Timmins, as well as bassist Alan Anton.
- Steve Earle. Singer-songwriter-producer-author Steve Earle released his first EP in 1982. The "Copperhead Road" and "Guitar Town" singer has won three Grammy awards and has released 21 studio albums to date, including 2021's J.T.
- The Jayhawks. Formed in Minneapolis, Minnesota, veteran roots-rockers The Jayhawks’ sparkling back catalogue includes nine full-length albums. Recorded for Rick Rubin’s Def American label, 1992’s Hollywood Town Hallarguably remains their acme.
- Giant Sand. Based in Tucson, Arizona, Giant Sand are the brainchild of the feverishly proficient Howe Gelb, whose catalogue has so far yielded over 30 studio albums including 1999’s magnificent Chore Of Enchantment.
- Uncle Tupelo. This influential Illinois trio brilliantly melded their love of artists as disparate as The Carter Family, The Replacements and The Stooges on their 1990 debut No Depression.
- Wilco. Post-Uncle Tupelo, Jeff Tweedy formed Wilco, gaining sustained critical plaudits for albums such as Being There, the experimental alt.rock classic Yankee Hotel Foxtrotand 2004’s Grammy Award-winning A Ghost Is Born.
Jun 9, 2021 · Last updated: Jun 9, 2021 • 3 min read. Alternative country or alt-country, a subgenre of country music, has found resonance with fans of alternative and indie rock.
Alternative country, often known as alt-country, is a unique style of music that blends together elements of traditional country with rock and folk. This genre gives a fresh twist to the classic country sound we all know and love. Alt-country emerged in the 1990s as artists began to experiment with country music, adding their own unique spin to ...
Sep 30, 2023 · The term alt.country (sometimes dubbed “insurgent country”) describes a number of musicians who eschewed the pop-infused country music that had begun to take hold in the late 70s and 80s.
