Alternative rock music, also referred to as simply alternative, alt-rock, and alternative music, emerged in the 1980′s in the United States and the United Kingdom and hit the mainstream in the 1990′s. This style of music has roots in punk rock music and also pulls its sound from indie pop, grunge, gothic rock and Britpop. Most alternative rock groups use few instruments in their compositions. Instruments such as vocals, electric guitars, drums, and bass guitars are pretty standard. Modern music in this genre sometimes also incorporates keyboards and acoustic guitars.
Many alternative rock bands achieved commercial success during the 1990′s after the band Nirvana made grunge a mainstream musical genre. Many bands followed suit but wanted a different sound; so they began to create the alternative rock sound.
Alternative rock wasn’t played on mainstream radio or music television stations until the late 1980′s. Before this, this musical genre was found predominantly on college radio stations and in live music venues. In 1986, MTV began airing alternative rock videos late at night. Radio stations began picking up these records after MTV began airing them and eventually alternative rock music hit mainstream. KROQ in Los Angeles, California and WFNX in Boston, Massachusetts were the first radio stations to start playing alternative rock music.
Today, alternative rock music is very popular throughout the world. New bands are coming into this genre every day. Though things have changed a bit, alternative rock music is still distinguishable when compared to any other type of music. As a genre, live music embodies rock and everything it stands for. Musicians make a lot of noise, tend to dress in an alternative, roughed up manner and give the audience a good show. Rock music is where we get the term ‘it rocks’ and it is best played live or at least very loud.
