2000s
10 spoken-word song intros you should never skip over
In music, there are few universal truths. That said, the inherent ability for a well-crafted spoken-word part to send a shiver down the spine of anyone who hears it is definitely one. Of course, that goes double when such a moment is your first introduction to a song. There’s really no wrong way to incorporate […]
41 women empowerment anthems that should be played as loud as possible
With Women’s History Month coming to a close today, it’s vital to carry these messages of intersectional feminism and empowerment throughout every day to come. These musicians aren’t only wonderful leaders in the music industry spanning over decades—they’re using their platform to spread messages of self-love and growth as well as sharing stories of hardship […]
10 guitarists who brought punk rock firmly into the 2000s
As we exited the ’90s and entered the new millennium, pop divas, prefabricated boy bands and rappers bragging about conspicuous consumption and how poorly they treated women ruled the airwaves. Meanwhile, what passed for “rock” was the white guys who beat you up in high school P.E. class who’d discovered hip-hop and figured it’d sound […]
10 legendary drum intros that will always be instantly recognizable
If there’s one indisputable truth in this world, it’s that alternative music has no shortage of iconic drummers. Quite literally setting the beat for the genre, these artists put the power behind some of our favorite tracks. And boy, do we love getting a taste for it right from the top with some badass drum […]
10 women vocalists who made the 2010s a monumental time for alternative
We already established that not all women sound like Hayley Williams with our look into unique-sounding frontwomen within 2000s alternative music. So, given the generalized diversification of the genre throughout the 2010s, we shouldn’t need to drive that point home again, right? That said, last time the dynamic range present in women’s vocal styles proved to […]
10 emerging Scottish bands who are innovating alternative music
Between the likes of Snow Patrol, Biffy Clyro and beyond, Scotland set some solid roots in the ’90s mainstream alternative explosion. Don’t mistake its prominence in the music scene as a thing of the past, though. The country has been churning out new powerhouse bands well into the modern era. Though relatively small compared to other alternative hubs such as the […]
10 alternative artists who gave iconic '80s classics a modern update
We’re well aware that there’s a bit of an ’80s renaissance going on in pop culture. From soundtracking shows to influencing alternative artists with synth-pop and darkwave, the music of the decade is certainly a prominent force in the modern age. Of course, many artists (some more than others) are quick to pay tribute to their predecessors […]
10 women vocalists who brought a unique sound to 2000s alternative
“Not all bands fronted by women sound like Paramore” is beginning to become a pretty popular adage in the alternative music scene. It’s not that drawing a likeness to Hayley Williams isn’t a compliment—it may be one of the highest. But consistent comparisons to the most iconic woman-led group to emerge from the 2000s totally overlook […]
10 alternative songs from 2001 that you still know every word to
It’s hard to believe that we’ve now spent more time beyond the 2000s than within them. What’s worse? That means we’re now coming up on 20 years spent with some of our favorite alternative hits. This year, it’s all the 2001 songs that are celebrating the milestone birthday. Even two decades out, though, many of […]
10 iconic riffs that you’ll always recognize immediately
There are a number of factors that might make a song immediately recognizable—a whisper, a cough, a G note… But nothing gets our little black hearts racing quite as rapidly as a guitar riff we know like the backs of our hands. You don’t even have to be a guitarist to get the sentiment. As […]
23 post-hardcore tracks that definitely ruled your iPods in the 2000s
The Venn diagram comprising many punk and metal offshoots got pretty messy in the 2000s. Post-hardcore crews were regularly lumped in with metalcore, screamo, emo and a plethora of hybrid acts, often sounding comparable and touring together. The biggest of those spectacles was something called Warped Tour. Yet, there’s no doubting their sway. These subgenres […]
10 acts fronted by women and nonbinary musicians that emo fans need to know
How many women and nonbinary-fronted bands can you remember from the mainstream emo wave? OK, now let’s subtract Paramore, Hey Monday and Automatic Loveletter. How many do you have now? Unless you were deeply invested in the 2000s underground scene, you can probably count the remaining qualifiers on one hand. Fortunately for the scene at large, the 2010s […]
10 artists you probably didn't realize Travis Barker collaborated with
If the past year has proved anything, it’s that Travis Barker is the king of collaborations. From providing instrumentation and production for Machine Gun Kelly‘s Tickets To My Downfall to featuring under FEVER 333, Atreyu, Tyler Posey and phem, the blink-182 drummer has been keeping busy. But that’s hardly a change of pace. Barker has been extending his talents far and […]
7 artists who were banned from ‘SNL’ for their badass performances
Getting booked as the musical guest on Saturday Night Live is the perfect way for any artist to become a household name. But with the national spotlight comes the show’s strict standards for guests, leaving some outspoken artists to feel restrained. As punk and alternative became more mainstream in the ’80s, the show began to […]
10 pop-punk bands from Canada who are leaving a mark on the genre
There’s no denying that pop punk owes much of what it has to Canada. With greats such as Avril Lavigne and Sum 41, the country has shaped the larger scene pretty significantly. We’ll let you in on a little secret, though… It’s still continuing to do so. In the midst of today’s pop-punk revival, scenes […]
10 bands from the late 2000s who broke up way too soon
There’s nothing more devastating than a band breakup. If you’ve been invested in the alternative music scene for more than a day, you probably know that feeling all too well. If not, then it’s just a matter of time… We’ve been fortunate enough to follow a number of our favorite 2000s scene outfits through long-lasting […]
Badflower don’t care if you’re pissed off as long as you’re listening
Categorizing Badflower as just one genre is next to impossible, and that’s pretty much the point. Ditching the guise of poetic metaphors, Josh Katz and co. speak from the heart about important issues, channeling all the mess that comes with being human. Now, the frontman is opening up about how it goes much deeper than […]
10 musicians who are shaping the underground scene on SoundCloud
You may discover these artists listed in movements ranging anywhere from trap and emo rap to hyperpop, hexD/surge and glitchcore. But we recognize a scene kid when we see one. Check out these artists who are changing the game in SoundCloud’s trap/emo-rap underground by throwing it back to the 2000s Myspace era in unique and […]
10 modern emo bands who will instantly remind you of the 2000s
It’s easy to look back at 2000s emo music with a sense of longing. After all, it boasted artists and sounds that have long since dissipated… That’s not really the case, though, is it? While we can still stream music by our favorite bands of the time, new artists are constantly developing reminiscent styles. So, […]
10 musicians who absolutely nailed switching genres as solo artists
Branding is one hell of an important factor to achieving success and maintaining a fanbase in music. So, it’s no surprise that many musicians use their solo projects as an avenue for genre experimentation. We’ve seen it countless times to varying extents. Some artists may just incorporate new, genre-defying dynamics to their foundational sounds, whereas others […]
