alternative music

The ‘90s was the moment when the experiments wrestled control of the laboratory away from the scientists. Suddenly, punk rock — the ragged step-sibling of rock and pop — was squarely in the mainstream of culture, after years of ruling the underground. It spawned alternative music and the latter’s most successful subthread, grunge. Grunge was […]

Ever since he discovered his love for radio as a young teenager, Jack Saunders dreamed of working for BBC’s Radio 1. However, having a dream and trying to realistically accomplish it are two very different things. It takes passion, perseverance and hard work to make your dreams come true, and luckily, Saunders knew this better […]

In issue 399, we featured Bishop Briggs and Sueco as cover artists. During our conversations, the two artists detailed their careers, their inspirations and their vision. They also spoke to the changing nature of alternative music and their ambitious visions for their own career. Along the way, they revealed their shared work ethic, a thoughtful […]

Born and raised in Florida, Matthew Tyler Musto—these days better known as blackbear—has been making music, and making music his life, since at least 2006.  With five studio albums and seven EPs under his belt (or should that be pelt?), releasing his latest extended play, misery lake, Aug. 13, this year finds blackbear riding high […]

Whether due to personal reasons, creative differences or non-music-related conflicts, it’s pretty common for a band’s lineup to shift over time. And in that same vein, it’s noteworthy when a core group of original members are able to stick it out through all the ups and downs that the music industry brings. In a world […]

Although it has the word in its name, hyperpop is a far cry from the pop music you hear when you turn the radio on. A relatively new concept, hyperpop is the product of forward-thinking 2010s pop music combined with SoundCloud’s nightcore scene. PC Music owner A.G. Cook, as well as SOPHIE and others associated […]

In a scene chock-full of prolific bands, solo artists have often felt like a rarity. Still, that hasn’t prevented musicians such as Avril Lavigne and Olivia Rodrigo from gaining significant prominence within the alternative sphere. No surprise, the underground is brimming with soloists who are ready to take their specific genres by storm. From singer-songwriters […]

Television is a great way to find new music and rediscover old songs. When artists are featured on TV show soundtracks, they are able to dive into a different medium. This grants them access to a whole new audience. With shows ranging from flirty rom-coms to haunting thrillers and everything in between, there are many […]

If there’s anything that holds true throughout the alternative music scene, it’s an inclination toward vulnerable self-expression. For decades, artists have worn their hearts on their sleeves while navigating conflict, both external and inward-facing, to remind their audiences that, no matter how isolating the circumstance, you’re never truly alone. Such open honesty has been paramount in destigmatizing mental health […]

You don’t have to look back at the Hot Topic crowd’s fixation with Hello Kitty to see the influence of Japanese culture on the alternative scene. The music speaks for itself. We’ve already taken you around the Western world—from Canada to the U.K. and even out to Australia—in our examination of new, prominent forces in pop-punk music. Now, it’s time to set our […]

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 […]

If there’s one universal truth to alternative music, it’s that there’s no one path to success. Many talented artists grind for years, putting out record after record until one day they accumulate a global following. Others may find commercial success following the release of their debut album. Of course, that’s not to say that any […]

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 […]

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 […]

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 […]

“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 […]

As some of our favorite pop-punk bands continue to show us, we have a lot to thank 1990s alternative music for. Not only did the mainstream explosion set the foundations for the genre collective as we know it, but it put quite a number of women on the forefront. While the gender distribution across the alternative genre […]

The 2000s scene nostalgia is real. However, while our “phases” may have never ended, we tend to look back on the era with a limited scope. It’s no wonder that popular tracks by favorites such as Three Days Grace and Linkin Park stand at the forefront of our memories. After all, we could barely turn on […]

After years of working in other genres, Hannah Collins knew it was time she released a track for the emo scene she loved so much. As RØSÉ, the 23-year-old took to TikTok to introduce her debut track, where it got a lot of support. Though “Are You Tired?” found its way to No. 2 on […]

Alternative artist JUMEX just released a new song “SPRAYPAINT” with blink-182 drummer Travis Barker.  The single comes after the artist dropped his debut LONER EP earlier this year.  Read more: ‘The Masked Singer’ fans think Brendon Urie is a contestant “SPRAYPAINT” is the first song from JUMEX’s upcoming project that’s heavy on the guitar and […]