aptv list

The foundation of the alternative-rock scene had already been leavened by the late ’80s. The boundaries between the underground and the mainstream started to fragment thanks to Nirvana‘s success. Sadly, that band came to a tragic end before the halfway point of the decade. Fortunately, there were many great bands from the late-’90s moving things […]

Leave it to us to create a video for a list that was bound to fuel some fire. This APTV installment salutes singers from the 2000s whose voices shaped the scene. It was a pivotal time in youth culture. The combined tidal waves of annoying pop stars and nu-metal dudes in funny pants were giving […]

It’s an old joke that’s worth repeating. How many lead singers does it take to change a lightbulb? The answer is zero: Vocalists hold the light bulb and the world turns around them. The 10 instrumental bands featured in this APTV video don’t get the joke. And for good reason. Sometimes singers just get in […]

The Dead Kennedys once demanded its demise. But MTV shall always remain an arbiter of where we are as a society. When the music television network decided to stop showing videos and put all their chips on original programming, the pushback was furious. But soon those extended arms would become open and welcome. Because the […]

In the ’80s, many a cloth-eared critic and social dullard thought punk was just a mindless fad. Here in 2020, we know better than our parents ever did. But there’s still time for them to catch up. Because these punk albums of 1983 haven’t lost any of their potency. This APTV video rundown shows exactly […]

What were you doing 15 years ago? Updating your Myspace page? Giving yourself tinnitus at top volume? (This writer is definitely projecting.) It’s just a hunch, but maybe you found a way to get over the nu-metal hangover that was seemingly inescapable earlier this century. If you forgot what tributary life took you down back […]

The worldwide awareness in support of the Black Lives Matter movement has significantly changed consumers’ shopping habits. Especially in the realm of alternative fashion. Fortunately, there are a number of Black-owned beauty brands supplying the goods to keep you looking fierce. Sure, many makeup aficionados are familiar with lines like Beauty Bakerie and Rihanna‘s Fenty […]

We’re pretty sure you’ve heard the old aphorism: “Those who do not know history are doomed to repeat it.” It’s a statement that’s always been universally prescient. However, it might not apply to these choice punk albums from 1982. This APTV video revisits that awesome year for some groundbreaking releases. If anybody really wants to […]

“May you live in interesting times.” Man, whoever came up with that maudlin but effective curse was a genius. Here in 2020, we’ve got social unrest and a pandemic a lot of rubes think is over. Everyone is in a hurry. We don’t have time to wait in lines or traffic and needlessly crave instant […]

We’ve heard the phrase a million times. But in the case of Fall Out Boy, we’re happy they’re truly “living the dream.” Our Chicago heroes are Cali enough to get celebrities to make cameos in their videos. And Midwest enough to be stoked to have them. Our APTV video checks off all (OK, most) of […]

It’s safe to say that the short-lived, synth-driven neon pop-punk scene was equally loved and loathed. In a world where everybody needs to be the heaviest, coolest or (admit it) most famous, this was a scene that did not take itself seriously. That’s not to say writing a killer hook is a piece of cake. […]

You know that feeling when you discover a brand new band that’s awesome? You get that moment where you feel like a one-person secret society witnessing greatness. You follow them religiously. And then they break up.  Sure, you can always go back and keep playing the tracks you loved. Hopefully (well, not this year, at […]

Want to know how to impress a band? Back when Warped Tour was a thing, you could whip one of these up and they’d love you. These days, bands are downright shocked when fans know all the right lyrics to their new songs. (Especially if said stans have only heard them on YouTube before their […]

Solo albums can be confusing things. When you hear a member of a beloved successful band is making one, there’s a knee-jerk reaction. The first one is usually, “OMG, my favorite band are breaking up!” The next reaction is “I wonder what it’s going to sound like…” This APTV video counts down some of the […]

Welcome to our look-back video at some of the best 1981 punk albums. While the foundation of punk rock was already in place by the late Seventies, there were still possibilities to be explored. We’re still thanking all the deities for that. Historically speaking, the Eighties have been frequently referred to as “the Me decade.” […]

Our new APTV video is a list of suggested black-owned fashion brands for you to patronize. Now more than ever, the opening of your wallet is a truly political act. Recently, a world-famous fashion company in Los Angeles seemingly endorsed police oppression in the aftermath of George Floyd’s death. A lot of that store’s patrons […]

It’s hard to believe that twenty one pilots‘ breakthrough album is five years old. Blurryface started out as being a manifestation of frontman Tyler Joseph‘s fears. It ended up achieving sales records as a single album and as individual tracks. While sales are the way to measure commercial success, the emotional connection the album has […]

Thirty years ago, Nirvana rose to historical status as the torchbearers of alternative rock. Their music conveyed the angst, cynicism and nihilism that defined Generation X. In sharp contrast, Los Angeles’ Rage Against The Machine flung a psychic 50-quart Molotov cocktail straight at the heart of that generation’s apathy. The multi-cultural quartet drew from hardcore, […]

The protest song is a classic art form that touches your head and your heart simultaneously. It makes no difference what country issued your passport. Whether it’s the stirring messages of a South American teacher, the climate of  early-’70s America or walking outside your door, any song that implores you to make the world better […]

June 1 marks Pride Month 2020, the perfect reason to celebrate all things queercore. Our new APTV video throws some light on artists who have the songs and the swagger to get into your hearts and your playlists. From acoustic whimsy to volume dials that go to 12, these artists are here and queer and […]