Artists & Styles
From About.com
Before you rip your jeans and throw on some flannel, read about the many permutations and evolutions of the dual musical styles called alternative and independent rock. History, biography, pictures, trivia, the tunes, the times, the behind the scenes: it's all here. Enjoy.
The Basics
Before you plug into the sounds, learn the basics about Alternative & Independent music.
- A Beginner's Guide to Alt/Indie Genres
- Top 10 Alt Rock Albums for Beginners
- Alt/Indie Artists A-L
- Alt/Indie Artists M-Z
College Rock
These bands defined the alternative sound before Kurt Cobain took alternative mainstream.
Grunge
With this genre, Alt Rock burst into the national scene. Think flannel, think distortion, think tortured souls.
Britpop
Combining the pop hooks of British invasion era bands (like The Beatles), the anthemic drama of 1970s glam rock acts (like David Bowie), this genre has often been called the UK's response to grunge.
Garage Rock
It may sound dirty, but that's just the style. This genre is meant to sound like it was recorded with one thing in mind: rock n' roll (OK, and tight jeans).
New Folk
If it sounds like folk rock, but with an undeniable indie twang -- oh, and it's not from the 60s -- then it's the Indie genre few folk.
Female Fronted
When rock 'n roll women take center stage, it sounds like this -- alt/indie style.
Post-Rock
What happens when you cross rock and roll with classical? Post-rock, that's what.
Emo
The grandchild of punk and pop --perhaps the best genre to cry along to.
Noise Rock
Noise rock developed in the early 80s, mixing punk's reckless energy with the dark, atonal approach of NYC's late 70s no wave.
Shoegaze
Shoegaze was an anti-punk, anti-grunge genre born in Southern England in the late 1980s.