Alternative music seems out there, but it's really just anything that doesn't fit perfectly into a single genre. Therefore, it's made up of tons of sub-genres. Before we go into that, let's talk about a sub-genre unique to alternative music: indie.
Indie music is generally divided into indie rock and pop. Although they are separate, they sound almost the same, with the exception of a few key elements. Indie rock uses guitar and vocals, mainly, and can sound mellower than indie pop. The background music isn't showcased as much as in indie pop; rather, it's used to support and bring out the vocals. An indie pop song consists of a flowing melody, definite beat, and bold background music, the background music's prominence varying. At times, one or all of these elements can be eccentric, especially the background music and/or instrumentals. And for indie rock and pop, the defining element, in my opinion, is the vocals. Take a listen (indie rock, left and alternative rock, right):
See how the vocals are so light and airy in 'Trojans'? In 'R U Mine?', the alt rock song, the guitar and drums are much more prominent and the vocals are melodic but have a rough-and-tough edge.
The same applies to indie pop.
Indie music is generally divided into indie rock and pop. Although they are separate, they sound almost the same, with the exception of a few key elements. Indie rock uses guitar and vocals, mainly, and can sound mellower than indie pop. The background music isn't showcased as much as in indie pop; rather, it's used to support and bring out the vocals. An indie pop song consists of a flowing melody, definite beat, and bold background music, the background music's prominence varying. At times, one or all of these elements can be eccentric, especially the background music and/or instrumentals. And for indie rock and pop, the defining element, in my opinion, is the vocals. Take a listen (indie rock, left and alternative rock, right):
See how the vocals are so light and airy in 'Trojans'? In 'R U Mine?', the alt rock song, the guitar and drums are much more prominent and the vocals are melodic but have a rough-and-tough edge.
The same applies to indie pop.
I know what you're thinking. These two are totally different! But they still share the key elements we discussed above: a driving melody, a strong beat and bold background music. The occasional eccentricity of indie pop is especially clear in the beginning of 'Helena Beat'. Don't they both just make you wanna dance?
Then again, there are quiet indie songs. 'New Slang' by the Shins is a great example. To the right is a playlist of similar songs.
Here are indie pop and rock playlists.
And now, alternative rock. This is personally my favorite as of right now. Alt rock has flowing melodies marred by a rough tone filled with lots of guitar and drums. Nowadays, as it matures as a genre, synthesizers are sometimes used for the instrumentals, but the classic old guitar and drum duo is still the most common. Here are two songs by the Arctic Monkeys that I'm loving right now. I can't choose my favorite!
Alt rock can also be punk or...sassy? (You'll see what I mean.) Green Day is a great example of the former. Many or most of their hits are full-out punk (Jesus of Suburbia), but Holiday is one that straddles the line. I had it on replay in middle school, and it's still one of my all time faves! East Jesus Nowhere is also similar to Holiday.
Now let's talk sassy. At first, The White Stripes sound like your average alt rock band: bold guitar and beat/drums, loud vocals, and a driven melody. Below is a playlist of a bunch of the White Stripes' best. I also included 'Sixteen Saltines', a single by Jack White, the group's lead singer.
Now let's talk sassy. At first, The White Stripes sound like your average alt rock band: bold guitar and beat/drums, loud vocals, and a driven melody. Below is a playlist of a bunch of the White Stripes' best. I also included 'Sixteen Saltines', a single by Jack White, the group's lead singer.
Come to think of it, My Chemical Romance is super sassy. Their sound is actually really similar to the White Stripes, except the guitar and vocals have a messy, laid-back feel.
There's also alternative like the Killers, who have poppy melodies and rock-sounding guitar. Since I don't know them too well, here are their top five hits on Spotify.
One sub-genre of alternative rock I'm also not very familiar with is its "harder" side, which is like the Killers-- melodic, but with rough guitar and drums, and more aggressive. Artists with this style include Evanescence and Three Days Grace, who I had a short stint with maybe six months ago. Here's my favorite song by them.
Now, we come to one of the most mysterious sub-genres of alternative music: modern alternative. I probably listen to it the least (although that may not apply to certain songs in the playlist below); it's the closest I'll willingly get to avant-garde music. However, some modern alt songs are really cool. Here's a playlist to help you understand this sub-genre.
Whew! That was a lot. Although I definitely didn't cover all of alternative music, I hope this post gave you a good feel for it. So did anyone find a new favorite song? Have one you're dying to share with me? Comment below and email me at leatherandrouge@gmail.com with a Youtube link!
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