At the end of the 1980s, at the peak of glam rock and hair metal, a new genre began to emerge from the underground. Since it served as an option to the bloated sound of those genres that was all over the airwaves and MTV, it was aptly titled alternative rock. Over the years, alternative rock has become part of mainstream rock. But at its beginning, alt rock and all of the alternative artists were on the cutting edge of what was going on in response to those more commercial genres. The origins of the best alternative bands are in cities like Seattle, Los Angeles, New York, Chicago and various college towns around the country.
So, who can be considered one of the top alternative bands, or even a good current alternative band? Any list isn't complete without Husker Du and R.E.M., who represent the best college rock musicians. These alternative music bands had a huge impact on the alternative scene and influenced many, if not all alternative rock bands. Jane's Addiction can also be lumped into that category. Other popular alternative artists include Nirvana, Pearl Jam, Oasis, Blur and Smashing Pumpkins. These groups' legacy and impact on alternative music is indisputable and they continue to crank out the hits.
Who is on your top 100 alternative bands list? We know this list isn't 100 bands/artists long. . . we did that on purpose because we're alternative.
Ultimately, it's up to you to decide what is the best alternative band. If you think an alternative artist or band isn't on here and should, feel free to add them to this list. This list answers the questions "who are the best alternative bands of all time?" and "who is the greatest alternative musician ever?"
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3,7652,080Nirvana was an American grunge band that was formed by singer/guitarist Kurt Cobain and... more
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1,8801,069The Cure is an English rock band formed in Crawley, West Sussex in 1976. The band members have... more3
1,618993Soundgarden was an American rock band formed in Seattle, Washington, in 1984 by singer and... more4
2,1211,316The Smashing Pumpkins (or Smashing Pumpkins) are an American alternative rock band from... more5
3,0962,038Red Hot Chili Peppers are an American rock band formed in Los Angeles in 1983. The group's... more6
2,9581,941Green Day is an American rock band formed in 1986 by lead vocalist and guitarist Billie Joe... more7
1,062625The Clash were an English rock band formed in London in 1976 as a key player in the original... more8
1,407911Alice in Chains (often abbreviated as AIC) is an American rock band from Seattle, Washington,... more9
1,047680Talking Heads were an American rock band formed in 1975 in New York City and active until... more10
2,4041,574Foo Fighters is an American rock band, formed in Seattle in 1994. It was founded by Nirvana... more11
3,0392,091Radiohead are an English rock band formed in Abingdon-on-Thames in 1985. The band consists of... more12
773466The Cranberries were an Irish rock band formed in Limerick, Ireland in 1989 by lead singer... more13
1,7241,137The White Stripes were an American rock duo formed in 1997 in Detroit, Michigan. The group... more14
1,130739Depeche Mode () are an English electronic band formed in Basildon, Essex, in 1980. The group... more15
1,340527David Robert Jones (8 January 1947 – 10 January 2016), known professionally as David Bowie (,... more16
1,5411,080The Pixies are an American rock band formed in Boston, Massachusetts in 1986. The group... more17
1,398954Rage Against the Machine is an American rock band from Los Angeles, California. Formed in... more18
1,9221,385R.E.M. was an American rock band from Athens, Georgia, formed in 1980 by drummer Bill Berry,... more19
2,2701,596Arctic Monkeys is an English rock band formed in Sheffield in 2002. The group consists of Alex... more20
2,1781,141Linkin Park is an American rock band from Agoura Hills, California. The band's current lineup... more21
774433Joy Division were an English rock band formed in Salford in 1976. The group consisted of... more22
710388The Ramones were an American punk rock band that formed in the New York City neighborhood of... more23
1,182762Cage the Elephant is an American rock band from Bowling Green, Kentucky, that formed in 2006.... more24
2,1521,603Pearl Jam is an American rock band, formed in Seattle, Washington, in 1990. Since its... more25
902614The Beastie Boys were an American hip hop group from New York City formed in 1981. The group... more
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