There’s nothing quite like good alternative music, and that’s exactly the point. Born in the 80’s, but popularized in the 90’s, alternative music found its way into the hearts of millions by being different. A far cry from the guitar solos and glam rock of the 80’s, 90’s alternative music came at us with distorted guitar, rebellious lyrics, and an attitude that screamed, “WE D.G.A.F!” And for the most part, they didn’t.
You’ll remember the time Pearl Jam won its first of two Grammy Awards – Best Hard Rock Performance for Spin The Black Circle. Typically, for an artist, winning a Grammy Award is the pinnacle of a career. It provides validity to everything they have done up to that point in their career. But for Eddie Vedder, one of alternative rock’s high royalty, it meant nothing. In fact, Pearl Jam cared so little about winning a Grammy Award that it surprised many that they even showed up to the awards show at all.
Watch Pearl Jam’s acceptance(?) speech here:
“Thanks, I guess…” Eddie Vedder. D.G.A.F.
Since its mainstream acceptance in the 90’s, alternative music has thrived. Some of the bands who helped create the genre are still rocking today and many more bands have joined the club as the rebellious teenagers of the music world.
But let’s be honest. Nothing compares to alternative rock from the 90’s. Here are 22 reasons why:
1. Pearl Jam – Ten (1991)
Listen to: Black
2. Nirvana – Nevermind (1991)
Listen to: Lithium
3. Radiohead – OK Computer (1997)
Listen to: Paranoid Android
4. Foo Fighters – The Colour and The Shape (1997)
Listen to: My Hero
5. Sound Garden – Superunknown (1994)
Listen to: Spoonman
6. Red Hot Chili Peppers – Blood Sugar Sex Magik (1991)
Listen to: Suck My Kiss
7. Alice in Chains – Dirt (1992)
Listen to: Dirt
8. Rage Against the Machine – Rage Against the Machine (1992)
Listen to: Fistful of Steel
9. Stone Temple Pilots – Core (1992)
Listen to: Dead & Bloated
10. Nirvana – In Utero (1993)
Listen to: Dumb
11. Green Day – Dookie (1994)
Listen to: Chump
12. The Smashing Pumpkins – Siamese Dream (1993)
Listen to: Mayonaise
13. Sublime – Sublime (1996)
Listen to: Wrong Way
14. Blind Melon – Blind Melon (1992)
Listen to: Drive
15. Pearl Jam – Vitalogy (1994)
Listen to: Nothingman
16. Bush – Sixteen Stone (1994)
Listen to: Monkey
17. Faith No More – Angel Dust (1992)
Listen to: Kindergarten
18. The Smashing Pumpkins – Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness (1995)
Listen to: An Ode to No One
19. Live – Throwing Copper (1994)
Listen to: All Over You
20. Radiohead – The Bends (1995)
Listen to: My Iron Lung
21. Beck – Odelay (1996)
Listen to: Novacane
22. Nine Inch Nails – The Downward Spiral (1994)
Listen to: Big Man With A Gun
