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[Western Music] Start with this one! Classic and popular songs of alternative rock

Even for those who love rock, it’s not easy to succinctly explain what alternative rock is.

As rock history produced a variety of genres, the term “alternative rock” emerged as music that stood against the mainstream—an underground counterpart.

It might even be more accurate to think of it not as a genre, but as a musical attitude that the musicians themselves embody.

In this article, we’ve curated a selection focusing on iconic Western tracks from the 1990s—songs through which alternative rock upended trends across the global music scene.

If you’ve recently become interested in alt rock, be sure to check them out!

Playlist

[Western Music] Start with this one! Classic and popular songs of alternative rock
show_chartTitlePlaylistReview
1eastSmells Like Teen SpiritsNirvana
Smells Like Teen SpiritsNirvanaplay_arrow
A power co... drenched in intense distortion
2eastCreepRadiohead
CreepRadioheadplay_arrow
Mr. Beck was muttering, “I’m a loser,” bu…
3eastLoserBeck
LoserBeckplay_arrow
Truly a child of the alternative rock generation…
4eastGive It AwayRed Hot Chili Peppers
Give It AwayRed Hot Chili Peppersplay_arrow
Here in Japan, affectionately known as “Recchiri”…
5eastMr. BrightsideThe Killers
Mr. BrightsideThe Killersplay_arrow
Lyrics where wistfulness and doubt intersect, and an energeti...
6eastLosing My ReligionR.E.M.
Losing My ReligionR.E.M.play_arrow
Since their formation in 1980, R.E.M. has...
7eastSeven Nation ArmyThe White Stripes
Seven Nation ArmyThe White Stripesplay_arrow
A guitar that is simple yet overwhelmingly powerful…
8eastAfterlifeSharon Van Etten & The Attachment Theory
AfterlifeSharon Van Etten & The Attachment Theoryplay_arrow
Fantastical synthesizer tones and electro...
9eastSabotageBeastie Boys
SabotageBeastie Boysplay_arrow
Legendary as a white hip-hop group…
10eastMy HeroFoo Fighters
My HeroFoo Fightersplay_arrow
A showcase of famous songs by the Foo Fighters led by Dave Grohl
11eastBlack Hole SunSoundgarden
Black Hole SunSoundgardenplay_arrow
Like bands such as Nirvana, in Seattle...
12eastMapsYeah Yeah Yeahs
MapsYeah Yeah Yeahsplay_arrow
Characterized by passionate vocals and an electrifying guitar sound…
13eastMessyLola Young
MessyLola Youngplay_arrow
Vividly depicting the fluctuations of emotion and the struggle for self-acceptance…
14eastSame Old SongThe Lumineers
Same Old SongThe Lumineersplay_arrow
A song that delves into the complex issues of modern society is born…
15eastSundaySonic youth
SundaySonic youthplay_arrow
Sonic Youth: Shaping alternative music with an emphasis on musicality
16eastGuerrilla RadioRage Against The Machine
Guerrilla RadioRage Against The Machineplay_arrow
A hallmark of the rock scene in the ’90s was the influence of hip-hop…
17eastWhere is My Mind?Pixies
Where is My Mind?Pixiesplay_arrow
A band that could be called the king of the alternative scene is a P…
18eastA-PunkVampire Weekend
A-PunkVampire Weekendplay_arrow
A nimble guitar riff and a driving, fast-paced rhythm leave an impression…
19eastBest Of YouFoo Fighters
Best Of YouFoo Fightersplay_arrow
Foo… led by Dave Grohl, formerly of Nirvana
20east1901Phoenix
1901Phoenixplay_arrow
With its unique lyrics and catchy melody...
21eastSteady, As She GoesThe Raconteurs
Steady, As She GoesThe Raconteursplay_arrow
Powerful, catchy sound and life’s…
22eastBullet with Butterfly WingsThe Smashing Pumpkins
Bullet with Butterfly WingsThe Smashing Pumpkinsplay_arrow
Introducing the captivating songs of Smashing Pumpkins
23eastWonderwall (Remastered)Oasis
Wonderwall (Remastered)Oasisplay_arrow
The good old British scene, like The Beatles and The Who…
24eastFloat OnModest Mouse
Float OnModest Mouseplay_arrow
A positive attitude and a message full of hope…
25eastPainThree Days Grace
PainThree Days Graceplay_arrow
A slightly dark and loud alternative ro...
26eastSex on FireKings Of Leon
Sex on FireKings Of Leonplay_arrow
This song, which depicts passionate love, is by Kings…
27eastNew SlangThe Shins
New SlangThe Shinsplay_arrow
A gentle melody and poetic lyrics seep into the heart…
28eastDriving SouthStone Roses
Driving SouthStone Roses
Even members of Oasis were influenced…
29eastKilling In the NameRage Against The Machine
Killing In the NameRage Against The Machineplay_arrow
Hip-hop, funk, punk, metal, …
30eastOne Armed ScissorAt The Drive-In
One Armed ScissorAt The Drive-Inplay_arrow
Lastly, the one I’ll introduce is Post Ma… from Texas.
31eastEvenflowPearl Jam
EvenflowPearl Jamplay_arrow
Pearl Jam's signature song
32eastHurtNine Inch Nails
HurtNine Inch Nailsplay_arrow
Within the genre of alternative rock...
33eastLo/HiThe Black Keys
Lo/HiThe Black Keysplay_arrow
Lo/Hi by The Black Keys…
34east11 Minutes ft. Travis BarkerYUNGBLUD, Halsey
11 Minutes ft. Travis BarkerYUNGBLUD, Halseyplay_arrow
British rock singer YUNGBL…
35eastChlorinetwenty one pilots
Chlorinetwenty one pilotsplay_arrow
The lyrics that I don’t really understand are, in a way, pop! Oh...
36eastBasket CaseGreen Day
Basket CaseGreen Dayplay_arrow
In 1987, in the U.S. state of California...
37eaststill feel.half•alive
still feel.half•aliveplay_arrow
Alternative rock from California…
38eastAce of SpadesMotörhead
Ace of SpadesMotörheadplay_arrow
You could even call them the original alternative rock band…
39eastSong 2Blur
Song 2Blurplay_arrow
In the UK in the ’90s, what was called Britpop...
40eastLongshotCatfish&the Bottlemen
LongshotCatfish&the Bottlemenplay_arrow
Catfish And The Bott…
41eastTo Here Knows WhenMy Bloody Valentine
To Here Knows WhenMy Bloody Valentineplay_arrow
Ji... who was popular in the alternative scene of the ’90s
42eastRocksPrimal Scream
RocksPrimal Screamplay_arrow
They’ve even been compared to the Rolling Stones at their peak...
43eastGloriaThe Lumineers
GloriaThe Lumineersplay_arrow
The band from the United States, The Lumin…
44eastHigh HopesPanic! At The Disco
High HopesPanic! At The Discoplay_arrow
Panic! At The Disco's...
45eastDownfallTrust Company
DownfallTrust Companyplay_arrow
Playing heavy rock in the post-grunge era...
46eastMy WarBLACK FLAG
My WarBLACK FLAGplay_arrow
Talking about the ’90s grunge and alternative boom…
47eastAre You Gonna Go My WayLenny Kravitz
Are You Gonna Go My WayLenny Kravitzplay_arrow
An American singer-songwriter who also works as an actor…
48eastBlackPearl Jam
BlackPearl Jamplay_arrow
Pearl Jam has been active continuously since the 1990s.
49eastAlone TogetherThe Strokes
Alone TogetherThe Strokesplay_arrow
The rock ’n’ roll revival that emerged after 2000…
50eastThe ConceptTeenage Fanclub
The ConceptTeenage Fanclubplay_arrow
Scotland is Glasgow, a UK lo…
51eastPretty FlyThe Offspring
Pretty FlyThe Offspringplay_arrow
The champions of melodic hardcore/pop punk, The Of…
52eastGave You EverythingThe Interrupters
Gave You EverythingThe Interruptersplay_arrow
A ska band formed in Los Angeles in 2011…
53eastTodayThe Smashing Pumpkins
TodayThe Smashing Pumpkinsplay_arrow
Often compared to Nirvana, the 90…
54eastOneU2
OneU2play_arrow
As a group of artists, the Grammy Awards…
55east100%Sonic youth
100%Sonic youthplay_arrow
Sonic Youth is an alternative rock…
56eastTired of SexWeezer
Tired of SexWeezerplay_arrow
Exhilarating, thunderous guitars, and not exactly what you’d call cool…
57eastMonsterSkillet
MonsterSkilletplay_arrow
Skillet that starts off with heavy guitars right from the intro…
58eastKool ThingSonic youth
Kool ThingSonic youthplay_arrow
Sonic Youth revolutionary grunge masterpiece
59eastChangeThe Revivalists
ChangeThe Revivalistsplay_arrow
A rock band from New Orleans, USA...
60eastThe WagonDinosaur Jr.
The WagonDinosaur Jr.play_arrow
Languid vocals and a mysterious character…
61eastFather Of MineEverclear
Father Of MineEverclearplay_arrow
It was hugely popular in the United States, and the album became a massive hit...
62eastFirestarterThe Prodigy
FirestarterThe Prodigyplay_arrow
The Prodigy, a rock band from the United Kingdom...
63eastWould?Alice In Chains
Would?Alice In Chainsplay_arrow
Alice in Chains tribute song
64eastNearly Lost YouScreaming Trees
Nearly Lost YouScreaming Treesplay_arrow
Screaming Trees’ masterpiece is moving
65eastTomorrowSilverchair
TomorrowSilverchairplay_arrow
Signature songs of Silverchair
66eastTouch Me I’m SickMudhoney
Touch Me I'm SickMudhoneyplay_arrow
As a characteristic of grunge, there’s a kind of crushed, worn-out...
67eastHell YeahZebrahead
Hell YeahZebraheadplay_arrow
A bread that drops a groovy party tune…
68eastThem BonesAlice In Chains
Them BonesAlice In Chainsplay_arrow
Alice in Chains' signature songs and dark sound
69eastHoney BucketsMelvins
Honey BucketsMelvinsplay_arrow
Signature songs of Melvins, the father of grunge
70eastSwallow My PrideGreen River
Swallow My PrideGreen Riverplay_arrow
A song by Green River. It’s a wellspring of grunge and brimming with a rebellious spirit.
71eastBackwaterMeat Puppets
BackwaterMeat Puppetsplay_arrow
The dry rock of Meat Puppets
72eastHoney BucketMelvins
Honey BucketMelvinsplay_arrow
The Melvins’ classic, the violent power of sound
73eastChloe Dancer / Crown of ThornsMother Love Bone
Chloe Dancer / Crown of ThornsMother Love Boneplay_arrow
Mother Love Bone’s epic grunge song
74eastAlivePearl Jam
AlivePearl Jamplay_arrow
A Pearl Jam classic ascends into an anthem of hope
75eastOutshinedSoundgarden
OutshinedSoundgardenplay_arrow
A rock song portraying the gap between the inner self and the outer self
76eastSex Type ThingStone Temple Pilots
Sex Type ThingStone Temple Pilotsplay_arrow
Stone Temple Pilots' debut single
77eastHunger StrikeTemple Of The Dog
Hunger StrikeTemple Of The Dogplay_arrow
A tribute project work by Temple of the Dog
78eastJust Like HeavenDinosaur Jr.
Just Like HeavenDinosaur Jr.play_arrow
An alternative band originating from Seattle
79eastCringeMatt Maeson
CringeMatt Maesonplay_arrow
Singer from the United States, Matt Meas…
80eastBelovedMumford & Sons
BelovedMumford & Sonsplay_arrow
Folk band Mumford & So...
81eastMissed ConnectionThe Head And The Heart
Missed ConnectionThe Head And The Heartplay_arrow
An indie folk band from Seattle, …
82eastAll the Small Thingsblink-182
All the Small Thingsblink-182play_arrow
American pop-punk band, Blink …
83eastmaybe, i’m afraidlovelytheband
maybe, i'm afraidlovelythebandplay_arrow
Lovelytheband is a Los Angeles–based in…
84eastWhat Comes AroundIll Niño
What Comes AroundIll Niñoplay_arrow
Il Nini rocking out with insane sound pressure...
85eastWish You Were HereIncubus
Wish You Were HereIncubusplay_arrow
In a way that seems to branch off from the alternative movement…
86eastHurtOliver Tree
HurtOliver Treeplay_arrow
Vocalist Oliver from the United States …
87eastSleeping AwakeP.O.D.
Sleeping AwakeP.O.D.play_arrow
Heavy texture alternative rock ba…
88eastAlready OverRed
Already OverRedplay_arrow
This song that starts with the sound of a violin is RED’s…
89eastRace For The PrizeThe Flaiming Lips
Race For The PrizeThe Flaiming Lipsplay_arrow
Alternative rock doesn’t have to be heavy or anything like th…
90eastA Good Night’s Sleep And A Cab Fare HomeThe Strypes
A Good Night's Sleep And A Cab Fare HomeThe Strypesplay_arrow
Carrying on the legacy of 1960s British rock…
91eastBad GirlfriendTheory Of A Deadman
Bad GirlfriendTheory Of A Deadmanplay_arrow
It starts with a hard rock-style guitar riff, and then...
92eastWay AwayYellowcard
Way AwayYellowcardplay_arrow
It shifts from a quietly wistful guitar to loud...
93eastBodiesDrowning Pool
BodiesDrowning Poolplay_arrow
Starting with a whisper, this song explodes right from the beginning…
94eastUntil The DayI DieStory of the Year
Until The DayI DieStory of the Yearplay_arrow
Story of the Year's big hit by Ooshiro…
95eastOnly Happy When It RainsGarbage
Only Happy When It RainsGarbageplay_arrow
Introduction to Garbage’s debut single
96eastCannonballThe Breeders
CannonballThe Breedersplay_arrow
The Breeders’ signature ’90s alternative song
97eastBuddy HollyWeezer
Buddy HollyWeezerplay_arrow
Weezer’s signature song on the theme of romantic resistance
98eastMr. JonesCounting Crows
Mr. JonesCounting Crowsplay_arrow
Formed in San Francisco, USA, ro…
99eastFeel The PainDinosaur Jr.
Feel The PainDinosaur Jr.play_arrow
Considered one of the pioneers of American alternative rock…
100eastSoonMy Bloody Valentine
SoonMy Bloody Valentineplay_arrow
The genre of shoegaze in Japan…
101eastSanteriaSublime
SanteriaSublimeplay_arrow
The three Ps that were supported in America in the 1990s…
102eastI Love my ComputerBad Religion
I Love my ComputerBad Religionplay_arrow
A hardcore pa... who has been active since the 1980s
103eastCrashed The WeddingBusted
Crashed The WeddingBustedplay_arrow
A trio that plays upbeat pop-punk rock...
104eastGet The TimeDESCENDENTS
Get The TimeDESCENDENTSplay_arrow
Descendents were a hard... who were active in the ’80s.
105eastMake A MoveIncubus
Make A MoveIncubusplay_arrow
Mixture alternative rock band i…
106eastBurn, BurnLostprophets
Burn, BurnLostprophetsplay_arrow
Since the 2000s, alternative rock ban…
107eastThe Broken BonesMxPx
The Broken BonesMxPxplay_arrow
MxPx, which was also used in Japanese TV commercials…
108eastSloop Jhon BMe First and the Gimme Gimmes
Sloop Jhon BMe First and the Gimme Gimmesplay_arrow
Listening to some upbeat alternative punk rock…
109eastSpiderwebsNo Doubt
SpiderwebsNo Doubtplay_arrow
A rock ba... formed in the United States in 1986
110eastCut Your HairPavement
Cut Your HairPavementplay_arrow
The champions of lo-fi rock, Pavement (…
111eastNo One KnowsQueens of the Stone Age
No One KnowsQueens of the Stone Ageplay_arrow
It gradually expanded in popularity from the mid-2000s...
112eastFar From OverRev Theory
Far From OverRev Theoryplay_arrow
The song starts with a quiet guitar, but then it suddenly bu—
113eastPlushStone Temple Pilots
PlushStone Temple Pilotsplay_arrow
The Glory and Hardships of Stone Temple Pilots
114eastReady To Let GoCage The Elephant
Ready To Let GoCage The Elephantplay_arrow
The album released in April 2019, “…
115eastWar of ChangeThousand Foot Krutch
War of ChangeThousand Foot Krutchplay_arrow
Heavy rock band ThousandFoo…