Recommended Western alternative rock bands that connect to the modern rock scene
In the 1980s, rock music gained a vast audience, and at the same time a mainstream industry took shape.
Meanwhile, as various genres emerged and branched out, the media introduced a category defined as “rock that didn’t fit the existing mold”: alternative rock.
This time, while tracing the roots of alternative rock, we’re also focusing on the musicians who went on to lead the scene.
Be sure to check it out.
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Top 10 recommended alternative rock bands from overseas that connect to the modern rock scene
Give It AwayRed Hot Chili Peppers
A very famous song that was also released as a single from Red Hot Chili Peppers’ fifth album, Blood Sugar Sex Magik.
With Flea’s snarling, ultra-thick bass tone and John Frusciante’s funky playing that makes effective use of a wah pedal—earning him comparisons to a “white Jimi Hendrix”—it’s a track that’s bound to get anyone fired up.
Suck My KissRed Hot Chili Peppers
Red Hot Chili Peppers’ 1992 release, the insanely high-energy alternative rock number “Suck My Kiss.” With its pretty intense sound and lyrics, it stands out in 1992—a year when many other bands leaned toward introspective, slow-tempo, slightly delicate sounds.
This track is downright aggressive, showcases impressive musicianship, and follows a somewhat different lineage from other popular bands.
As a band, RHCP have incredible longevity, crossing multiple generations.
Even amid the fiercely competitive ’90s, this is a standout classic that truly shines.
Live ForeverOasis
Oasis, legends of UK rock.
They too emerged in the ’90s and rose to the top.
Their song “Live Forever” is a brilliant, classic masterpiece in the history of British rock.
In interviews, they’ve said that behind the creation of this track was the presence of Nirvana, the grunge/alternative rock band that was gaining worldwide popularity at the same time.
And as an alternative rock band themselves, Oasis created “Live Forever,” a supremely uplifting, life-affirming number that took the opposite path from Nirvana at the time.
Recommended Western alternative rock bands (11–20) that connect to the modern rock scene
WaterfallThe Stone Roses
The Stone Roses reunited in 2011 and, in 2016, released their first new songs in 22 years.
This track is from their 1989 debut album.
Featuring guitarist John Squire’s soft, sometimes distorted, waterfall-like sound that seems to emit “negative ions,” the song encapsulates the band’s signature style.
Incidentally, if you reverse-play and rearrange this track, you get their song “Don’t Stop.”
Been There All The TimeDinosaur Jr.
This is a track from Dinosaur Jr.’s eighth album, with the band having held court in the alternative scene since the ’80s.
Rather than the gritty earthiness heard in the past, the sound here evokes a refreshing sense of youth.
The song also has a music video featuring cameo appearances by Sonic Youth’s Thurston Moore and his daughter, Coco.
Friday I’m In LoveThe Cure
A single released from The Cure’s 1992 album Wish, centered around Robert Smith.
It’s a very popular song, featuring a melancholic sound that rolls along like a carpet yet carries hopeful lyrics.
The music video also matches the song, with a fantastical, musical-style presentation.
TodayThe Smashing Pumpkins
When it comes to quintessential American alternative rock of the ’90s, The Smashing Pumpkins are surely the first name that comes to mind.
They debuted in the midst of the grunge boom sparked by Nirvana, and then rose to prominence with their second album, Siamese Dream.
Their signature song on that album is Today—a slow rock number whose thick, distorted guitar sound somehow also conveys a sense of beauty, resulting in a fresh, exhilarating listening experience.