An umbrella term used to describe a style of music that emerged in the late 80's and early 90's. Alternative Rock is usually characterized by bands who have a "do-it-yourself" or non-conformist attitude; hence "alternative".
It originated with the jangle pop guitar sounds of R.E.M. and the loud/soft dynamic of the Pixies and gained popularity when Nirvana brought it into the mainstream with their album Nevermind. Ironically, it became probably the most popular music of the time period, which was a paradox of sorts in itself -- although purposely anti-mainstream and "against the norm", it became commonplace for people to conform to non-conformity.
Today, the term is often thrown around by people who don't really understand what it means and think that it can be applied to any band of their choosing. This is not true -- for a band to be truly Alternative, they have to follow the Alternative mindset; that is, they must either perform in a style of Alternative Rock already established (see Grunge or Britpop) or be avant-garde and completely throw what it considered usual or average out the window.
The name is often wrongly associated with "Modern Rock". This is wrong because whereas Alternative Rock is a genre and follows a specific style, Modern Rock is a radio format and simply refers recent bands.
Note: discrepancies with categorizing bands as "Alternative Rock" come from the fact that most Alternative bands fit easily into an Alternative Rock subgenre (Nirvana - Grunge, Modest Mouse - Indie) and can be classified as either the subgenre or "Alternative Rock" in general; if a band covers more than one style instead of sticking to one in particular, they are usually just called "Alternative Rock".
It originated with the jangle pop guitar sounds of R.E.M. and the loud/soft dynamic of the Pixies and gained popularity when Nirvana brought it into the mainstream with their album Nevermind. Ironically, it became probably the most popular music of the time period, which was a paradox of sorts in itself -- although purposely anti-mainstream and "against the norm", it became commonplace for people to conform to non-conformity.
Today, the term is often thrown around by people who don't really understand what it means and think that it can be applied to any band of their choosing. This is not true -- for a band to be truly Alternative, they have to follow the Alternative mindset; that is, they must either perform in a style of Alternative Rock already established (see Grunge or Britpop) or be avant-garde and completely throw what it considered usual or average out the window.
The name is often wrongly associated with "Modern Rock". This is wrong because whereas Alternative Rock is a genre and follows a specific style, Modern Rock is a radio format and simply refers recent bands.
Note: discrepancies with categorizing bands as "Alternative Rock" come from the fact that most Alternative bands fit easily into an Alternative Rock subgenre (Nirvana - Grunge, Modest Mouse - Indie) and can be classified as either the subgenre or "Alternative Rock" in general; if a band covers more than one style instead of sticking to one in particular, they are usually just called "Alternative Rock".
It was ironic that Alternative Rock became as popular as it did, considering its entire purpose was to be the opposite of what everyone wanted to hear.
by Username is taken June 25, 2008
Get the Alternative Rock mug.Noise rock is a post-punk genre which experiments with dissonance, atonality and feedback.
Noise rock bands can generaly be split into two groups:
The ones that just want to make noise (usualy pure white noise).
And the ones which think about the noise they make (music which uses avant garde "noisy" techniques to it's advantage).
The ones which just want to make noise tend to make noise which is 100% avant garde and does not use melody harmony, chord structures or any of the musical techniques which most people asociate with music. Instead they tend to overload their amplifiers as much as possible, to make feedback and scream over the top of it to make what most people would describe as pure white noise. An example of this kind of noise rock is the band Hijokaiden.
The ones which think about the noise they make tend to be more musical in their aproach, utilising techniques from heavy metal, punk, rock, math rock, post rock, kraut rock, phycedelia, computer game music and several other musical genres and combining them with the avant garde and noisy techniques of the former, to make a unique and intense music, which many have compared to Free Jazz. These bands include: Big black, Melt-Banana, The Boredoms, Merzbow, scratch acid, the jesus lizard, Lightening bolt and many more.
Noise rock is strongly linked to and inspired by other genres such as: No-wave, math rock, post rock, grindcore, Jazzcore and many more.
Noise rock and Noisecore are not clearly definable as different genres, rather just two ways of describing the same thing.
Japanese noise rock is sometimes refered to as Japanoise.
Noise rock bands can generaly be split into two groups:
The ones that just want to make noise (usualy pure white noise).
And the ones which think about the noise they make (music which uses avant garde "noisy" techniques to it's advantage).
The ones which just want to make noise tend to make noise which is 100% avant garde and does not use melody harmony, chord structures or any of the musical techniques which most people asociate with music. Instead they tend to overload their amplifiers as much as possible, to make feedback and scream over the top of it to make what most people would describe as pure white noise. An example of this kind of noise rock is the band Hijokaiden.
The ones which think about the noise they make tend to be more musical in their aproach, utilising techniques from heavy metal, punk, rock, math rock, post rock, kraut rock, phycedelia, computer game music and several other musical genres and combining them with the avant garde and noisy techniques of the former, to make a unique and intense music, which many have compared to Free Jazz. These bands include: Big black, Melt-Banana, The Boredoms, Merzbow, scratch acid, the jesus lizard, Lightening bolt and many more.
Noise rock is strongly linked to and inspired by other genres such as: No-wave, math rock, post rock, grindcore, Jazzcore and many more.
Noise rock and Noisecore are not clearly definable as different genres, rather just two ways of describing the same thing.
Japanese noise rock is sometimes refered to as Japanoise.
by Zorn/Eye-wanabee May 28, 2009
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A school in South Carolina overrun by cockroaches and girls who can’t tell the difference between “fat ass” and “fat rolls”.
by Trackislife November 23, 2018
Get the Rock Hill High School mug.A form of trolling originating from Smite where you use the quick chat to say "You rock!" then quickly say "Cancel that." It it used to tell players they're garbage.
by Onandonandomnom April 15, 2021
Get the You rock! Cancel that mug.A music album that tells a story essentially. A rock opera will have many tracks on it, but they will all follow a storyline. Rock operas arent really "opera" music, but are generally rock. Just about anyone can like them, and the music is generally superb.
The first rock opera ever was Tommy, by The Who. Another great rock opera is The Wall, by Pink FLoyd.
by brian May 4, 2005
Get the Rock opera mug.Wow I got so hammered last night, this morning I could barely move I felt like a Jamaican Rock.
Guy- "Damn girl/guy you're making my dick is as hard as a Jamaican Rock right now."
Girl- "My nipples are as hard as a Jamaican Rock right now."
Guy- "Damn girl/guy you're making my dick is as hard as a Jamaican Rock right now."
Girl- "My nipples are as hard as a Jamaican Rock right now."
by dabestdocker July 11, 2011
Get the Jamaican Rock mug.A term used to describe poor rock and roll music taste. Someone who is a fan of denny rock is generally a fan of shitty alternative bands such as Nickelback, Hinder and Default.
Matt: Hey dude do you think he would wanna go to the Foo Fighters concert with us?
Jim: Probably not man, that kid only listens to shitty ass denny rock.
Jim: Probably not man, that kid only listens to shitty ass denny rock.
by The Achievers December 19, 2010
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