(Preliminary) Top 50 Alternative Bands of All-Time
One of the multiple renditions of the 50 greatest alt bands lists I've created
Disclaimer
Alternative Rock (n.): a style of rock music characterized as unconventional or outside the mainstream
This term is highly debated, but the fact that I’ve seen people label MCR, TOOL, The Clash, and other non-alternative bands as “alternative” and, for some reason, grunge as something that isn’t alternative…the plot has been lost. I love those bands I just brought up, but…THEY ARE NOT ALTERNATIVE.
Also…GRUNGE IS ALTERNATIVE. In fact, I highly doubt anyone who thinks grunge isn’t alternative would even know of the term’s existence if not for grunge…
Anyway…
For this list, my criteria favors uniqueness, innovation, impact, classics, and catalog the most. It’ll be explained as I give my reasoning for including each group.
Also, I’m not including Television, Devo, or even Talking Heads because, to me, those groups are more proto-alternative groups. Even though there are groups on this list who released material during the same time as those groups, the aesthetic styles and grit are different.
50. Yeah Yeah Yeahs
Despite not having the catalog of other groups, their commercial impact with Maps (and even Heads Will Roll) makes them very interesting. They’ve got plenty of aesthetic creativity with a more artsy edge compared to some of the other quintessential bands of the garage rock revival/post-punk revival era. Fever To Tell is also a great album to solidify consideration (at minimum).
49. Primus
One of the most unique bands one will hear. They’ve got a heavier edge, but they still sound alternative and are very innovative with their alt metal sound. Frizzle Fry and Sailing the Seas are great albums, and they’ve influenced groups like Incubus (also Deftones and nu metal bands, but different genre).
48. Built to Spill
A SUPER influential group amongst lo-fi and slacker rock by turning it into the “modern” indie sound we’ve been associating groups with since the 2000s (Modest Mouse, Spoon, Death Cab for Cutie, Alvvays, etc.). They seem to directly influence Modest Mouse and Death Cab for Cutie the most, but their discography has large imprints on the alt landscape.
47. Modest Mouse
Labeled as “the sound of the Pacific Northwest” once, they had lots of commercial success with those two singles of the 2000s (Float On, Ocean Breathes Salty) as part of the greatly structured Good News for People Who Love Bad News. The Lonesome Crowded West is one of the best slacker rock albums of all time, and they’ve got plenty of depth in their material to stand out as one of the more unique indie bands of their time.
46. Vampire Weekend
A recognizable name through their singles “A-Punk” and “Holiday”, at minimum. What makes them special is their chamber music and pop influences incorporated in their indie rock base. Their catalog is full of multiple quality albums to support their commercial recognition and aesthetic creativity.
45. Interpol
Despite Turn On The Bright Lights shining much brighter than the rest of their catalog, it especially stands out for its post-rock influences compared to their post-punk revival peers of the 2000s. It’s one of the greatest alternative albums recorded (if you ask me) and solidifies their spot amongst the alt greats with Antics also being a very good record.
44. Beach House
THE modern-day dream pop group. A very consistent, quality catalog with a cinematic feel to their music, they’ve had influence on the more hypnotic music that has come into the fold since the 2010s. Teen Dream and Bloom are iconic albums amongst music junkie landscapes for a reason.
43. Dinosaur Jr.
One of the most musically influential groups to noise rock (the most “alternative” rock sub-genre for a point in time). I think their successors created better music, but they have their handprints on multiple bands’ material—this includes iconic groups like Sonic Youth, Smashing Pumpkins, and even Radiohead. You’re Living All Over Me and Bug are great albums as well.
42. The Killers
Even though their legacy lies mostly in their first two albums, Mr. Brightside, Somebody Told Me, and When You Were Young, their commercial influence is too great to be ignored. When paired with Hot Fuss and Sam’s Town being solid albums in their own right with cool aesthetic creativity, they’ve earned their stripes.
41. Pavement
Five albums and all of them are great. Another one of those noise rock bands of the late 80s, they are one of the most recognizable underground bands. They also happen to have plenty of musicianship influence, but their catalog is the biggest reason why they get placement on this list. Their killer instrumentation/chord patterns is/are another reason they land on this list.
40. They Might Be Giants
INCREDIBLY unique and even having some high-profile collabs with the soundtracking of a couple of Playhouse Disney shows of the 2000s (Mickey Mouse Clubhouse, Higglytown Heroes). The 4-album run of Lincoln through John Henry is one I don’t think we’ll see again for the uniqueness of this group. Definitely one of the more unique groups of all time.
39. Caifanes
A Latin rock staple. Their sound doesn’t differ that much from 80s “mainstream” anglophone alternative groups, but their influence and songwriting capabilities make them a unique group. (Plus, it’s not like they lack aesthetic creativity, lol)/(their catalog is fantastic)
38. Tame Impala
Probably the most recognizable modern name. Some might argue Kevin Parker’s project is more of a pop one than alternative, but you can’t deny that there are sufficiently significant rock elements that resemble other indie rock groups since the 2000s in the material. Otherwise, the catalog and aesthetic creativity both speak for themselves.
37. Weezer
Despite a RIDICULOUSLY inconsistent catalog, they’ve got multiple classic songs and two classic albums that are staples of 90s rock (especially the Blue Album). The instrumentation is excellent whenever they don’t perform bland pop-based songs, and they are certainly unique for their nerd rock emphasis. (Also, they have a sufficiently unconventional rock sound to be considered alternative)
36. Yo La Tengo
It’s rare to find a group with one album that is one of the best ever recorded, let alone two…this group has three with Painful, I Can Heart the Heart, and And Then Nothing. They’ve got lots of aesthetic creativity with multiple of the most innovative styles ever devised (including noise pop, shoegaze, and more). They might not have a whole lot of impact musicianship-wise and none commercial-wise, but their catalog is too fantastic to deny their earned stripes.
35. Arctic Monkeys
Their cultural influence speaks for itself, their first two albums and AM speak for themselves, the classic songs speak for themselves—they’ve got it all. Even though their style isn’t *that* different from their contemporaries of the 2000s era, they have shown aesthetic creativity (and innovation) by trying different sounds in their career (even if their attempts aren’t always fruitful). Alex Turner’s sharp-tongued lyricism is especially gripping.
34. Jane’s Addiction
They’ve got cultural influence, they’ve got uniqueness (especially with their psychedelic rock X funk influences), they’ve got two classic albums, and some classic songs. They get bonus points for being one of the first alternative bands to break mainstream too.
33. Neutral Milk Hotel
Highly unique and highly innovative, they only gave us two albums and only one of them was necessary to cement their legacy (it was their second album tbf). In the Aeroplane Over the Sea is CONSTANTLY praised as one of the greatest albums of all time amongst music critic and musicophile spaces and it truly is one of the most unique bodies of work. They might not have the musicianship or commercial impact of other groups, but their uniqueness and innovation are too impeccable.
32. Wilco
Another very unqiue and very innovative band, they have a catalog of aesthetic creativity. They have multiple great albums with their alt-country roots getting the indie/art rock edge added to their material. Yankee Hotel Foxtrot cements their legacy enough—Summerteeth, A Ghost Is Born, Being There, and even Sky Blue Sky merely add to their prestige.
31. Pulp
Different Class, This Is Hardcore, and His ‘n’ Hers are classic albums (especially Different Class). Common People has to be one of the greatest alternative songs of all time. Their influence as one of the big four Britpop gives them the commercial impact nod when they already have the classic nod. Their social critique also makes them a unique 90s alternative group.
30. Suede
I honestly think Pulp is more innovative and aesthetically creative, but Suede is a spot ahead since they’re no slouches in those categories and they get the slight edge impact-wise for their self-titled album arguably being to Britpop what Paid in Full is to Hip Hop. They’ve also got the longevity edge with the likes of Autofiction and Antidepressants.
29. Alice in Chains
If you ask me, they’ve got the best discography of the big four grunge bands. What makes Alice in Chains unique is their metal influences being the most prominent of the grunge bands of their era—it truly made their aesthetic and themes fit like chocolate and peanut butter. Their influence speaks for itself.
28. The Flaming Lips
Aside from Radiohead and Café Tacvba, they are the most innovative alternative band of all time. (I’ve had the pleasure of seeing them live in recent years and they’ve still got it)
I would say that they’re almost too aesthetic-driven at times, but that’s what makes them unique. They’ve got multiple great albums as well.
27. New Order
New Order aging as one of the most significant 80s alternative bands decades later speaks volumes. I debated whether or not to include them on lists like these when I first started making them six years ago, but they do have enough “rock” elements to be on this list—that electronic X rock aesthetic makes them very unique with Low-Life; Technique; and Power, Corruption, & Lies being great albums. Bizarre Love Triangle and The Perfect Kiss have to be two of the best songs of the 80s (even if Blue Monday is more recognized).
26. Queens of the Stone Age
When you think about it, this inclusion’s pretty straightforward. …Like Clockwork showed their aesthetic creativity range and their stoner rock influences make them one of the more identifiable alt bands. Also, Josh Homme is an absolute madman with that guitar.
25. Nick Cave & the Bad Seeds
They honestly might be the most unique group I’ve heard outside of Ween, Primus, and They Might Be Giants. The dark aesthetics and creative instrumental mixes highlight their innovation as much as their uniqueness. With multiple creative albums, high-profile soundtrack inclusions (Harry Potter, Shrek, Peaky Blinders), they are one of the most underrated bands from a US-native perspective.
24. Cafe Tacvba
Another notable group amongst the Latin alt space, they are one of the most innovative alt groups of all time. Re is full of aesthetic creativity, but Reves/Yo Soy is full of aesthetic creativity. Eres is such a classic song as well.
23. Arcade Fire
Their influence speaks for itself with Funeral’s contrast to the garage rock revival/post-punk revival domination of the 2000s being an industry highlight. I wouldn’t label Funeral as one of the greatest alternative albums of all time the way others have, but it’s still a great album with the chamber pop X indie rock blend making it unique. Also, Wake Up is an all time great song.
22. Pearl Jam
Their cultural impact also speaks for itself with Ten being one of the best grunge albums ever. They’ve got classics for days and are one of the big 4 grunge bands (based on sales, if you’re wondering where I’m getting that from). Another unique thing about them is that they had more prominent punk influences to their grunge aesthetic than the others (at least compared to the other big 4).
21. Red Hot Chili Peppers
Classics for days, one of the biggest and most recognizable alt bands ever. I feel as though people would say this placement is either too high or too low—there’s no in-between, lmao. Californication, Sex Magik, and By The Way are great albums with Mother’s Milk being pretty solid too.
20. Soundgarden
Another big 4 grunge band whose commercial impact speaks for itself. The interesting thing about Soundgarden is they were expected to ignite the grunge explosion with Badmotorfinger, but Nevermind ended up doing such instead. Soundgarden did showcase some incredibly creative instrumentation via time signatures on Superunknown and got their commercial success with that album.
19. Oasis
Impact speaks for itself, classics speak for themselves, their first two albums are landmarks—you know the drill. Despite none of their albums beyond What’s the Story being good, their impact and aesthetic creativity each give the group their stripes. Imo, Definitely Maybe is a significant step up from What’s the Story, but What’s the Story is still a good album.
18. The White Stripes
One of the faces of 2000s alt-rock, the creators of Seven Nation Army—an absolute sports staple—and no bad albums in their catalog. De Stijl, White Bloods Cells, and Elephant are the great albums of the six from least great to excellent, but songs like Fell in Love With a Girl, Hello Operator, and others are some of my favorites from the 2000s alt-rock era.
17. Siouxsie and the Banshees
I don’t think people realize just how influential this group has been on the alt landscape. Cocteau Twins—the greatest dream pop of all time—sounded just like Siouxsie and the Banshees on their debut record, as one example. The Cure might’ve had more commercial success and even been more innovative, but this group still has significant albums with Tinderbox, Juju, Kaleidoscope, and A Kiss in the Dreamhouse.
16. U2
Yes, they’re alternative. Now, Bono and the guys might surely correct me if they somehow see this post, but their best records sound alternative. Otherwise, they’ve got classics for days and had tremendous impact on the alternative (and rock) landscape. Their instrumentation is also underrated imo.
15. Nine Inch Nails
Trent Reznor’s project is easily one of the most unique ones amongst the mainstream landscape. Lots and lots of impact with excellent innovation and some classics—maybe not as many classics as other titans, but this project still has some classics.
14. Blur
The only big 4 Britpop band not yet covered. Like Seven Nation Army, Song 2 is a sports staple and this outfit has multiple great and unique albums. Parklife might be their most notable album, but 13 and their self-titled album are even better, if you ask me. 13 especially shows their sonic range as a group (something I think they edge Oasis on, aside from having a better catalog).
13. Depeche Mode
Music for the Masses, obviously. Black Celebration, obviously. 80s impact, obviously. VIOLATOR, obviously. The darkwave edge of their music is something one cannot duplicate since the synthpop emphasis makes them even more innovative. They’ve also got multiple classic songs with my favorite perhaps being Enjoy the Silence (though, Stripped is another absolute fav of mine, if you want a more “interesting” favorite).
12. My Bloody Valentine
Loveless, obviously. Shoegaze titans, obviously. Loveless might not be an album for everyone, but it’s one of the greatest ever recorded (not just amongst alt, but all time). When You Sleep is especially one of the best songs ever recorded (if you don’t vibe with that song, this group definitely isn’t for you).
11. Cocteau Twins
The greatest dream pop band of all time. Heaven or Las Vegas, obviously (check out Cherry-Coloured Funk). Treasure is also a great album with the impeccable ethereal vibes creating smooth sounds. For some reason, I think Blue Bell Knoll tends to get overlooked when that’s such an excellent album on par with Treasure and, to a degree, Heaven or Las Vegas as well. In either case, they have one of the best catalogs out there.
10. The Strokes
Is This It. 2000s alt titans. Reptilia. The New Abnormal showing sonic range. They might not be the most innovative band out there, but the cohesive and infectious sonic rehashing remains insatiably charming. Their musicianship and commercial impact are both MASSIVE.
Also, is it just me or have they been praised even more in recent years? Maybe us hipster Zoomers are merely realizing all the indie sounds we grew up on have a root influence origin LMAO.
9. The Smashing Pumpkins
If you ask me, the greatest alternative band of the 90s. All five albums (including Pisces Iscariot) show their sonic range when at their peak. Even though there have been problems amongst the group members throughout, they did create classic albums and songs. Tonight, Tonight would be my favorite song, if I had to choose (though, Mayonaise is very close, at this point and Disarm is also fantastic).
8. Nirvana
What can I say? I feel as though I’ve been around people who give them unjust hate since I’ve been in high school, but there’s a reason why people still rep them. Nevermind’s impact of causing grunge to replace the 80s hair bands as “the” mainstream rock genre remains one of the biggest moments in the industry’s history. Also, an underrated aspect is the sonic range showcased in their catalog (especially on In Utero).
7. The Smiths
Again, what can I say? Their impact speaks for itself. Morrissey is an excellent songwriter and Johnny Marr is praised as one of the best guitarists of all time for a reason. They’ve got classics for days, but I’ll shoutout a cut that I think people don’t praise as much: Panic.
6. Pixies
I know Nirvana gets (and deserves) their flowers for the impact they had on alt and the industry, but Kurt Cobain said that they basically ripped off Pixies. The influence is most obvious on In Utero, but Nirvana isn’t the only group Pixies has influenced. Every crevice of alternative from the 90s onward has a bit of Pixies’ influence on it with their signature loud-quiet songwriting structure being the biggest example. You can also hear it amongst the indie rock landscape from the 2000s onward, but the uniqueness of Doolittle alone is enough to cement their spot.
Based on the fact that a Boomer was unfamiliar with them and asked me about my Pixies shirt when I was at a cafe one time, I’m gonna recommend the songs Gigantic and Here Comes Your Man. In fact, I’ll also recommend a Jesus and Mary Chain cover they did: Head On.
5. R.E.M.
If The Smiths are the British face of Jangle Pop, R.E.M. is the American face of Jangle Pop. I also deem them the godfather alternative band (remember when College Rock was a thing? such term predates my existence tbh LMFAO).
In either case, their 80s catalog is something most groups (and even artists, I’d argue) cannot approach. They’ve incorporated folk rock concepts to their jangle pop roots, they’ve incorporated pop concepts to their jangle pop roots—they’ve even gone ridiculously creative with their instrumental mixes on Automatic for the People (that is saying something when their shtick is having such unique and creative mixes).
I’ll recommend The Sidewinder Sleeps Tonite and Driver 8 as songs to check out (pretty basic, but I know people who are only familiar with stuff like Losing My Religion).
One last thing, I posted this about Murmur on RYM years ago and I have no idea where it came from—what was I on back then?/LMAO:
If there was ever another album to have an excellent display of structural songwriting and create a new genre term for the music industry outside of this one, I’ll bleach my eyebrows
4. Joy Division
Hot take that shouldn’t be a hot take: Unknown Pleasures to alternative is what Paranoid is to metal and what Paid in Full/Straight Outta Compton/It Takes a Nation is to Hip Hop.
For some reason, I think the sombre production of their only two albums will be what puts people off today. However, they’re still some of the most innovative, creative, instrumentally adventurous, and atmospheric LPs ever recorded. Much like with Siouxsie & the Banshees and The Cure (and even Bauhaus), you can hear post-punk being turned into alternative with their sound.
I’ll recommend Love Will Tear Us Apart, Disorder, and Shadowplay as songs to check out if you haven’t already (Shadowplay was even covered by The Killers!).
3. Sonic Youth
I know I talked about Pixies’ impeccable impact on alt culture and the alt landscape, but Sonic Youth’s impact just might be even greater. Out of all underground bands, they are probably the most recognizable of the bunch and have an EXCELLENT catalog with no bad albums (not all of them are great, but none of them are bad imo).
I wouldn’t hail them as the most unique-sounding band of all time, but not a lot of groups or artists can pull off noise rock with as much spunk and moxie as Kim Gordon, Thurston Moore, and co. Also, they showed their sonic range across multiple different albums with some of the genre influences they paired with their Noise Rock base (depending on the album).
Since I don’t want to repeat anything else that’s already been said, I’ll say that Washing Machine is the most underrated album amongst that run of EVOL-Washing Machine and to check out the songs Schizophrenia, Little Trouble Girl, and Teen Age Riot. (Truthfully, those who appreciate their sound would recognize their catalog as being one of the best alt catalogs out there)
2. The Cure
Their 80s catalog. The fact that they’ve released a great album in four different decades (Wish in the 90s, Bloodflowers in the 2000s, and Songs of a Lost World in the 2020s). Classics for days. Innovation to boot. One of the alt rock pioneers. What else?
Disintegration is quite easily one of the greatest alt albums ever recorded and their commercial impact speaks for itself. I go back and forth between Pictures of You and Lovesong for my favorite Cure song, but I’m actually going to highlight A Night Like This, Six Different Ways, Catch, and Harold & Joe (if available somewhere) as songs to check out.
1. Radiohead
I caved. There’s no other correct placement, at this point. Like it or not, they’ve had tremendous musicianship influence, lots of commercial impact, and have so many unique-sounding albums. Even an unfinished record like Amnesiac is still pretty solid. For cuts that might not get as much attention as their big-hitters, I’ll say Just; Go To Sleep; There, There (i guess); I Might Be Wrong; and All I Need (i guess).
To think I’ve had them at number 3 until two months ago 🤣
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