Alternative music : a simple definition

When the term “alternative” first came into widespread use in the 1980s, it initially stood for music that wasn’t easy to assign to one of the existing sections at your local record store. Much like how “punk” originally encompassed acts as disparate as the Ramones, Talking Heads and Blondie – the next generation of artists who were breaking rules faster than the rest of the world could keep up were all relegated to the margins of the mainstream under one umbrella.

Over time, the meaning of “alternative music” shifted to indicate a specific ’90s sound and aesthetic. Read More: 50 Alternative Albums