Alternative Rock

Alternative rock emerged in the 1980s, primarily in the UK and the US, when bands decided that wearing flannel and making a racket was a perfectly valid career path. Characterised by its eclectic blend of styles and moody introspection, it sounds like a rebellious teenager who just discovered the wonders of volume and angst. With its rise in the 1990s, it proved that you could be both expressive and mildly depressing whilst still selling out arenas, clever really.