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The Music Forums => Free-for-all Artists forum => Topic started by: Jeffreyw on April 07, 2001, 12:52:24 PM

Title: What is Alternative and Mainstream Music and their Bands...
Post by: Jeffreyw on April 07, 2001, 12:52:24 PM: I find it ridiculous now when some people label some music or bands as "Alternative".

I think it all started way back sometime in 1993-95 when Grunge music and other Seattle groups started to make some noise as a response (i guess not intentional) to Bon Jovi, Poison, Aerosmith and so on which were categorically named as "Mainstream". Seattle bands were named as alternative because of the fact that they have not signed a major label (yet) and seldom were they heard over the radio.
Some people now call the groups that you hear on air these days as "alternative" because they dont sound like their predecessor Bon Jovi and now it has become a by-word for a band that plays like Bare Naked Ladies etc...

Have you heard of Modest Mouse, Moist, Archers of Loaf just to name a few. My friend has tons of collections of these bands. But i dont like them because sooner or later maririnig muna ito sila sa mga FM Stations.

My alternative bands: Don Moen, Audio Adrenaline, DC Talk, Ron Kenoly, Supertones, Delirious?, Daryl Evans. I like these musicians and their music, only a selected number of Radio stations would air them. Maski in the next five years hindi pa rin sila sisikat para maging "Mainstream"

Do not conform to the standards of this world. Romans 12:2
Title: What is Alternative and Mainstream Music and their Bands...
Post by: CrazyNutHouse on April 08, 2001, 12:35:31 AM: The use of "Alternative" is just a quick way for people, music stores and disc jockeys to associate these bands amongst the thousands. Instead of going by it's subcategory under "Alternative", it's just making life little easier. nobody's standardizing anything, if you want to get technical, you can. and pull out all these bands individual aesthetics and go even deeper. this will just cause confusion, and alienating the masses is not a good idea.

Mainstream or Underground are all the same. The difference is the gravitational pull these bands can create. and when supply and demand is high. The "FM station" is not going to back down on a nirvana song. :)
Title: What is Alternative and Mainstream Music and their Bands...
Post by: pinoymusika on April 08, 2001, 12:34:38 PM: Well if we'd follow the original meaning fo the word "alternative" as an "alternative to the mainstream" than jazz or classical whould be considered the true alternative :-)
Title: What is Alternative and Mainstream Music and their Bands...
Post by: batman on April 15, 2001, 02:06:14 AM: Dat's a good alternative!