"Alternative" why?

[Craig FTW]

Why is some music considered "Alternative"? I mean, I get how it's kind of different, but take some bands like The Offspring or Foo Fighters, are some alternative bands called this because they play different styles, or because it's not what more mainstream people want to hear?

 

[Souplex]

Because they are an alternative to music?

 

[DrunkWithPower]

I think it's because they can't put themsevles into a category so the old "screw it, we're alternative" comes out.

 

[Antlers]

The Offspring aren't called alternative are they?

Alternative is music you can't shove into a genre. Like new punk. Which is The Offspring.

 

[Radeonx]

Because their sound doesn't fit most classifications so they just act lazy and list it as alternative.

This. Alternative means that it isn't classifiable into 1 genre, and their laziness leads to such.

 

[fix-the-spade]

Well The Offspring and Foo Fighters both started as distinctly low key, almost underground bands (Dave Grohl recorded the first Foos album in five days playing all the instruments and producing by himself, he was hoping to remain anonymous it being so soon after Cobain's death). that they've gone on to such massive success hasn't really removed that they started as tiny groups doing niche-ish music.

As for why 'alternative' usually they're the alternative to whatever mass media factory made crap is at the top of the charts at that moment in time.

Because they are an alternative to music?

Welcome to the Winternet.

 

[Cpt_Oblivious]

Because they are an alternative to music?

Oooh. Burn.

It's because they were originally alternative to the mainstream music of the time. Now, however, it is the mainstream.

 

[Smudge91]

Alternative is, i think, when music fits into many genres :S

 

[Last of the Chinchillas]

Because they are an alternative to music?

Talk about hitting the nail on the head.

 

[Cowabungaa]

Isn't anything that deviates from the popular and the mainstream alternative? If so, it can hardly be classified as a genre.

 

[SonicKoala]

To me, alternative just seems like a lazy iTunes-esque way of classifying music (Over half the CDs i put in are often listed under genre as "alternative"). Literally every genre of music has an actual name for it, or at least an alternate name besides "alternative".

Edit: Now that i think about it, there are a lot of bands that I like which are really unclassifiable. Sonic Youth, Pixies, Metric, Husker Du and others have so many different genres of music all fused together, so yeah, I think that "Alternative" is a viable genre of music, as the poster said below me.

 

[goatzilla8463]

I'm taking that none of you are British at all... Oh, I'm right.

Alternative is just another genre. You're question is like asking: "Why is rock called rock?"

It's just a name for that sort of music.

 

[Xojins]

The only bands I consider to be alternative are bands like MGMT or Vampire Weekend. How is Foo Fighters alternative?

 

[Nargleblarg]

I only consider myself to listen to alternative music but I don't even know what it means for sure.

 

[Cowabungaa]

Alternative is just another genre. You're question is like asking: "Why is rock called rock?"

It's just a name for that sort of music.

Then again, you know (slightly) to expect with rock. Do you know the same with alternative? Alternative can be ánything as long as it deviates from that which is popular/mainstream. That's why "alternative" isn't really a genre name, it's more of an adjective. You've got alternative rock, alternative electronica, etc.

 

[Nigh Invulnerable]

In my mind, alternative and grunge share a bunk bed and throw lots of angst/disenfranchisement at the more commercial scene. However, alternative has sort of become mainstream at this point, so their message has been lost.

Really though, it's just labeling for lazy people. My favorite iTunes genre is "Unclassifiable". John Zorn's music got that label in my ipod.

 

[Supreme Unleaded]

Because they are an alternative to music?

Oooh, burn, buurrrrned, you just got burned. Fuck, ninjad by Cpt Oblivious.

I think its called alternative because it fits into many different genras, so they just say fuck it and fit them into alternative.