Alternative. What do you put in this term? - Music Forums - Music Forum

SiSkin · #1 08-28-2008

For some reason for quite a while have i felt a need for creating such thread.
Due to unclear perception of 'alternative' (and it's exactly what i'd like to discuss), i decided to create this thread here instead of respective forum. When it comes to alt-metal, which forum would be preferable?

So, I'm still getting confused every time i meet this term these days. Let's get back to alt-metal to see what i mean.
The term 'alternative' initially standed for innovative music as an alternative to trivial one. Logical enough and justifies its name, so does the term 'indie'. It used to be independent and detached scene. Now that its noticable part flowed into mainstream, i'm clueless what the very term stands for: it became part of something it used to stand against. Alternative to what? (Noticable part of what happened is Nirvana's fault from my point of view, with all my respect to their music. But it's a different story).
Dont get me wrong, i wholeheartedly respect alt-metal in classical sense but when i see that nu-metal (described by simple formula post-grunge + neothrash) is considered its part, the only word i come up with is 'vulgarization'. Nothing but just an opinion of course, but i fail to see 'evolution' of the genre in betraying its initial ideas.

I dont wanna be so categorical but 'mainstream alternative' sounds like 'underground pop', it doesnt make any sense to me. Alternative of the late 70s and 90s are like absolutely polar to each other and it's what confuses me.

The reason why i started this thread is that i just keep on seeing the tendency of hanging the label 'alternative' on pretty much everything, be it MGTM or Linkin Park, used as synonym for indie or for nu-metal. I couldnt care less about the labels and, of course, no way do i thrust my opinion on anyone - the term is truly very complicated nowadays.
I just gave my perception and i'm curious what other people mean when they say 'alternative'. You may advise me to learn actual definition though

magic · #2 08-28-2008

I agree, Siskin, putting the classification "alternative" to something is very confusing. According to Wikipedia, the term alternative is a blanket term used to describe many types of music; like alternative rock, alternative punk, alternative grunge, and gothic rock. The alternative being that the music is different from the mainstream rock.
But for the most part it was intended to group bands together that were considered underground groups recorded on independant labels.

Nowadays, the term Alternative is popular in the USA just as a main category for "different" rock styles. And in the UK, they call the alternative rock, Indie rock, meaning that the music is usually from independant labels.

Hope this help you, and I am going to move this article to the alternative and indie forum.

Thanks
Magic