Today we start the 2nd half of the challenge!!! DAY 16 of the 30 Day Song Challenge, alternative music styles!
The way I read this one is, what’s a song that’s generally accepted as a CLASSIC alternative song that you love? ICONIC. THE standard for a band or moment or for the genre.
An obvious example would be like Nine Inch Nails “Head Like A Hole” - their breakthrough classic that’s pretty much synonymous with NIN.
Each day I’ll post the challenge and you share some of your favorite alternative & indie songs that meet the challenge!
Smashing Pumpkins - To Forgive is no doubt one of my all time favorites.
First song that came in my head was REM’s “Losing My Religion” as it truly ushered in college rock / alternative music to the mainstream. BUT - I did an REM song yesterday for cover songs…
So let’s mix it up.
Alanis Morissette - You Oughta Know - a Canadian pop star wanna-be got scorned and released a scorching anthem! https://youtu.be/NPcyTyilmYY?si=P0nyHELFnvKJCI2v
Where were you the first time you heard THIS on the radio: “Is she perverted like me? / Would she go down on you in a theater?”
Rocket From The Crypt - On A Rope
It was great to see more punkish music going more mainstream in the 90s, but this band blew my mind. So much melody, a horn line, and so much grrrrrrriiiiiiiinnnnnnnddddd.
I think back to when I started listeneing to “alternative” music, and Shine, by Collective Soul is always what plays in my head.
omg! I totally forgot about Collective Soul!!
Whenever Collective Soul’s song Run comes on I’m never sure if it’s going to be that or Coldplay’s Yellow.
The other day I was telling a coworker half my age that this was my favorite song through much of high school. She’d never heard of them.
Stone Temple Pilots - Plush (1992) https://youtu.be/V5UOC0C0x8Q?si=mMNFS95WTo86HY1-
mindblowing.
One of my favorites Soul Coughing -Circles https://youtu.be/L_Ve9h1HNBA?si=tqLd1zp2IC1MNKVF
Great song and great band! I was super into Mike Doughty’s first solo album after Soul Coughing, and it was great music - but the following albums lost whatever it was that connected me to his music.
Ya know you might enjoy what he is doing now with “Ghosts of Vroom” https://youtu.be/0ViM1o9QDGc?si=Me30INdIKWcWBldC
I can’t wait to check it out. Thanks for the recommendation
Nine Inch Nails - Head Like A Hole (1989)
https://songwhip.com/nine-inch-nails/head-like-a-hole1989
:blobcatheadphones:
Speaks for itself I think
straight up classic - no one can deny that!
The year that this album dropped, it was all that I heard at every single house party I went to. Probably one of the most iconic alternative releases of my high school years.
I don’t really listen to the album much anymore. Not sure if that’s due to change and taste some 25 years later or just burn out. But I still think it’s one of the most iconic alternative tracks ever.
are you from Long Beach, CA? I hear it’s still Sublime country over there.
Naw, I grew up north of there though. Sublime definitely gets a lot of love throughout California still. It matches the vibe pretty well.
Coming in late today!
As mainstream a choice as this may be, I can’t NOT choose Alive by Pearl Jam.
- I was going into my first year of high school, Skid Row and Guns & Roses had just released killer albums, and life was pretty fucking good. Watching MTV after school one day and happened to catch the premier of “Alive.”
It blew my mind. The grainy black & white footage didn’t LOOK like what I was used to seeing on MTV, that lead guitar and solo…MMM… and holy shit, that fucking VOICE.
I literally said to myself during that first listen “this is going to be my new favorite band,” and to this day, they still are.
it funny you chose “Alive”, I was thinking about coming back and adding that to my choice too. Truly a stone cold “Seattle grunge” classic.
If I had to go with just one it would probably be Savory by Jawbox. The DC scene and everything being put out by Dischord at the time was a moment. If you like this single I’d recommend going through the catalogue
https://youtu.be/4D2qcbu26gs?si=9u1BIiJ18saQlQwo
I Wanna Be Adored- The Stone Roses
I was already into alternative like REM & The Cure when this came out, but this absolutely blew my mind Freshman year of college.
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