Alternative rock is it alive and kicking?

By Scott Walker


New independent music and alternative music seems to be in a bit of a rut at the moment.There are some cool new bands, but not as great as the classics. Is there really a band out today that can top nirvana. Alternative songs like black hole sun were original yet influenced by classic rock. How many bands today will be round in a decade? Many of the popular groups and musical stars will bite the dust. Independent music and alternative music needs a new kick in the head. Perhaps a new exciting band is right around the corner that offers passion, originality, great songs and style. Many of the best new bands do not even have a recording contract. Many post their own songs on my space or facebook. If you check out many of the free up online music social media websites you might find a diamond in the heap.

Alternative music used to be interesting in the past few decades. The pop and MOR charts have always been to golden ticket and mainstay to record company sales but there was always an interesting alternative market for cool interesting bands. Just strolling down to your local alternative record shop you were able to find dozens of alternative bands pushing the envelope of new music. About the time of the late 60s decade alternative music began to emerge as new bands created weird sounds and concept records that defied description at the time. Even adventurous sounds by the Beatles and The Rolling Stones would be consider new alternative music now. Backward voices, odd production techniques and psychedelic song writing were all part of the scene before the term "alternative music" existed.

From the very beginning of popular music to the present computer generation there are notable differences in how music is marketed. In the present alternative music is so swamped with record companies and bands using the term "alternative music" there is no telling what the music is really all about or if it alternative music at all? with the advert of social media sites for music promotional stratagems like myspace and facebook many bands just label the music alternative for attention. if you spent days searching the internet for alternative bands you would come across hundreds or thousands in the category. Many music styles that would be categorized as retrograde or sounding like music of the past is now considered a form of alternative music.

Newer artists like the Flaming Lips are one of the few bands still carrying a banner of originality and wild stage performances. Some of the music they play draws on the past yet is produced in an over the top modern manner. Since their beginnings as a 1990s grunge band their prominence came about by exploring softer almost Beach Boys production and song writing twist set to an alternative music style they can call their own. In the arena of modern breakout artists Lady Gaga makes a name associated with outlandish outfits inspired by Jobriath, David Bowie and New Romantic 80s but the music is strictly Madonna type dance music.

Taking the optimistic view, it seems impossible that somewhere buried in cyberspace are at least a few genuinely alternative bands and artists- but how can anyone find them? Aside from the net, there is always the live scene which, in recent years, has increased in size significantly. There are now more festivals worldwide then there has ever been. Concert ticket prices have rocketed accordingly as the major record companies seek to compensate for dwindling sales of CD albums. The free-download frenzy continues to grow and become the norm for most of the younger generation who obviously represent the largest percentage of the public who have an interest in popular music. So who is currently 'alternative'? Ask even the most switched-on twenty-something and they would be struggling to come up with a convincing response to alternative music.




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