In the past, popular music tastes were dictated by music executives within large entertainment corporations. Record companies signed contracts with those entertainers who were thought to become the most popular, … See more

A precursor to alternative rock existed in the 1960s with the proto-punk scene. The origins of alternative rock can be traced back to The Velvet Underground & Nico (1967) by See more

By the start of the 1990s, the music industry was enticed by alternative rock's commercial possibilities and major labels had already signed … See more

Despite a change in style, alternative rock still managed to be mainstream. Post-grunge remained commercially viable into the start of the 21st century, when bands like Creed and Matchbox Twenty became among the most popular rock bands in the United States. At the … See more

The name "alternative rock" essentially serves as an umbrella term for underground music that has emerged in the wake of punk rock since the mid-1980s. Throughout much of its history, alternative rock has been largely defined by its rejection of the See more

The Dead Kennedys formed the independent record label Alternative Tentacles in 1979, releasing influential underground music … See more

By the end of the decade, alternative rock's style changed due to a number of events, notably the death of Nirvana's Kurt Cobain in 1994, Pearl Jam's … See more