Eli5 why rock n’ roll music in the 90s was called alternative? What was it alternative to? What defined it as a separate genre?

Question

Eli5 why rock n’ roll music in the 90s was called alternative? What was it alternative to? What defined it as a separate genre?

In: 1778

Answer 1

Plenty of US-based answers. I first heard the Cure, the Smiths and Joy Division on John Peel’s evening radio show on BBC Radio 1. They all subsequently appeared on the very commercial “Top of the Pops” at 7:30 in the evening.

I think the main difference from non-alt groups was that they were not ***aiming*** to fit in with the commercial pop bands. Their success was not due to trying for a conventionally successful sound.