Alternative rock

Alternative rock is a type of rock music that started between 1979-1981 and popular by 1992. Alternative rock is made up of various subgenres that have come out of the indie music scene since the 1980s, such as grunge, indie rock, Britpop, gothic rock, and indie pop.

Alternative rock
Stylistic origins	Punk rock, post-punk, new wave, hardcore punk
Cultural origins	Late 1970s to early 1980s, United Kingdom and United States
Typical instruments	Electric guitar – Bass – drums
Mainstream popularity	Limited before the success of grunge and Britpop in the 1990s. Widespread since then.
Subgenres
Britpop – College rock – Dream pop - Geek rock – Gothic rock – Grunge – Indie pop – Indie rock – Math rock - Noise pop - Noise rock – Paisley Underground – Post-rock – Shoegazing
Fusion genres
Alternative dance – Alternative metal – Psychobilly – Industrial rock – Madchester – Post-punk revival – Riot Grrrl
Regional scenes
Massachusetts – Seattle, Washington – Illinois – Manchester England
Other topics
Bands – College radio – History – Independent music – Lollapalooza

These genres are sorted by their collective types of punk, which laid the groundwork for alternative music in the 1970s.

Examples of alternative rock bands include R.E.M., Nirvana, Radiohead and Oasis.