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Description of Adult Alternative

 
Adult alternative filled an important niche in the 1990s, acting as a middle ground for artists too safe for the alt rock crowd of the day, yet well short of the level of conservatism preferred by the adult contemporary/lite rock audience. Adult alternative wisely found a balanced following between genders, both onstage and in the audience; women and men were drawn in equal numbers to performances by the Dave Matthews Band and Jewel, demonstrating the genre's commercial dominance since the rise of alternative in the early '90s. Albums by both Sarah McLachlan and Hootie & the Blowfish sold in far greater numbers than the decade's more experimental offerings by '80s stylistic lynchpins R.E.M. and U2. The southern bellows of Hootie, the gentle pop of Jewel and McLachlan, the neo-classicism of Natalie Merchant, and the energetic jam-pop of Matthews each found comfortable homes on radio stations dedicated to the readily accessible adult alternative format, as well as on VH-1, MTV's less-raucous sibling.
 

Adult Alternative Key Tracks

 
 

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Adult Alternative Key Artists

 
10,000 Maniacs

Pop-folk group from
Jamestown, N.Y., helped
popularize the Adult
Alternative genre of the
early '90s. Formerly led b...

Aimee Mann

Mann pens bittersweet
gems, wrapping them in
light 1960s pop
arrangements and heavy
modern emotions. In the...

Ben Folds

Folds is a
multi-instrumentalist who
doesn't just rock the piano,
he rocks the bass and
drums, as well. When Ben...

Coldplay

This British quartet's casual
dream pop melodies and
poetic lyrics have brought it
international stardom. The
band formed in 1997 at th...

Counting Crows

Counting Crows' pop
Americana is highlighted by
angst-ridden ballads and
demi-rockers that cast a
Van Morrison-esque shad...

Dave Matthews Band

The Dave Matthews Band
(DMB) emblazoned the 1990s
with its hybrid of jazz, folk,
and world music with a
distinct pop sensibility. B...

David Gray

Emotional, hook-laden
singer-songwriter fare.
Gray's music spends a lot of
time in the little numbers on
the charts. Gray was drop...

Fiona Apple

Fiona Apple's smart,
confessional lyrics and
come-hither delivery
showed an old soul in the
body of a teenager. Appl...

Incubus

These friendly nu-metallers
have toured with Korn,
Limp Bizkit, Black Sabbath,
Sugar Ray, the Deftones,
and 311. Immortal's A&R gu...

Jack Johnson

Jack Johnson's warm,
emotive voice and
acoustic-based music often
gets mistaken for Dave
Matthews. Pick a career:...

John Mayer

In the 2000s no musician has
been able to deftly navigate
the terrain between R&B,
pop, soul, and rock as
successfully as John May...

Kelly Clarkson

"American Idol" winner
Kelly Clarkson won America
over with her powerful
voice and perky
personality. Rather than f...

Lenny Kravitz

Rock revisionist Lenny
Kravitz has been a staple of
FM radio since the late
1980s. As famous for his
looks as for his hits. Lenn...

Matchbox Twenty

Matchbox Twenty's
distorted guitars and
emotional vocals are beefed
up with major label
glossiness and arena rock...

R.E.M.

R.E.M.'s jangling guitars,
mysterious-but-melodic
vocals and DIY touring
method pretty much
defined 1980s indie rock....

Sarah McLachlan

McLachlan's atmospheric
folk pop is highlighted by
her haunting, expressive
voice, which can send
shivers down your spine....

Sheryl Crow

Crow's strong, gritty vocals
and downhome good looks
took the singer to center
stage, where her roots
rock shines. Crow got he...

Sting

Former lead singer for the
Police, Sting embarked on a
hugely successful solo
career in 1985. He also acts
in movies. The ex-Police...

The Cranberries

The Cranberries' melodic
indie guitar pop jangles
comfortably next to Dolores
O'Riordan's powerful,
caterwauling vocals. The...

The Wallflowers

The Wallflowers made a big
bang in the 1990s with their
well-crafted roots rock and
sublimely coiffed hairdos.
Jacob Dylan (Bob's son) is...

Tori Amos

Direct, disarming lyrics give
Amos' sparse, piano-tinkling
music added weight -- both
sonically and emotionally.
Tori Amos was born Myra...

U2

U2 began the '80s as a
virtually unknown
"alternative" group and
ended the century as one
of the most widely follow...

Wilco

Wilco specialize in
Americana backdrops,
orchestral pop-like
arrangements and
deconstructed songs. Ro...

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