Top 20 Best Alternative Rock Bands Of All Time

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We list some of the best Alternative rock bands of all time. Alternative music often defines independent artists who did not fit into mainstream trends or styles because they did things uniquely. Alternative rock bands in Britain and America presented themselves as a reality revolt—real people playing real music, as an alternative to the phony rock and pop spectacles of mainstream music. However, with the breakthrough of Nirvana and the popularity of the grunge and Britpop movements in the 1990s, alternative rock entered the musical mainstream, and many alternative bands became successful.

1. Arctic Monkeys

Arctic Monkeys are an English indie rock band. Formed in 2002 in High Green, a suburb of Sheffield. Although the UK has definitely introduced formidable acts to the global arena such as The Bee Gees, Deep Purple, Pink Floyd, Led Zeppelin, and David Bowie, not many attained success quite as rapidly as Arctic Monkeys. Each of the band’s first five singles “I Bet You Look Good On the Dancefloor”, “When the Sun Goes Down”, “Leave Before The Lights Come On”, “Brianstorm” and “Fluorescent Adolescent” hit the UK Top Five. In the United Kingdom, the band became the first independent-label band to debut at number one in the UK with their first five albums.

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2. Red Hot Chili Peppers

The Red Hot Chili Peppers are an American rock band formed in Los Angeles in 1983. Their music incorporates elements of alternative rock, funk, punk rock and psychedelic rock. The band consists of co-founders Anthony Kiedis (lead vocals) and Flea (bass), as well as drummer Chad Smith, and guitarist John Frusciante, the latter of whom has been in the band across three stints. In 1987, The Uplift Mofo Party Plan album was released and reached 148 on the Billboard Hot 200. This period of the band’s history, though it saw their gradual ascent to commercial success, was marred by Kiedis and Slovak’s serious drug addictions. Slovak’s addiction caused his death in 1988, shortly after their promotional tour for the album. Kiedis failed to attend the funeral and Irons left the group once again. Nonetheless, the California alternative rockers mixed biting guitars with funk rhythms to become superstars in the 1990s and beyond. The Red Hot Chili Peppers are the most successful band in the history of alternative rock. They have won six Grammy Awards, were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2012, and in 2022 received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

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3. Linkin Park

Linkin Park is an American rock band from Agoura Hills, California. Since its formation in 1996, the band has sold more than 100 million albums and won two Grammy Awards. Rooted at the crossroads of aggressive metal and beat-driven hip-hop, Linkin Park became one of the most successful acts of the early 21st century by incorporating elements from across genres, injecting hardcore rap, raucous punk, atmospheric electronic, and even polished pop stylings into their music.

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4. Nirvana

Nirvana was a popular and highly influential American grunge band. The band formed in Aberdeen, Washington in 1987, and it was part of the Seattle grunge scene of the late 80s, alongside bands like Pearl Jam, Alice in Chains and Soundgarden. As their popularity rose, alternative rock became a dominant genre on American and Canadian radio and music television during the early-to-mid ’90s. Nirvana found unexpected mainstream success with “Smells Like Teen Spirit”, the first single from their landmark second album Nevermind (1991). Characterized by their punk aesthetic, Nirvana’s fusion of pop melodies with noise, combined with their themes of abjection and social alienation, brought them global popularity. Nirvana is one of the best-selling bands of all time, having sold more than 75 million records worldwide. However, on the morning of March 4, Cobain’s wife, Courtney Love, found Cobain unconscious in their hotel room and he was rushed to the hospital. Cobain had reacted to a combination of prescribed Rohypnol and alcohol. In the ensuing weeks, Cobain’s heroin addiction resurfaced. Following an intervention, Cobain was persuaded to enter drug rehabilitation. After less than a week, he left the facility without informing anyone, then returned to Seattle. One week later, on April 8, 1994, Cobain was found dead of a self-inflicted shotgun wound at his home in the Denny-Blaine neighborhood of the city.

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5. Green Day

Green Day is an American punk rock band formed in 1986 by lead vocalist and guitarist Billie Joe Armstrong and bassist Mike Dirnt. For much of the band’s career, they have been a trio with drummer Tré Cool, who replaced John Kiffmeyer in 1990 prior to the recording of the band’s second studio album, Kerplunk (1991). Now considered one of the best-selling independent albums of all time, Kerplunk has sold almost 2 million copies internationally. Green Day’s success was built by forging a unique musical path on their own terms. The landmark album Dookie was released in 1994, as record Fuse Magazine called “the most important pop-punk album of all time.” With the massive popularity of singles like “Longview”, “Basket Case”, and “When I Come Around,” the album sold more than 10 million copies in the U.S., making Green Day became a bona fide musical phenomenon. The group has been nominated for 20 Grammy awards and has won five of them. The band was also inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2015

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6. Gorillaz

Gorillaz is a musical project created in 1998 by British musician Damon Albarn and British cartoonist Jamie Hewlett. This project consists of the Gorillaz music itself and an extensive fictional universe depicting a “virtual band” of cartoon characters. This band is composed of four animated members: 2D (lead vocalist, keyboard), Murdoc Niccals (bass guitar), Noodle (guitar, keyboard, and occasional vocals) and Russel Hobbs (drums and percussion). The band’s 2001 debut album Gorillaz sold over seven million copies and earned them an entry in the Guinness Book of World Records as the Most Successful Virtual Band. The Gorillaz characters only appear in animated form and are not alter-egos of real people, as is often mistakenly assumed. They have also won a Grammy among many other awards.

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7. Radiohead

Radiohead are an English alternative rock band from Abingdon, Oxfordshire, formed in 1985. The band consists of Thom Yorke (vocals, guitars, piano), Jonny Greenwood (guitars, keyboards, other instruments), Ed O’Brien (guitars, backing vocals), Colin Greenwood (bass, synthesisers) and Phil Selway (drums, percussion). Radiohead released their first single, “Creep”, in 1992. The song was initially unsuccessful, but it became a worldwide hit several months after the release of their debut album, Pablo Honey (1993).Radiohead’s third album, OK Computer (1997), propelled them to greater international fame. Featuring an expansive sound and themes of modern alienation, OK Computer has often been acclaimed as a landmark record of the 1990s. Rolling Stone named Radiohead one of the 100 greatest artists of all time. In 2019, they were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

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8. The Killers

The Killers are an American rock band formed in Las Vegas, Nevada in 2001, by Brandon Flowers (lead vocals, keyboards, bass) and Dave Keuning (lead guitar, backing vocals). With a mix of ’80s-styled synth pop and fashionista charm, the band’s multi-platinum 2004 debut, Hot Fuss, became one of the decade’s biggest releases, spawning four hit singles — including their most enduring hit, “Mr. Brightside” — and catapulting the group into the international spotlight. The Killers are considered one of the biggest rock bands of the 21st century, and the most successful act to ever emerge from Nevada, selling more than 28 million albums, including 10.8 million in the US alone.

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9. U2

U2 are an Irish rock band from Dublin. Formed in 1976, the group consists of Bono (vocals and guitar), The Edge (guitar, keyboards, and vocals), Adam Clayton (bass guitar), and Larry Mullen, Jr. (drums and percussion). U2’s early sound was rooted in post-punk but eventually grew to incorporate influences from many genres of popular music. U2 are among the all-time best-selling music artists, having sold more than 150 million records worldwide. They have won 22 Grammy Awards, more than any other band, and in 2005, they were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in their first year of eligibility.

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10. Blink-182

One of the most iconic punk rock bands of all time, Blink-182 helped shape the face of rock music during the 90s. The band was formed in August 1992 and originally consisted of Tom DeLonge, Mark Hoppus and Scott Raynor. Raynor was replaced by Travis Barker in 1998 due to some issues with alcohol on Scott’s part. Their third studio album Enema of the State (1999) was an enormous success on the strength of hit singles “What’s My Age Again?”, “Adam’s Song” and “All the Small Things”, which enjoyed massive airplay and became MTV staples. The follow-up album Take Off Your Pants and Jacket (2001) reached number one in the United States, Canada, and Germany. The eponymously titled Blink-182 followed in 2003 and marked a stylistic shift for the group, infusing experimental elements into the group’s usual pop punk formula, resulting in a more mature sound. The band has sold over 50 million albums worldwide.

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11. Foo Fighters

Foo Fighters is an American rock band formed in Seattle, Washington in 1994. The band started as a one-man project for former Nirvana drummer Dave Grohl, following the suicide of frontman Kurt Cobain. The group took its name from “Foo fighter”, a nickname coined by Allied aircraft pilots for UFOs and other aerial phenomena. Over the course of their career, Foo Fighters have won 12 Grammy Awards, including Best Rock Album four times. The band has also won an American Music Award, four Brit Awards, and two MTV Video Music Awards.

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12. The Offspring

The Offspring is a punk rock band formed in Huntington Beach, California, United States in 1984. Since its formation, the band’s line-up had included Dexter Holland (lead vocals, guitar), Noodles (lead and rhythm guitars, back vocals), Greg K. (bass, back vocals), and Ron Welty (drums, percussion), who left in 2003. The Offspring is credited—alongside fellow California skate punk, ska punk, and pop punk bands Bad Religion, NOFX, Sublime, Green Day, and Rancid—for popularizing and reviving mainstream interest in punk rock in the United States in the 1990s. They have sold over 40 million records worldwide.

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13. R.E.M.

R.E.M. is arguably the most influential rock band of the 80s and 90s. The American rock band from Athens, Georgia, formed in 1980 by drummer Bill Berry, guitarist Peter Buck, bassist/backing vocalist Mike Mills, and lead vocalist Michael Stipe. One of the first alternative rock bands, R.E.M. was noted for Buck’s ringing, arpeggiated guitar style, Stipe’s distinctive vocal quality and obscure lyrics, Mills’s melodic basslines and backing vocals, and Berry’s tight, economical style of drumming. The band broke up amicably in 2011 with members devoting time to solo projects after having sold more than 85 million albums worldwide and becoming one of the world’s best-selling music acts.

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14. The Cure

The Cure is a band which formed in 1976 in Crawley, England, United Kingdom. The band originally consisted of Robert Smith (vocals, guitar), Porl Thompson (guitar), Michael Dempsey (bass) and Lol Tolhurst (drums). Though more of a post-punk band in the early years, The Cure exploded onto international fame in the late ’80s with more pop-friendly hits like “Just Like Heaven” and “Friday I’m in Love.” At the outset, the Cure played jagged, edgy pop songs before slowly evolving into a more textured outfit. As one of the bands that laid the seeds for goth rock, the group created towering layers of guitars and synthesizers, but by the time goth caught on in the mid-’80s, the Cure had moved away from the genre. By the end of the ’80s, the band had crossed over into the mainstream not only in its native England, but also in the United States. The Cure were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2019.

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15. The Cranberries

The Cranberries is an Irish rock band that rocketed to fame with hit songs such as “Linger” (1993), “Zombie” (1994) and “Free to Decide” (1996). Brothers Mike and Noel Hogan, O’Riordan and Lawler—all friends from Limerick—formed the band in 1990 and signed with Island Records one year later. Their debut release, Everybody Else Is Doing It, So Why Can’t We? (1993) went platinum. Five of the band’s albums reached the Top 20 on the Billboard 200 chart and eight of their singles reached the Top 20 on the Modern Rock Tracks chart. Be that as it may, lead vocalist Dolores O’Riordan struggled with depression and the pressure of her own success, and was diagnosed with bipolar disorder in 2015. Later on, O’Riordan died from drowning due to alcohol intoxication in January 2018. She was one of the most recognizable voices in rock in the 1990s, and was known for her lilting mezzo-soprano voice, signature yodel, emphasized use of keening, and strong Limerick accent.

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16. My Chemical Romance

My Chemical Romance is an American rock band from New Jersey, United States formed in 2001. The band consists of lead vocalist Gerard Way, guitarists Ray Toro, Frank Iero and bassist Mikey Way. With their emo-punk songwriting, theatrical vocals, and neo-goth appearance, My Chemical Romance rose from the East Coast underground to the forefront of modern rock during the early 2000s. They released their major label debut Three Cheers for Sweet Revenge in 2004; the album was a commercial success, and was awarded platinum status a little over a year later. The band eclipsed their previous success with their 2006 concept album, The Black Parade, which gained generally favorable reviews among music critics. In 2014, the band released May Death Never Stop You: The Greatest Hits (2001–2013), a greatest hits album containing material spanning their entire career, as well as some previously unreleased material.

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17. Nickelback

Nickelback is a Canadian hard rock band formed in Alberta in 1995. Its name originates from the nickel in change that band member Mike Kroeger gave customers at his Starbucks job, he would frequently say, “Here’s your nickel back”. The band comprised of lead vocalist/rhythm guitarist Chad Kroeger, guitarist/keyboardist/backup vocalist Ryan Peake, bassist Mike Kreoger and drummer Daniel Adair. Nickelback streamlined the aggression of 1990s’ grunge, adding an arena-rock earnestness that’s proved irresistible to millions of fans. Detractors rejected the band’s heavy-handedly emotive style, personified by frontman Chad Kroeger’s deep-throated groan, but a steady string of radio-friendly rockers and manly ballads kept Nickelback albums in the charts throughout the 2000s. The band is widely regarded as Canada’s most commercially successful music group with more than 50 million albums sold worldwide.

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18. The White Stripes

The White Stripes were an alternative rock band, formed in 1997 in Detroit, Michigan, United States. They disbanded in 2011. The group consisted of songwriter Jack White (vocals, piano/keyboards, guitar) and Meg White (drums, vocals). The White Stripes rose to prominence in 2002 after releasing several singles and three albums within the Detroit music scene. Two of their albums, White Blood Cells and Elephant, were particularly popular. They were called “the greatest live act since Jimi Hendrix” by the British Guardian newspaper, earning them fans overseas. Their single “Seven Nation Army,” and its unique guitar riff, brought the band further acclaim. They grew from a pair of Detroit kids on 1999’s The White Stripes to international rock stars responsible for a trio of Grammy-winning albums (2003’s Elephant, 2005’s Get Behind Me Satan, and 2007’s Icky Thump).  In 2015, Rolling Stone named them the sixth greatest duo of all time.

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19. Muse

Muse is an alternative rock band from Teignmouth, England, United Kingdom. The band consists of Matthew Bellamy on lead vocals, piano, keyboard and guitar, Chris Wolstenholme on backing vocals and bass guitar, and Dominic Howard on drums and percussion. Muse are known for their energetic and extravagant live performances and their fusion of many music genres, including space rock, progressive rock, alternative rock, heavy metal, classical music and electronica. Muse have won numerous awards, including two Grammy Awards, two Brit Awards, five MTV Europe Music Awards and eight NME Awards. In 2012 they received the Ivor Novello Award for International Achievement from the British Academy of Songwriters, Composers and Authors. As of June 2016, they have sold over 30 million albums worldwide.

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20. Weezer

Weezer is an American rock band formed in Los Angeles in 1992, currently consisting of Rivers Cuomo (lead vocals, lead guitar), Patrick Wilson (drums), Brian Bell (rhythm guitar, backing vocals, keyboards), and Scott Shriner (bass, backing vocals). The line-up has changed three times since its formation in 1992. The band specialized in catchy melodies, heavy guitars, and geekery, these alt-rock icons of the ’90s maintained a devoted cult for decades. Weezer has sold 10.2 million albums in the US and over 35 million worldwide.

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Honorable mentions

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