Yahoo Music: The 25 Best Alternative Rock Bands Of The 1

[Relaxer]

Stereolab should've made the list, definitely over fucking Vic Chestnutt. Plus all the UK bands mentioned above, particularly Oasis, Blur, Suede, Supergrass. This list is pants.

[miss pretentious]

in the intro the author said he omitted the british acts because he felt like they deserved a list all their own... but whatever.

[Chip Chanko]

I think their paths crossed in Friends of Dean Martinez, too.
 
   

Originally posted by Charlie Nakatestes,Japanese Golfer:
  Excellent alt-country band led by Howe Gelb, I think some of the Calexico guys were in Giant Sand. Or something like that.
 
   

Originally posted by walkonby:
  please don't hit me.  i don't know who giant sand is.

[/b]

[eltee]

It's nice to see a few of you mention Toad. The lighter side of alternative but well-written, poetic, angst w/ edgy guitar. And the GBs influence over airwaves and colleges is worth noting.
 What about NIN or the Verve (are they 90s?) Or Whiskeytown. (not enough albums?) Lemonheads or James.
 I like Midnight Oil too, but not sure if they would make the best?
 I agree Smashing Pumpkins, PJ are clearly missing. And, interesting point about alternative becoming mainstream. Although I'm not a die-hard fan, Counting Crows, Live, Goo Goo Dolls, Green Day, Better Than Ezra, U2,  and Brian Setzer, etc. were dominating the charts. This list is more "indie" vice charts so I'm probably getting off track.
 
 I agree with most, but also wondered about Tom Waits in first. That's a bit of writer's brown-nosing if you ask me.

[saintangelsin]

PJ Harvey is on the list actually.
 
 But I knew I had forgotten NIN, U2 (they really were a bit out there back in the 1990s), Greenday and the Offspring.

[sonickteam2]

just another example of when journalists make a bogus list just to throw Tom Waits at the top to give them some sort of hip credibility.
 
  I know i grew up in Canada, but i lived my entire teenage years in the 90s and never once heard anyone praise Tom Waits, Red House Painters, American Music Club or Mark Lanegan like they did Pearl Jam, NIN and the Pumpkins.
 
  A true 90s best of list , you think, would include those artists more popular in the 90s not just ones who may be most relevant or influential to current times.
 
   kinda like vansmack said.
 
 but whatever, this author gets to feel super super cool cause he put Waits at the top of a list!
 
   oh and the Lemonheads should be on there too.

[Charlie Nakatestes, Japanese Golfer]

By your logic, a true list for the 80's would contain Journey, REO Speedwagon, and Air Supply instead of The Smiths, the Pixies, and the Replacements.
 
 
 

Originally posted by very sonick:
  just another example of when journalists make a bogus list just to throw Tom Waits at the top to give them some sort of hip credibility.
 
  I know i grew up in Canada, but i lived my entire teenage years in the 90s and never once heard anyone praise Tom Waits, Red House Painters, American Music Club or Mark Lanegan like they did Pearl Jam, NIN and the Pumpkins.
 
  A true 90s best of list , you think, would include those artists more popular in the 90s not just ones who may be most relevant or influential to current times.
 
   kinda like vansmack said.
 
 but whatever, this author gets to feel super super cool cause he put Waits at the top of a list!
 
   oh and the Lemonheads should be on there too.

[eltee]

Oh and I liked Buffalo Tom, also The Cranberries.

[eltee]

Originally posted by saintangelsin:
  PJ Harvey is on the list actually.
 

Good point, but I meant the other PJ - as in "Jeremy"

[Julian, Alleged Computer F**kface]

Originally posted by Greer Zoller:
 also The Cranberries.

First band I ever bought more then one album by. They were so awesome when I was 12.

[eltee]

I wasn't into them so I can't judge if they were the "best", but Stone Temple Pilots or Soundgarden could have been mentioned.

[xneverwherex]

Originally posted by saintangelsin:
 And by the way, I would totally include Toad the Wet Sprocket on my ultimate list somewhere. Them and the Gin Blossoms. I was listening to Toad a few days ago while on the road actually. You mention about Santa Barbara bands...did you ever like Dishwalla? (Fun fact, Dishwalla were my first show at the 930 club, which was about 10 years ago) [/QB]

dishwalla - nah - the counting blue cars was catchy enough, but never a fan of them. a friend of mine did date the lead singer of the band for quite awhile.
 
 ugly kid joe came out of SB (specifically the slums of isla vista). a friend of mine lived in the apt below them and had to listen to them 'practice' 24/7. he described it as complete torture.

[sonickteam2]

Originally posted by Charlie Nakatestes,Japanese Golfer:
  By your logic, a true list for the 80's would contain Journey, REO Speedwagon, and Air Supply instead of The Smiths, the Pixies, and the Replacements.
 

no that would be by your misreading my post.
 
    I have an opinion that "Alternative" and "indie" were different (and still are).  Tom Waits and RHP were more indie than alternative, same goes with MBV.  
 
    I dont know that Journey was an 80s Alternative band, but if you think so...

[Mobius]

What about the BEASTIE BOYS.   They invented the 90's in 1989 w/ Paul's Boutique and then reinvented the decade with Check Your Head in 1992. . . .
 
 In the late 80's and early 90's I remember some really smart 'alternative' kids - the one's who ended up at places like Wesleyan and Brown and listened to the likes of XTC, Elvis Costello, Billy Bragg, Lou Reed, Camper Van Beethoven . . . had Tom Waits' Raindogs and Swordfishtrombones . . . but Tom Waits impact on the 90's was minimal . . . and he was never really considered 'alternative' . . . basically that pick was like calling Leonard Cohen the top alternative 'band' of the 90's.  Leonard Cohen rules, but that doesn't make sense.

[bearman🐻]

With nods to PJ Harvey, Elliott Smith and the Red House Painters, I'd have to say I'd buy the author a drink any day. Nice list, despite some omissions.