[Western Music] Start with this one! Classic and popular songs of alternative rock

Active club DJKento
Active as a club DJ. Centered on dance music, they mix a wide range of genres including US hip-hop and J-rap, captivating audiences with their unique musical style.
music writerKOH-1
Started working as a music writer as a side job while employed at a record shop, and have been contributing to music magazines and web media for over 15 years. Although Western music is my main field, I always strive to stay curious with the motto, “I like what I like.” I have experience playing in a band, where I was a bassist responsible for songwriting and composition. Instruments I’ve performed on include bass, guitar, and piano. I resumed piano lessons after turning 40 and have been continuing ever since!

Even for those who love rock, it’s not easy to succinctly explain what alternative rock is.

As rock history produced a variety of genres, the term “alternative rock” emerged as music that stood against the mainstream—an underground counterpart.

It might even be more accurate to think of it not as a genre, but as a musical attitude that the musicians themselves embody.

In this article, we’ve curated a selection focusing on iconic Western tracks from the 1990s—songs through which alternative rock upended trends across the global music scene.

If you’ve recently become interested in alt rock, be sure to check them out!

[Western Music] Start with this one song! Alternative Rock Masterpieces and Popular Tracks (111–120)

PlushStone Temple Pilots

Stone Temple Pilots – Plush (Official Music Video)

PlushStone Temple Pilots

Among the alternative movement of the 1990s, one of the bands that achieved particularly great commercial success was Stone Temple Pilots.

Their popularity in the United States rivaled that of Nirvana and Pearl Jam, and their first four albums in a row went multi-platinum.

After the departure and death of their original vocalist, Scott Weiland, they continued by welcoming Linkin Park’s Chester as their new singer.

Sadly, Chester also passed away, leaving their future uncertain.

Even so, I believe that STP, having overcome the turbulent waves of the alternative movement and the profound hardship of losing members, will surely rise again.

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Ready To Let GoCage The Elephant

Cage The Elephant – Ready To Let Go (Official Video)

Ready To Let GoCage The Elephant

The song is Ready To Let Go, included on the album Social Cues released in April 2019.

It’s their fifth album, following their huge success from the debut.

The track incorporates plenty of ’70s funk, giving it a nostalgic feel! They even won a Grammy in 2015, and with their current momentum, we can’t take our eyes off them!

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War of ChangeThousand Foot Krutch

Thousand Foot Krutch: War of Change (Official Music Video)

War of ChangeThousand Foot Krutch

It’s an upbeat alternative rock track by the heavy rock band Thousand Foot Krutch.

The song starts with a slightly wistful melody, but builds toward the chorus into something louder—catchy, melodic, and cool.

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In conclusion

Even if we look only at the masterpieces and popular songs born in the 1990s, when alternative rock sparked a major movement, their approaches and methodologies are remarkably diverse.

Perhaps alternative rock can be described as music imbued with a free-spirited ethos that can embrace any genre.

I hope this article serves as a gateway to the world of alternative rock, which continues to evolve in new forms even in the 2020s!