Alternative music is just what the name suggests: another option. In this case another option to whatever is currently popular in music. Alternative music is supposed to sound different, but in a sense, it’s also supposed to hold the meaning of being underground and not as popular.
In the past decade, bands such as Fall Out Boy and Panic! At the Disco were labeled as alternative. They employed unique tunes and angsty teen style to sing about intense issues like depression and violence. Yet, even though they were different, these bands became incredibly popular. They sold out arenas and had fans across continents. But in doing this, did they lose what made them alternative?
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Many so-called alternative bands start out viewing themselves as the underdog, but they all have dreams of being listened to and appreciated on a mass scale; most people make music so that others will hear it, just like I’m writing this article so that others will read it.
In doing all that, alternative bands have begun to change the very landscape of music. In an age where being nerdy is becoming cool and being weird is more seen as being interesting, bands that are different are becoming the norm. Take Twenty One Pilots. Their song "Blurryface" got up to #5 on the Billboard 100, at the same time songs like “Hello” by Adele and “Sorry” by Justin Bieber were on there. "Blurryface" sounds vastly distinct compared to other pop songs. The fact that it, and so many others, soars to the top would seem to indicate that the public wants something new. And in giving the public what they want, bands that in a past time would have been considered outcasts can now be played on top 40 radio stations. If we as a society continue down this path, perhaps “alternative music” will one day cease to exist.
