alternative rock

noun

: alternative music that blends elements of conventional rock with influences from other musical styles (such as punk rock, hard rock, hip-hop, or folk)

Examples of alternative rock in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
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Nine Inch Nails’ The Downward Spiral and Soundgarden’s Superunknown were released on the same day in March 1994, and both blew my underdeveloped 12-year-old mind as two of the most dense, ambitious, and rewarding alternative rock albums of the era. Al Shipley, SPIN, 29 May 2026 The indie film stars Leah Fay Goldstein and Peter Dreimanis, real-life partners and the lead singers of Canadian alternative rock band July Talk. Ed Meza, Variety, 19 May 2026 The style experienced a revival in the '90s thanks to grunge and alternative rock artists such as Courtney Love and Kat Bjelland. Edward Segarra, USA Today, 11 May 2026 Among those who reportedly said no were British rocker PJ Harvey, alternative rock group Garbage (led by Shirley Manson), and riot grrrl band Sleater-Kinney. Encyclopedia Britannica, 8 May 2026 See All Example Sentences for alternative rock

Word History

First Known Use

1975, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of alternative rock was in 1975

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Cite this Entry

“Alternative rock.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/alternative%20rock. Accessed 4 Jun. 2026.

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