alternative music
noun
: music that is produced by performers who are outside the musical mainstream, that is typically regarded as more eclectic, original, or challenging than most popular music (such as conventional rock, pop, or country), and that is often distributed by independent record labels
Examples of alternative music in a Sentence
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Since breaking in 1988 with their debut LP Surfer Rosa, Pixies has cast a Godzilla-sized shadow on alternative music.
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Seth Abramovitch, HollywoodReporter, 12 June 2025
The album as a whole was a reaction to the rise of industrial/alternative music.
—Kory Grow, Rolling Stone, 12 June 2025
All this culminates in a debut album, Addison, that planes down contemporary pop influences into an ooze of familiarity, faintly evoking innovations in underground and alternative music without stepping out of its playlist-friendly lane.
—Nina Corcoran, Pitchfork, 6 June 2025
Despite being one of the most successful names in alternative music history, Radiohead scores just its second career win on the Hot Alternative Songs chart this week.
—Hugh McIntyre, Forbes.com, 15 June 2025
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Seth Abramovitch, HollywoodReporter, 12 June 2025
The album as a whole was a reaction to the rise of industrial/alternative music.
—Kory Grow, Rolling Stone, 12 June 2025
All this culminates in a debut album, Addison, that planes down contemporary pop influences into an ooze of familiarity, faintly evoking innovations in underground and alternative music without stepping out of its playlist-friendly lane.
—Nina Corcoran, Pitchfork, 6 June 2025
Despite being one of the most successful names in alternative music history, Radiohead scores just its second career win on the Hot Alternative Songs chart this week.
—Hugh McIntyre, Forbes.com, 15 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for alternative music
Cite this Entry
“Alternative music.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/alternative%20music. Accessed 4 Jul. 2025.
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