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)

called also alt-rock

Examples of alternative rock in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

The Hollywood Bowl show will bring the three bands to the nearly 18,000-seat outdoor amphitheater, which has increasingly hosted alternative rock and metal concerts alongside its traditional orchestral programming. — Holly Alvarado, Daily News, 12 Nov. 2026

With more than three decades of touring under their belt, Weezer has built a devoted, multigenerational fanbase, bringing their catalog of alternative rock anthems to stages around the world. — Laura McCranie, Billboard, 6 Nov. 2026

So, instead of becoming a professional mini golfer, Mascis went on to form one of the most important bands in alternative rock. — Terrence O'Brien, The Verge, 18 Oct. 2026

The track marks the band’s first collaboration with Vig since 1993’s seven-times-platinum Siamese Dream, the landmark album that helped define alternative rock’s early ’90s commercial breakthrough. — Spin Staff, SPIN, 16 Oct. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1975, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for alternative rock

• aftershock
• antiknock
• arawak
• hollyhock
• interlock
• manioc
• shuttlecock
• tomahawk
• weathercock
• alcock
• beanstalk
• bedrock