Why Alternative Music Will Always Be My Go-To
Start writing a post
Entertainment

Why Alternative Music Will Always Be My Go-To

My musical state of mind will always be rooted in the sounds of The Lumineers, Coldplay and Halsey, and here's why.

1234
Why Alternative Music Will Always Be My Go-To
Pinterest

I know that for as far back as my memory will take me, music has always been a central part of my life. Throughout elementary and middle school, hour-long car rides on the weekend to Chinese school, piano lessons and art classes consisted of listening to endless tracks of my dad's favorites: The Beatles, ABBA, Elton John and other oldies. I also played the piano starting at the age of 5 and continued for many years until I switched to the violin in 8th grade, transitioning from playing mostly solos and duets to playing in an orchestra. Suffice it to say that even if I wanted to escape music, I couldn't. And for these reasons, it became my escape.



Ever since I received my first iPod in 5th grade, I was able to (literally) carry music around everywhere, and you would rarely see me without my silver Nano in hand. During my middle school years, I would scour the iTunes charts for the latest hits by Lady Gaga, Katy Perry, Bruno Mars and - as much as I regret to admit it - Justin Bieber. Mainstream pop and hip-hop surely dominated my musical taste back then. Although that is no longer the case, I still tune in to the radio and enjoy tracks by Sia, Maroon 5 and Taylor Swift. It wasn't until my sophomore year of high school that I discovered a new genre of music that I have come to love: alternative.

For someone like me who dislikes labels, saying that alternative music is my favorite seems most fitting. When the genre first developed in the 1960s, it was fixed in the confines of underground music, which grew against mainstream rock, hence "alternative". However, the ensuing decades have seen the genre flourish into a style that encompasses any music outside of the status quo. Not necessarily music that is overplayed on the radio but music whose sound differs from anything else. You can have alternative rock, alternative pop, alternative [insert traditional music genre here], but what each style has in common is that it doesn't play by the rules of its mother genre. Rather, it uses those rules as a foundation on which to create something else, something unique. As Pablo Picasso once said,

"Learn the rules like a pro, so you can break them like an artist."

The loose, catch-all definition for alternative music has given it a so-called "identity crisis", but that is the beauty of it. There is no right or wrong meaning for alternative music. When I listen to a song characterized as alternative, it feels as if the artist chose to embark on an unpaved path. Straying from the status quo is difficult when almost anywhere you go - the mall, a restaurant, a party - you hear the same sounds. This makes what musicians under the alternative umbrella do so deserving of praise.

As I ponder over some of my favorite alternative artists, I realize that they lack a common theme or style. James Bay's music exudes rock-and-roll vibes but diverges from traditional rock with his soulful, folksy tone. Certain songs like "Incomplete" and "Best Fake Smile" are on the same album yet have clearly disparate sounds.



Melanie Martinez has arguably one of the strangest, most distinctive voices I have encountered. People classify her music as "dark pop", an appropriate category considering her abundant use of euphemisms for subjects typically considered touchy. Her whimsical imagination apparent in her music makes it one-of-a-kind.



Another favorite of mine is Twenty One Pilots. This duo's music aligns with the sounds of numerous genres - rap, indie, pop, you name it - that it might as well make up an entirely separate category of its own. Just listen to "Heathens", "Tear In My Heart" and "Trees", and you will know exactly what I'm talking about.

Other artists like The 1975, Lorde and Florence + The Machine fall in the same dynamic and shaky boat. Although all of these musicians have varying musical influences and embody their own inimitable traits, when taken collectively, they share an existential background of freedom and authenticity that allows them to define music on their own terms and against guidelines that were laid out by their predecessors. It allows them to define music as alternative.

As Urban Dictionary accurately put it:

"Alternative music is a music genre for those who have no music genre."
Report this Content
This article has not been reviewed by Odyssey HQ and solely reflects the ideas and opinions of the creator.
Student Life

Waitlisted for a College Class? Here's What to Do!

Dealing with the inevitable realities of college life.

51550
college students waiting in a long line in the hallway
StableDiffusion

Course registration at college can be a big hassle and is almost never talked about. Classes you want to take fill up before you get a chance to register. You might change your mind about a class you want to take and must struggle to find another class to fit in the same time period. You also have to make sure no classes clash by time. Like I said, it's a big hassle.

This semester, I was waitlisted for two classes. Most people in this situation, especially first years, freak out because they don't know what to do. Here is what you should do when this happens.

Keep Reading...Show less
a man and a woman sitting on the beach in front of the sunset

Whether you met your new love interest online, through mutual friends, or another way entirely, you'll definitely want to know what you're getting into. I mean, really, what's the point in entering a relationship with someone if you don't know whether or not you're compatible on a very basic level?

Consider these 21 questions to ask in the talking stage when getting to know that new guy or girl you just started talking to:

Keep Reading...Show less
Lifestyle

Challah vs. Easter Bread: A Delicious Dilemma

Is there really such a difference in Challah bread or Easter Bread?

33098
loaves of challah and easter bread stacked up aside each other, an abundance of food in baskets
StableDiffusion

Ever since I could remember, it was a treat to receive Easter Bread made by my grandmother. We would only have it once a year and the wait was excruciating. Now that my grandmother has gotten older, she has stopped baking a lot of her recipes that require a lot of hand usage--her traditional Italian baking means no machines. So for the past few years, I have missed enjoying my Easter Bread.

Keep Reading...Show less
Adulting

Unlocking Lake People's Secrets: 15 Must-Knows!

There's no other place you'd rather be in the summer.

956080
Group of joyful friends sitting in a boat
Haley Harvey

The people that spend their summers at the lake are a unique group of people.

Whether you grew up going to the lake, have only recently started going, or have only been once or twice, you know it takes a certain kind of person to be a lake person. To the long-time lake people, the lake holds a special place in your heart, no matter how dirty the water may look.

Keep Reading...Show less
Student Life

Top 10 Reasons My School Rocks!

Why I Chose a Small School Over a Big University.

181009
man in black long sleeve shirt and black pants walking on white concrete pathway

I was asked so many times why I wanted to go to a small school when a big university is so much better. Don't get me wrong, I'm sure a big university is great but I absolutely love going to a small school. I know that I miss out on big sporting events and having people actually know where it is. I can't even count how many times I've been asked where it is and I know they won't know so I just say "somewhere in the middle of Wisconsin." But, I get to know most people at my school and I know my professors very well. Not to mention, being able to walk to the other side of campus in 5 minutes at a casual walking pace. I am so happy I made the decision to go to school where I did. I love my school and these are just a few reasons why.

Keep Reading...Show less

Subscribe to Our Newsletter

Facebook Comments