Alternative rock is a category of rock music that evolved from the independent music underground of the 1970s. Alternative rock acts achieved mainstream success in the 1990s with the likes of the grunge, shoegaze, and Britpop subgenres in the United States and United Kingdom, respectively. During this period, many record labels were looking for "alternatives", as many corporate rock, hard rock, and glam metal acts from the 1980s were beginning to grow stale throughout the music industry. The emergence of Generation X as a cultural force in the 1990s also contributed greatly to the rise of alternative rock.
Three Days Grace is a Canadian rock band formed in Norwood, Ontario, in 1992 originally as Groundswell. Groundswell played in various local Norwood backyard parties and area establishments before disbanding in 1995 and regrouping in 1997 under its current name.
Train is an American pop rock band from San Francisco that was formed in 1993. Since 2024, the band consists of Pat Monahan, Taylor Locke, Hector Maldonado, Jerry Becker, and Matt Musty (drums).
"The Spirit of Radio" is a song by Canadian rock band Rush, released from their 1980 album Permanent Waves. The song's name was inspired by Toronto-based radio station CFNY-FM's slogan. It was significant in the growing popularity of the band, becoming their first top 30 single in Canada and reaching number 51 on the US Billboard Hot 100. It remains one of their best-known songs and was a concert staple.
Train is the self-titled debut studio album from the American rock band Train, released in 1998. The album was self-produced for $25,000 and three singles from the album were released. The first single released, "Meet Virginia", peaked at No. 20 on the Billboard Hot 100. The second, "Free", was largely a hit on rock stations, and the third single from the album was "I Am". The album has been certified platinum by the RIAA.
"Radio Free Europe" is the debut single by American alternative rock band R.E.M., released in 1981 on the short-lived independent record label Hib-Tone. The song features "what were to become the trademark unintelligible lyrics which [sic] have distinguished R.E.M.'s work ever since." The single received critical acclaim, and its success earned the band a record deal with I.R.S. Records. R.E.M. re-recorded the song for their 1983 debut album Murmur. The re-recording for I.R.S. became the group's first charting single, peaking at number 78 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. The song is ranked number 389 in Rolling Stone's 500 Greatest Songs of All Time. In 2009, it was added to the Library of Congress's National Recording Registry for setting "the pattern for later indie rock releases by breaking through on college radio in the face of mainstream radio's general indifference."
"People Get Ready" is a 1965 single by The Impressions, and the title track from the People Get Ready album. The single is the group's best-known hit, reaching number three on the Billboard R&B chart and number 14 on the Billboard Hot 100. The gospel-influenced track was a Curtis Mayfield composition that displayed the growing sense of social and political awareness in his writing.
"Hammer to Fall" is a 1984 song by the British rock band Queen. Written by guitarist Brian May, the song is the eighth track on their 1984 album The Works. It was the fourth and final single to be released from that album, although the single version was edited down by thirty seconds from the version on the album. Different sleeves were used to package this single and the live picture sleeve is now a collector's item. The song harks back to the old roots of the band, being built around a hard angular and muscular riff.
"Drops of Jupiter", initially released as "Drops of Jupiter (Tell Me)", is a song written and recorded by American rock band Train. It was released on January 29, 2001, as the lead single from their second studio album, Drops of Jupiter (2001). The song entered the top five of the US Billboard Hot 100 chart and also became an international hit, reaching the top 10 in seven other countries. The European single has tracks "It's Love", "This Is Not Your Life", and "Sharks" as its B-sides.
"Last Train Home" is the second single from Start Something, the second album by the Welsh rock band Lostprophets. This single was the band's highest charting single in the UK up to that point, later tied with "Rooftops " off of their follow-up. It quickly became their most successful single in the United States, reaching number one on Billboard's Alternative Songs chart. "Last Train Home" was released to radio on 27 December 2003.
"Muzzle" is a song by American alternative rock band the Smashing Pumpkins from their third album, Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness. It was one of the last songs written by Billy Corgan for Mellon Collie, with the song's lyrics referring to what Corgan thought the public's perception was of him at the time. It was rumored to be the Smashing Pumpkins’ fifth and final single from this album, as is evidenced by the fact that a promotional single for the song was issued to radio stations worldwide. However, the song "Thirty-Three" was released as the fifth and final single instead.
"Get Born Again" is a song by the American rock band Alice in Chains and, along with "Died", one of the last two songs recorded with vocalist Layne Staley before his death in 2002. The song was released as the lead single from the compilation Nothing Safe: Best of the Box (1999) on June 1, 1999. It peaked at No. 4 on the Billboard Mainstream Rock Tracks chart, and at No. 12 on the Modern Rock Tracks chart. "Get Born Again" was nominated for the Grammy Award for Best Hard Rock Performance in 2000. The song was also included on the compilation albums Music Bank (1999) and The Essential Alice in Chains (2006).
"Jesus Is Just Alright" is a gospel song written by American singer Art Reynolds and first recorded by Reynolds' group, The Art Reynolds Singers, for their 1966 album, Tellin' It Like It Is.
"Train" is the second rock single from 3 Doors Down's, self titled fourth studio album. The song was released as a rock radio only promo on May 19, 2008, and was one of the most added tracks. The demo version appears on the deluxe edition of the band's 2011 album Time of My Life.
"Rock 'n' Roll Train" is a song by Australian rock band AC/DC. It is the first track on the album Black Ice to receive radio airplay. The band released a 7-inch vinyl single that featured the song "Rock 'n' Roll Train" on Side A, and "War Machine" on Side B. The 7-inch single came in a sleeve with its own unique artwork. The 7-inch vinyl was also made available in the United States through some independent record shops.
"Calling All Angels" is a song by American rock band Train. It was included on the band's third studio album, My Private Nation, and produced by Brendan O'Brien. On April 14, 2003, the song was the first single to be released from My Private Nation, peaking at number 19 on the US Billboard Hot 100 and topping three other Billboard charts: the Adult Contemporary, Adult Top 40, and Triple-A listings. Outside the US, the song entered the top 40 in Australia and New Zealand.
"Meet Virginia" is the debut single of American roots rock band Train, released in 1998 from their self-titled debut album. Originally serviced to adult album alternative radio in March 1998, the song took over a year to gain popularity on mainstream radio, eventually reaching number 20 on the US Billboard Hot 100 chart in January 2000, becoming Train's first top-20 hit and their first single to appear on the Hot 100. It also reached the top 20 in Canada, peaking at number 15 on the RPM 100 Hit Tracks chart.
"Rx (Medicate)" is a song performed by Canadian rock band Theory of a Deadman, a track on their sixth studio album, Wake Up Call (2017). The song's lyrics were co-written by all four members of the band and address the prescription drug abuse epidemic occurring in North America. It was produced by Martin Terefe and recorded at Terefe's Kensaltown Studios in London. Along with the group's usual hard rock sound, the song uses elements of pop and country music genres. The band's transition into the pop genre has been associated with lead singer Tyler Connolly's newly acquired piano-playing ability, which forced a change in his songwriting style.
This article summarizes the events related to rock music for the year of 2014.
"Monsters" is a song by American rock band Shinedown. It was their third single from their sixth studio album Attention Attention. It reached the top of the Billboard Mainstream Rock Songs chart in June 2019. Upon reaching number one on the Mainstream Rock, Shinedown moved into second place for the most Mainstream Rock number ones with fourteen songs. "Monsters" was nominated for iHeartRadio's rock song of the year award.
