What is alternative rock?

Alternate rock is a form of rock music popularized in the early 1990s. It was formed to distinguish itself as an "Alternative" to commercial rock and pop music. Artists that fell into this category were more underground and had smaller independent record labels. Most artists were first heard on college radio stations or by word of mouth. In 1988, the genre was officially used by Billboard to accurately chart the rise of this new style being played by radio stations.