Difference between Alternative rock and Punk rock?

[CromNogger]

I've noticed that the main difference is the drum beat is twice as fast, and in many cases the vocals are more *insane* depending on the song. But in many aspects alternative-rock and punk are very similar.., and I like them both.

For instance, I like Fuel as well as MxPx, and well you can see the obvious differences. What are your favorites?

 

[Siva]

I think that alternative rock varies a lot more than punk rock. If it weren't for the different vocals I might have a hard time distinguishing between certain punk bands, but alt rock bands have their own distinct sound. There isn't much room for originality in punk rock, IMO.

Plus what you said, the beat is much faster and the vocals are more "insane", punk is much angrier than alt rock.

 

[CromNogger]

I dunno, every now and then I hear an alternative-ish song on the radio that I like, but I never catch the name of the band or I don't remember it... But the majority of the stuff I hear on the radio IMO is krappe.

so, what's your favorite alt rock band?

 

[Siva]

Yeah, radio is suck. There's only one good radio station in my area, and about 6 or 7 crappy pop/(c)rap stations. By far my favorite band is The Smashing Pumpkins, but I really like Radiohead, Incubus, Godsmack, and anything else along those lines.

 

[konichiwa]

<< (c)rap >>

<< The Smashing Pumpkins, Radiohead, Incubus, Godsmack >>

:Q

 

[Wingznut]

It's hard to &quot;classify&quot; music anymore. So much of it has blurred the lines between genres.

 

&quot;Alternative&quot; is stuff you hear on college radio stations. Punk is rarely heard on the radio at all.

My gauge has always been:

Turn the questionable song on in front of a bunch of everyday people.
Scenario A) They like it -- It's alternative.
Scenario B) They say, &quot;WTF is this sh1te?!? !Turn it off!!!&quot; -- Congratulations it's punk!

 

[SackOfAllTrades]

What type of punk are you talking about? Skater punk (the sh|te that's on the radio) or Oi punk (street punk from England).

The difference between alternative and skater punk is that the lead singers in alternative rock are heterosexuals.

 

[jsm]

I didn't know alternative rock existed anymore! I thought that the record companies had successfully turned it into pop music after raping it for all it was worth in the early 90s..?

Even Radiohead - who I always felt was too experimental to be pop (ie: Kid A and OK Computer) is turning into pop - not because of the music, but the fact that more people are buying their music. I still love their music and classify them as my fave band, but I still think that they are getting too popular for their own good. But, I digress.

Punk is supposed to be pissed off and angry - Blink182 is not angry, they are now a happy top 40 band. GG Allin was pretty damned punk (or perhaps more white trash?) as was Anti Nowhere League and Exploited. But, bands like NOFX are just about as poppy as you can get. Ick!

 

I don?t think punk necessarily has to be angry. . A lot of the Clash?s music is not angry at all, but it?s undoubtedly punk.

There are lots of subdivisions of punk you can pick through. One thing about the music is that it tries not to let itself become pigeonholed or classified.

 

I thought real punk died in the 80s.

 

[GasX]

most classifications are marketing ploys nowadays.

When punk came along in the 70's it was very load, raw and very different. Most punk musicians knew about 5 chords and the 'experience' of being a punk and being at a punk show was more important than the music to many people.

Alternative came out of Seattle in the 80's AKA Grunge. It's more of a local style than a cultural movement. The name was soon applied to any band that wasn't clearly rock / punk / metal / R&amp;B / blues.

Alternative has since become so mainstream that is defies characterization. It's become, more or less, pop music for those who have matured passed the Britnet Spears / nSync stage of life...

 

[GasX]

most classifications are marketing ploys nowadays.

When punk came along in the 70's it was very load, raw and very different. Most punk musicians knew about 5 chords and the 'experience' of being a punk and being at a punk show was more important than the music to many people.

Alternative came out of Seattle in the 80's AKA Grunge. It's more of a local style than a cultural movement. The name was soon applied to any band that wasn't clearly rock / punk / metal / R&amp;B / blues.

Alternative has since become so mainstream that is defies characterization. It's become, more or less, pop music for those who have matured passed the Britnet Spears / nSync stage of life...

 

[DefRef]

I'm old enough to remember when &quot;alternative&quot; was called &quot;new wave&quot;. It's been a question of what it is an alternative to.

To me, &quot;alternative rock&quot; is anything that's NOT like Journey or Foreigner. Even Soundgarden (which was little more than updated Sabbath and Nazareth) qualified as the A-word.

&quot;Punk&quot; is even more diverse. The Sex Pistols are considered punk, but they don't sound anything like bands like the Dead Kennedys or Black Flag. The Clash, Ramones, NOFX, Bad Religion, Circles Jerks, UK Subs, Minor Threat, Fugazi, Husker Du, Blink-182, Green Day, Offspring and on and on all loosely fall under the &quot;punk&quot; umbrella without being that much alike to each other.

And when you factor in hyphenated genres (rap-metal, trip-hop) you could go crazy sorting the record collection any other way than alphabetically.

Don't worry about what category music belongs to and just listen to it! To me, there are only two kinds of music - Good music and that crap you're listening to!

 

[Sleater]

Punk is (can be) a way of life. Alternative is a type of music.

Punk is (can be):

offensive (Iggy, GG ALLIN, Sex Pistols)
political (Dead Kennedys, Crass, Clash)
inept (most true punk bands)

Alternative usually takes the musical aspect of punk (raw, heavy, and loud) and combines it with something more digestible/musical/commercial. Examples:

Nirvana and Pearl Jam, = punk + classic rock
Faith No More, Rage, Red Hot Chili Peppers = Punk + funk/rap
Green Day, Blink182 = Punk + Pop

9 times out of 10 the members of alternative bands are 'prettier'than punks bands.

 

[BMdoobieW]

It all comes down to the hair.

 

[jsm]

So, if alternative came out of the grunge scene, then all that damned Cure, REM, U2 and Smiths stuff in the early 80s was all CORPORATE POP.

What the hell was I thinking all those years?!



In case my point is not illustrated ... In the 80s, these aforementioned bands were nobodies (except on college radion and in Europe). Then it became hip to be &quot;alternative&quot; once MTV started playing all this stuff. Suddently, everyone was listening to alternative. That's when the record companies figured out they could really rape all the kiddies and started signing a million alterna bands and flooded the market. All the above listed bands that were in theory &quot;alternative&quot; suddenly became marketable.

That is how you kill off something. You flood the market, people get sick of it, then you move on to the next cool thing. They've been doing it for decades now and I doubt they will ever stop.

 

[iamwiz82]

most punks, who actually listen to real punk, not Sum41, Blink182, or any other radio friendly, are quite smart. Every punk i know is politically active, and has their head (somewhat) on their shoulders.

As sleater says, real punk rockers dont have manicured nails, a pretty, hip, haircut, and arbercrombie clothes. Poor blink182, they really need to have their heads knocked together.

Give me a dead kennedys album anyday. And while you are at it, give me Jello Biafra's spoken word. If you have never heard him speak, just do a search on napster. He has a talent for it, as does Henry Rollins.

 

Punk is an attitude, not a fashion. I don't have dyed hair, piercings, or dozens of tattoos and I consider myself quite punk. Granted, I am a little too old for that stuff (when I was younger I guess dressed the part). I don't think I will ever stop being punk, no matter how old I get or even if I stopped listening to the music.

 

[iamwiz82]

good point dwell. I feel more punk than most people who dress in bad clothes and patched up pants, because i fight for what I feel. If you dont like me, fsck yourself, if you do, great. I am active in politics. I fight for things i believe in.