Those who say that rock music is dead and have not changed the station on their AM radio since the 1980s should get a hearing test and join the modern world. News flash: we are now lodged permanently in the 21st century and you need to start listening to some of the greatest rock music ever produced. This list of rock bands in the alternative genre will help shed some light to the musically unenlightened.
Green Day is one of the worlds top alternative rock bands and they truly belong on anyones list of rock bands that have helped to change music. Green Day, based in Northern California, with frontman Billie Joe Armstrong, took the largely cult musical style of punk and infused it with enough pop elements like catchy riffs and melodies to propel it firmly into the mainstream. Green Day is still one of the worlds top selling bands and regularly play in packed arenas. Starting with songs like Basketcase, Welcome to Paradise, and When I Come Around, these young rockers then moved on to huge international success with American Idiot, Holiday, Boulevard of Broken Dreams, and 21 Guns, just to name a few.
No list of rock bands would be complete without U2, whose searing mix of introspective lyrics and soaring melodies have catapulted them to the top as arguably the worlds greatest rock band. Lead singer and activist Bono has one of the best voices ever in rock music and their songs have blazed their way to number one many, many times over the years. Songs like Pride (in the Name of Love), Sunday, Bloody Sunday, New Years Day, One, With or Without You, Mysterious Ways, Vertigo, and Its a Beautiful Day, among many others remain classics in the alt genre.
The Red Hot Chili Peppers join our Top Five list of rock bands with their phenomenal and growing body of work. These L.A. based rockers embody the California lifestyle with their blend of rap, rock, and pop sensibilities. Landmark albums like Mothers Milk, Blood, Sugar, Sex, Magik, Californication, and Stadium Arcadium have transported them to the top of the charts over and over again. With Anthony Keidis singing lead, Flea on super bass, and John Frusciante (who has recently quit again) and his fantastic guitar work, the Red Hot Chili Peppers are poised to remain on top of the list of rock bands around the world.
One of the newer groups to come out in the past few years to hit mega success status is Kings of Leon. This southern based band is the collaboration of the four Followill brothers and their searing brand of southern country fried hillbilly alt rock. With the release of their latest album Only by the Night and the worldwide hits from the album Someone Like You and Sex on Fire, the Kings of Leon have rocketed into the super star category of the alt rock world.
Other bands like Deathcab for Cutie, the Killers, Kaiser Chief, the Bravery, and Interpol also deserve special mention in the top list of rock bands working in the alt genre today.
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