List of alternative rock artists
Appearance
This is a list of alternative rock artists. This includes artists who have either been very important to the genre or have had a considerable amount of exposure (such as in the case of one that has been on a major label, but not limited to such). This list does not include little-known local bands. Bands are listed by the first letter in their name (not including the words "a", "an", or "the"), and individuals are listed by last name.
0–9
A
- A
- Adorable
- Acceptance
- The Afghan Whigs
- Age of Chance
- Air Traffic
- The Airborne Toxic Event
- Alice in Chains
- Alpha Rev
- American Analog Set
- American Music Club
- Tori Amos
- Amp
- Amplifier
- The Amps
- Anathema
- Anberlin
- Andrew Jackson Jihad
- Angels & Airwaves
- Animal Collective
- Apparatjik
- The Apples in Stereo
- Arcade Fire
- Archers of Loaf
- Architecture in Helsinki
- Army of Anyone
- Ash
- Asian Kung-Fu Generation
- Richard Ashcroft
- Fiona Apple
- At the Drive-In
- The Ataris
- Audioslave
- Autolux
- Melissa Auf der Maur
- Augie March
- Aztec Camera
- Arctic Monkeys
- Ayurveda (band)
B
- Babes in Toyland
- Babyshambles
- Bad Books
- Bad Religion
- Badly Drawn Boy
- Band of Horses
- Band of Skulls
- Band of Susans
- Barenaked Ladies
- Lou Barlow
- Bauhaus
- Beady Eye
- Beangrowers
- Beat Happening
- Beck
- Bedhead
- Before Their Eyes
- Belle & Sebastian
- The Belltower
- Belly
- Ben Folds Five
- Ben Kweller
- Better Than Ezra
- Biffy Clyro
- Big Audio Dynamite
- Big Black
- Bikini Kill
- Billy Talent
- Birdland
- Birds of Tokyo
- Björk
- The Black Keys
- Black Light Burns
- Black Rebel Motorcycle Club
- Blake Babies
- Blind Melon
- Blonde Redhead
- Blood Red Shoes
- Bloodhound Gang
- Blue October
- The Bluebells
- Blur
- The Boo Radleys
- Billy Bragg
- The Border Surrender
- Brand New
- The Breeders
- Brian Jonestown Massacre
- Bright Eyes
- Broken Bells
- Broken Social Scene
- Ian Brown
- Jeff Buckley
- Buffalo Tom
- Built to Spill
- Bush
- Kate Bush
- Butthole Surfers
C
- Caesars
- Cage The Elephant
- Caifanes
- Cake
- The Calling
- Bill Callahan
- Camper Van Beethoven
- Candlebox
- Jerry Cantrell
- The Cardigans
- Carina Round
- Carter USM
- Catatonia
- Catherine Wheel
- Cat Power
- Cave In
- The Charlatans
- Vic Chestnutt
- Chris Cornell
- The Church
- Cibo Matto
- The Cinematics
- Circus Diablo
- Chagall Guevara
- CKY
- Class of '99
- The Classic Crime
- Cobra Starship
- Jarvis Cocker
- Cocteau Twins
- Edwyn Collins
- Coldplay
- Collective Soul
- Concrete Blonde
- The Connells
- The Constantines
- Controlled Bleeding
- Julian Cope
- The Coral Sea
- Billy Corgan
- Cornershop
- Elvis Costello
- Cowboy Junkies
- Graham Coxon
- Cracker
- Sara Craig
- The Cramps
- The Cranberries
- The Creatures
- The Cribs
- Crooked Fingers
- Crowded House
- The Cure
- Czesław Śpiewa
D
- Daisy Chainsaw
- The Dandy Warhols
- The Darling Buds
- Das Damen
- Dashboard Confessional
- The Datsuns
- Days of the New
- The dB's
- Dead By Sunrise
- Dead Can Dance
- Dead Letter Circus
- The Dead Milkmen
- The Dead Weather
- Deadsy
- Death From Above 1979
- Death Cab for Cutie
- The Decemberists
- Deerhoof
- Deerhunter
- The Delgados
- Depeche Mode
- Kevin Devine
- Dexter freebish
- Dido
- Die Kreuzen
- Ani DiFranco
- Dinosaur Jr.
- Dinosaur Pile-Up
- Dirty Pretty Things
- Dirty Three
- Disciplina Kičme
- Dishwalla
- The Distillers
- Dodgy
- The Dodos
- The Donnas
- Doves
- Dramarama
- Dream Syndicate
- Dredg
- The Drums
E
- Echo & the Bunnymen
- Echobelly
- Editors
- Eels
- Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros
- Elastica
- Elbow
- Electrasy
- Electronic
- Embrace
- EMF
- Emiliana Torrini
- Enanitos Verdes
- Erase Errata
- Eraserheads
- Escanaba Firing Line
- Ethyl Meatplow
- Eugenius
- Everclear
- Everlast
- Evermore
- Eve's Plum
- Eve 6
- Even
- Envy on the Coast
- Enter Shikari
F
- Failure
- Fair to Midland
- Faith No More
- Fake Problems
- Falling Up
- The Fall
- Fastbacks
- Fastball
- Fatima Mansions
- Feeder
- The Feelies
- The Fiery Furnaces
- Fightstar
- Filter
- Firehose
- Fishbone
- The Flaming Lips
- Flogging Molly
- Florence and the Machine
- Folk Implosion
- Foo Fighters
- Forest for the Trees
- Foster the People
- The Frames
- The Fray
- Francesqa
- Frank Black and the Catholics
- Franz Ferdinand
- The Fratellis
- Frente!
- Frightened Rabbit
- Frou Frou
- Fuel
- The Futureheads
G
- Eric Gaffney
- Galaxie 500
- Galt Aureus
- The Gandharvas
- Game Theory
- Garbage
- Gas Huffer
- The Gaslight Anthem
- Gene Loves Jezebel
- Ghinzu
- Giant Drag
- Glasvegas
- The Go-Betweens
- Godspeed You! Black Emperor
- God Lives Underwater
- Gomez
- Matthew Good
- Goon Moon
- Goldfinger
- Gorillaz
- Grant Lee Buffalo
- Green Day
- Green on Red
- Green River
- Grinderman
- Guadalcanal Diary
- Guided by Voices
- Gumball
- Guster
H
- Half Japanese
- Happy Mondays
- Hard-Fi
- Ben Harper
- P.J. Harvey
- Juliana Hatfield
- Hayden
- Hazen Street
- Helium
- Helmet
- Hey Monday
- His Name Is Alive
- The Hives
- Robyn Hitchcock
- The Hold Steady
- Hole
- The Hollow Men
- Hoodoo Gurus
- Hot Hot Heat
- Hot Snakes
- The House of Love
- The Housemartins
- Hum
- Human Drama
- Hunter Valentine
- Hüsker Dü
- Hypnolovewheel
I
- I Hate Kate
- I Love You but I've Chosen Darkness
- I Mother Earth
- IAMX
- Icehouse
- Idlewild
- James Iha
- Ima Robot
- Imogen Heap
- Incubus
- Inspiral Carpets
- Institute
- Interpol
- Into Another
- INXS
- Iron & Wine
J
- Jack Off Jill
- Jack's Mannequin
- Jaguares
- James
- Jane's Addiction
- Jawbox
- The Jesus and Mary Chain
- Jesus Jones
- The Jesus Lizard
- Jimmy Chamberlin Complex
- Jimmy Eat World
- Jon Spencer Blues Explosion
- Juanes
- Juliette and the Licks
- Julien-K
- Jet
K
- Kaiser Chiefs
- Kasabian
- Kent
- Keane
- Kill Hannah
- Killdozer
- The Killers
- Killing Joke
- The Kills
- King Missile
- Kings of Convenience
- Kings of Leon
- Kitchens of Distinction
- Klaxons
- The Kooks
- Kula Shaker
- Kyuss
L
- Courtney Love
- L7
- The La's
- Larrikin Love
- The Lemonheads
- Less Than Jake
- Let's Active
- Letters to Cleo
- The Levellers
- Liars
- The Libertines
- Lifehouse
- Lightning Seeds
- The Lilac Time
- Lilys
- Lit
- Live
- The Living Things
- Local H
- Jason Loewenstein
- Sinead Lohan
- Louis XIV
- Love and Rockets
- Love Spit Love
- Low
- Lucero
- Luna
- Luscious Jackson
- Lush
M
- Mad at Gravity
- Mad Season
- Madina Lake
- Madrugada
- Magic Dirt
- Malfunkshun
- Man or Astro-man?
- Manchester Orchestra
- Mando Diao
- Manic Street Preachers
- Mansun
- Marching Band
- Marcy Playground
- Matt and Kim
- Material Issue
- Maxïmo Park
- Mayday
- Mayday Parade
- The Mayfield Four
- Mazzy Star
- Holly McNarland
- McLusky
- Meat Puppets
- The Mekons
- The Melvins
- Natalie Merchant
- Mercury Rev
- Metric
- Mew
- MGMT
- Midnight Oil
- The Mighty Lemon Drops
- The Mills
- The Minutemen
- Miracle Legion
- Mission of Burma
- Mission U.K.
- Moby
- Modern English
- Modest Mouse
- Mogwai
- Moist
- Monaco
- Monoral
- Moonbabies
- Abra Moore
- Alanis Morissette
- Morningwood
- Morphine
- Morrissey
- Mother Love Bone
- Motion Theory
- Bob Mould
- The Mountain Goats
- Mr. Bungle
- Mudhoney
- Shawn Mullins
- Mumford & Sons
- Peter Murphy
- Muse
- MUTEMATH
- The Music
- My Bloody Valentine
- My Morning Jacket
- My Sister's Machine
N
- Nada Surf
- The National
- Kitchie Nadal
- Ned's Atomic Dustbin
- Neon Trees
- Nerf Herder
- Neutral Milk Hotel
- New Model Army
- New Order
- New Politics
- The New Pornographers
- Joanna Newsom
- Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds
- Nine Inch Nails
- Nirvana
- No Doubt
- The Nymphs
O
- Sinead O Connor
- Oasis
- O.A.R.
- The Ocean Blue
- Oceansize
- Odds
- Of Montreal
- The Offspring
- OK Go
- Okkervil River
- Olenka and the Autumn Lovers
- The Operation M.D.
- Orange and Lemons
- Beth Orton
- Ostava
- Our Lady Peace
- Out Of Sight
- Ozma
P
- P
- Pale Saints
- Parabelle
- The Pastels
- Pavement
- Pearl Jam
- Pedro the Lion
- Pendulum
- Pere Ubu
- A Perfect Circle
- Peter Bjorn and John
- Pato Fu
- Liz Phair
- Phantom Planet
- Phoenix
- Poets of the Fall
- The Pillows
- Pinback
- Pixies
- Placebo
- Pluto
- Poe
- The Pogues
- Polvo
- The Polyphonic Spree
- Pop Will Eat Itself
- Porno for Pyros
- Portishead
- The Posies
- The Postal Service
- Poster Children
- The Presidents of the United States of America
- Primal Scream
- The Primitives
- Primitive Radio Gods
- Primus
- The Prodigy
- The Psychedelic Furs
- Public Image Ltd.
- Pulled Apart By Horses
- Pulp
- Pussy Galore
- Pupil
- Pylon
Q
R
- The Raconteurs
- The Radio Dept.
- Radiohead
- The Railway Children
- The Rain
- Rapeman
- Raveonettes
- Razorlight
- Recovery Child
- The Red Hot Chili Peppers
- Red House Painters
- The Red Jumpsuit Apparatus
- Redd Kross
- Reef
- Regina Spektor
- R.E.M.
- Remy Zero
- The Rentals
- The Replacements
- Republica
- Revenge
- Ride
- Rise Against
- Rivermaya
- Rocket from the Crypt
- The Rockfords
- The Rollins Band
- Romance on a Rocketship
- Roses Are Red
- Royal Trux
S
- Sahara Hotnights
- Sambomaster
- Say Anything
- SCH
- School of Fish
- Scratch Acid
- Screaming Jets
- Screaming Trees
- Sebadoh
- Semisonic
- The Shamen
- Shearwater
- Shellac
- The Shins
- Shout Out Louds
- Shudder to Think
- Sigur Rós
- Silverchair
- Silversun Pickups
- The Silver Jews
- Siouxsie and the Banshees
- Sister Hazel
- The Sisters of Mercy
- Six Finger Satellite
- Skin Yard
- Skinny Puppy
- Skunk Anansie
- Sleater-Kinney
- Slint
- Sloan
- Slowdive
- The Smashing Pumpkins
- Smoking Popes
- Elliott Smith
- Patti Smith
- The Smiths
- The Smithereens
- Snowcake
- Snow Patrol
- Social Distortion
- Soda Stereo
- Sonic Youth
- Sons of Day
- Soul Asylum
- Soul Coughing
- The Sounds
- Soundgarden
- South Cry
- Soup Dragons
- Spacehog
- Spacemen 3
- Sparta
- Spiritualized
- Spirit of the West
- Splendora
- Sponge
- Spoon
- Stabbing Westward
- The Starlings
- Stars
- Starsailor
- Stereolab
- Stereophonics
- Steve Adey
- Stone Temple Pilots
- The Stone Roses
- The Strokes
- The Subways
- Sublime
- Suede
- Sugar
- The Sugarcubes
- The Sundays
- Sunny Day Real Estate
- Superchunk
- Superdrag
- The Superjesus
- Super Furry Animals
- Supergrass
- Surrounded
- Swans
- Matthew Sweet
- Swervedriver
T
- TAD
- Taking Back Sunday
- Talking Heads
- Tapes 'n Tapes
- Tappi Tíkarrass
- The Tea Party
- Tegan and Sara
- The Tears
- Team Sleep
- Teenage Fanclub
- Temple of the Dog
- Th' Faith Healers
- That Dog
- The Good, the Bad, and the Queen
- Them Crooked Vultures
- Therapy?
- There For Tomorrow
- They Might Be Giants
- Thinking Fellers Union Local 282
- This Mortal Coil
- Three Fish
- Throwing Muses
- TISM
- Toadies
- Toad the Wet Sprocket
- Tokyo Police Club
- Tones on Tail
- Tonic
- Too Much Joy
- Tool
- Tragically Hip
- Train
- Trashcan Sinatras
- Travis
- Tripping Daisy
- TV on the Radio
- Tweaker
- Two Door Cinema Club
U
V
- Vast
- Vampire Weekend
- The Vaselines
- Suzanne Vega
- Verona
- VersaEmerge
- Versus
- Vertical Horizon
- Veruca Salt
- The Verve
- The Verve Pipe
- The Vines
- Violent Femmes
- The Virgins
- Volbeat
- Volcano Suns
- The Von Bondies
- Voxtrot
- Vib Gyor
W
- Walt Mink
- Wannadies
- The Waterboys
- Wax on Radio
- We Are Scientists
- The Weakerthans
- The Wedding Present
- Ween
- Weeping Willows
- Weezer
- Wellwater Conspiracy
- Paul Westerberg
- The Whigs
- White Lies
- White Magic
- The White Stripes
- White Town
- Wilco
- Wild Strawberries
- Victoria Williams
- Wintersleep
- Wolf Parade
- The Wolfgang Press
- The Wombats
- The Wonder Stuff
X
Y
Z
See also
- List of Britpop musicians
- List of dream pop artists
- List of gothic rock bands
- List of indie pop artists
- List of indie rock musicians
- List of industrial rock bands
- List of math rock groups
- List of post-rock bands
- List of shoegazing musicians