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The term alternative was introduced in the 80s by independent record labels, which produced subversive music anchored by explosive guitar riffs, fast-tempo drums and melancholic verses, mostly performed by The Cure, Echo & The Bunnymen, Smashing Pumpkins, REM and New Order.

The phenomenal evolution of alternative rock in the 90s reflected the need of the rock audience worldwide to attach to a new, post-punk sound with noisy grunge and furious guitar riffs, yet highly melodic and dangerously dark.

In this article I will not write Pearl Jam or Nirvana because it will be like trying to differentiate from what is already globally appreciated and believed. Indeed, Pearl Jam and Nirvana made alternative rock scene mainstream and popular. However, to my view, other great groups, still producing greatly, did the extra mile in changing the route of the rock music.

To my view, the most significant alternative rock groups of the 90s (in alphabetical order) are:

COLDPLAY
Coldplay was formed in 1998 in London and has been one of the most commercially successful group selling over 30 million albums right at the end of the 90s. Their quiet music anchored with melancholic melodic tunes made Coldplay one the most recognizable groups of the decade, mostly because of writing great songs and making music with passionate honesty.

Coldplay is also known as a political and social activist group, having a great involvement in Amnesty International, being an advocate of fair trade and giving away 10% of their huge profits to charity. It looks like, apart from their memorable, soul-serene, alternatively intense tunes, Coldplay keep on standing up for what they believe in, offering to the world a pure and honest hope to attach on.

Best releases (to my view): Yellow from the album Parachutes (2000), Clocks from the album A Rush of Blood To The Head (2002), The Scientist from the album A Rush of Blood To The Head (2002) and Speed Of Sound from the album X & Y (2005).

PLACEBO
Placebo was formed in London in the 1994 bearing lots of The Cure elements in their music and styling. Nail polish, heavy make-up, intense lipstick, androgynous behavior, melancholic guitar chords, explosive drums and poetic lyrics, which call to mind intense realities, made Placebo the perfect pill to take if you want to forget your misery while offering a meaning in your routine life.

The mainstream success of Placebo was recorded in the 1996 with the single Nancy Boy, which was then included in their first album Placebo

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