Alternative rock is one genre of music that is under-appreciated. The number of diverse, unique songs produced by these bands is impeccable, and they continue to grow the range of music that can be created. These songs are a mix of what alternative rock can look like.
Scar Tissue by Red Hot Chili Peppers
The Red Hot Chili Peppers are undeniably a fantastic band. Aside from having a unique style of music, they create stories with the lyrics they produce. Scar Tissue has an undertone of heartbreak and struggle. “With the birds, I’ll share this lonely view” are the main lyrics throughout the song, and although this has a slightly upbeat tempo, the lyrics themselves tell a lonelier story.
Use Somebody by Kings of Leon
Use Somebody is freeing. There’s no way of listening to this without feeling some attachment to the lyrics and the song itself. The instrumentals, the drums especially, find a way of helping the mind escape for three minutes and fifty-one seconds.
Unwell by Matchbox Twenty
The protagonist in this song struggles with an internal battle. They aren’t themselves right now, but they want to be seen as the person they truly are. Unwell is assumed to be a very positive, happy, upbeat tune if the lyrics are neglected. Still, once you dissect and listen to the words, there’s an appreciation for the emotion put into it.
Everlong by Foo Fighters
The first 32 seconds of Everlong is a demonstration of the amazing instrumentals the Foo Fighters have. The mixture of intense guitar and bass playing adds extra depth, and there’s a need to listen to this full blast and be completely submerged in the song.
The Way It Was by The Killers
This track is about battle between love and hurt, a battle many people deal with. It’s about the struggle to figure out what’s best for them. On the one hand, it’s a chance to rekindle what once was. On the other, jumping back into a never-ending pit of fights. Can it go back to The Way It Was?
Hanging By a Moment by Lifehouse
Aside from being another band with hard-hitting instrumentals, Lifehouse tells a story about falling in love with someone and wanting to do whatever it takes to stay in that exact moment with them. A moment in its entirety can have a lasting impact.
Slide by The Goo Goo Dolls
Released in 1998, Slide is from the album Dizzy Up the Girl alongside their popular song Iris. Slide stands out simply because it has complex lyrics that would lead one to believe a band member wanted to run away with a woman named May and get married.
Wasting My Time by Default
They’re wasting time on something meaningless and have a clear understanding that they’re spending countless days and nights fighting for something that is not worth spending time on. The title kind of suits the song perfectly.
I Don’t Want to Be by Gavin DeGraw
When there’s a double rainbow with a beautiful blue sky after the most exquisite rainfall, that’s the best way to describe I Don’t Want to Be — the perfect anthem for embracing uniqueness.
