Alternative Reality - The Ultimate Playlist

At least we think it is. We haven't talked much about music on Raving Reviews yet but we'll start today by opening up a dialog about Alternative Music. The first question that pops into our minds is "alternative to what, exactly?" Interesting question - we'll assume it means alternative to whatever the popular music of the day might be but then that could encompass a lot more than what we consider to be Alternative - it could include for example Polka Disco or Electronic Didgeridoos. It seems as though a definition may be in order before we share our most awesome playlist with you.

The B-52's were an early Alt band (before it was called alternative)

Alternative Music - (our own personal definition): A form of rock music that highlights nontraditional harmonies, stylistic approaches or instrumental innovations. It is often place where popular trends are born and later become mainstream. Alternative music often appeals to younger audiences but is not limited to them. Many "Alt" bands have a club band feel to them, others create a persona wholly unique to themselves.

Album art from Muse - Supermassive Black Hole, 2008 - Physics has a beat

One thing we're sure of after scouring many lists of favorite alternative songs or bands is that no two people define it the same way. With that in mind here is our list (you can find it on Spotify if you'd like to listen):

 

Alternative Reality

• Muse – Supermassive Black Hole
• Live – Lightning Crashes
• The B-52's – 52 Girls - Party Mix Version
• Nirvana – All Apologies
• Screaming Trees – Nearly Lost You
• Dinosaur Jr. – Feel The Pain - 2007 Remastered LP Version
• Florence + The Machine – Dog Days Are Over
• 22-20s – Devil In Me
• Yeah Yeah Yeahs – Maps
• Alice In Chains – No Excuses
• Soundgarden – My Wave
• Franz Ferdinand – Ulysses
• The Hives – 1000 Answers
• Depeche Mode – Personal Jesus
• The Cult – Fire Woman
• Pearl Jam – Given To Fly
• Jimmy Eat World – My Best Theory
• My Chemical Romance – SING
• Live – Selling The Drama
• Muse – Uprising
• Nirvana – The Man Who Sold The World
• Paramore – Decode - Twilight Soundtrack Version
• R.E.M. – Shiny Happy People
• Shinedown – The Crow & The Butterfly
• The Raveonettes – Recharge & Revolt
• Violent Femmes – Blister In The Sun
• Vampire Weekend – A-Punk
• Lifehouse – Halfway Gone
• The Wallflowers – 6th Avenue Heartache
• Third Eye Blind – Never Let You Go
• The Black Keys – Lonely Boy
• Counting Crows – Untitled (Love Song)
• The English Beat – Mirror In The Bathroom
• The Cult – She Sells Sanctuary
• Death Cab for Cutie – Meet Me On The Equinox - Soundtrack Album Version
• The Psychedelic Furs – Love My Way
• Beck – The New Pollution
• 30 Seconds To Mars – Closer To The Edge
• Toad The Wet Sprocket – Fall Down
• The Fixx – Red Skies - Original Version
• Placebo – For What It's Worth
• Alice In Chains – Nutshell
• The Cult – Love Removal Machine
• Kings Of Leon – Radioactive
• My Chemical Romance – Na Na Na [Na Na Na Na Na Na Na Na Na]
• Elvis Costello – (What's So Funny 'Bout) Peace, Love, & Understanding
• The Decemberists – Down By The Water
• The Raveonettes – Lust
• Days Of The New – Touch, Peel And Stand
• Counting Crows – Hanginaround
• Weezer – Pork And Beans
• The Cranberries – Animal Instinct
• The B-52's – Junebug
• The Goo Goo Dolls – Broadway
• Pixies – The Holiday Song
• Yeah Yeah Yeahs – Gold Lion
• Simple Minds – Sanctify Yourself
• New Politics – Yeah Yeah Yeah
• The Cult – Rain
• Lifehouse – Hanging By A Moment
• Depeche Mode – Strangelove
• Pearl Jam – Elderly Woman Behind The Counter in a Small Town
• Radiohead – Let Down
• The Hives – Come On!
• The Fixx – Beautiful Friction
• Beck – Black Tambourine
• Gin Blossoms – Hey Jealousy
• Kings Of Leon – Knocked Up
• The Cranberries – Dreams
• Tonic – If You Could Only See
• The Smashing Pumpkins – Cherub Rock
• Fine Young Cannibals – Good Thing
• Depeche Mode – Policy Of Truth - 2006 Digital Remaster
• The Killers – All These Things That I've Done
• The B-52's – Topaz
• The Cult – Lil’ Devil
• Chevelle – The Red
• The Lonely Island – Attracted To Us
• Echo And The Bunnymen – Lips Like Sugar
• Pixies – Where Is My Mind?
• Toad The Wet Sprocket – All I Want
• The Hives – Two-Timing Touch and Broken Bones
• The Killers – Somebody Told Me
• The Smashing Pumpkins – Zero
• The Cranberries – Linger
• Red Hot Chili Peppers – Dani California
• Dishwalla – Angels Or Devils
• The Raveonettes – Love In A Trashcan
• The Alan Parsons Project – Breakdown
• Live – All Over You
• Depeche Mode – Enjoy The Silence - Remastered Version Original
• Three Days Grace – The Good Life
• blink-182 – The Rock Show
• The Fixx – Just Before Dawn
• The Smashing Pumpkins – Tonight, Tonight
• The Raconteurs – Steady, As She Goes
• R.E.M. – The One I Love
• The B-52's – Cosmic Thing
• Red Hot Chili Peppers – Otherside
• Muse – Unnatural Selection
• Pearl Jam – Black
• Violent Femmes – Gone Daddy Gone
• The Hives – Walk Idiot Walk
• Lifehouse – You And Me
• Pixies – Here Comes Your Man
• Three Days Grace – Animal I Have Become
• Paramore – Misery Business
• Sonic Youth – Incinerate
• Breaking Benjamin – The Diary of Jane
• The Alan Parsons Project – I Robot
• Red Hot Chili Peppers – Under The Bridge
• Dinosaur Jr. – See It On Your Side
• Arctic Monkeys – Fluorescent Adolescent
• Jane's Addiction – Just Because
• The Fixx – One Thing Leads To Another
• 22-20s – Such A Fool
• Good Charlotte – Lifestyles of the Rich & Famous
• Arctic Monkeys – Teddy Picker
• Anberlin – The Feel Good Drag
• The B-52's – Deadbeat Club
• Depeche Mode – Just Can't Get Enough
• Red Hot Chili Peppers – Parallel Universe
• The Cult – Sun King
• Lifehouse – First Time
• The Alan Parsons Project – Games People Play
• Dinosaur Jr. – Don't Pretend You Didn't Know
• Pearl Jam – Alive
• Dinosaur Jr. – Watch the Corners
• Paramore – I Caught Myself - Twilight Soundtrack Version
• Smashing Pumpkins – Hummer
• Muse – Starlight
• Lifehouse – From Where You Are
• The Heavy – How You Like Me Now
• The Smashing Pumpkins – Bullet With Butterfly Wings
• The Killers – Smile Like You Mean It
• Muse – Hysteria
• The Go-Betweens – Love Goes On!
• The Smithereens – Only A Memory
• Pearl Jam – Corduroy - 2011 Remaster
• The Smashing Pumpkins – Tonight, Tonight
• The Killers – When You Were Young
• Beck – Sexx Laws
• The Cranberries – Analyse
• The Hives – Go Right Ahead
• Depeche Mode – Everything Counts
• The Fixx – Stand Or Fall
• Shinedown – Second Chance
• Three Days Grace – Break
• blink-182 – All The Small Things
• Breaking Benjamin – Without You
• Staind – It's Been Awhile
• The Fixx – Saved By Zero
• The Hives – Hate To Say I Told You So
• 3 Doors Down – When You're Young
• R.E.M. – Pop Song 89
• The English Beat – Hands Off... She's Mine
• The Cranberries – Yeats' Grave
• Pixies – Cecilia Ann
• Toadies – I Come From The Water
• 3 Doors Down – Here Without You
• Jane's Addiction – Superhero
• Screaming Trees – Ash Gray Sunday
• Pearl Jam – Jeremy
• Green Day – Oh Love
• Pearl Jam – Once
• Red Hot Chili Peppers – Around The World
• Gin Blossoms – Until I Fall Away
• The Cure – Lovesong
• Prodigy – Firestarter
• Jimmy Eat World – If You Don't, Don't
• 3 Doors Down – When I'm Gone
• Jane's Addiction – Had A Dad
• Radiohead – Fake Plastic Trees
• The Smashing Pumpkins – Today
• The Hives – Tick, Tick, Boom
• Nirvana – Heart Shaped Box
• Pearl Jam – Just Breathe
• The English Beat – Save It For Later
• My Chemical Romance – Helena - So Long & Goodnight   Album Version
• Evanescence – Made Of Stone
• The B-52's – Private Idaho - Party Mix-Album Version
• Muse – Plug In Baby
• The Offspring – Pretty Fly (For A White Guy)
• Death Cab for Cutie – You Are A Tourist
• Plain White T's – Hey There Delilah
• Breaking Benjamin – Breath
• The Hives – Patrolling Days
• 3 Doors Down – Your Arms Feel Like home
• Muse – Map Of The Problematique
• The Hives – Abra Cadaver
• Staind – So Far Away
• blink-182 – After Midnight
• Radiohead – Paranoid Android
• Live – I Alone
• 3 Doors Down – Away From The Sun
• Pearl Jam – Yellow Ledbetter
• Nirvana – Dumb
• The Offspring – The Future Is Now
• Good Charlotte – I Don't Wanna Be In Love (Dance Floor Anthem)
• Neon Trees – Teenage Sounds
• PORNO FOR PYROS – Pets
• The English Beat – The Tears Of A Clown
• Green Day – Brain Stew
• Jimmy Eat World – Hear You Me
• 3 Doors Down – Be Like That
• Oasis – Wonderwall
• The Smashing Pumpkins – 1979
• Evanescence – What You Want
• Radiohead – High And Dry
• The Smithereens – Blood And Roses
• blink-182 – Going Away To College
• Muse – Undisclosed Desires
• The Killers – Change Your Mind
• Nirvana – Love Buzz
• Counting Crows – Round Here
• The Smashing Pumpkins – Disarm
• Gin Blossoms – Follow You Down
• 3 Doors Down – Time Of My Life
• Nirvana – Pennyroyal Tea - Single Mix
• Jimmy Eat World – The Authority Song
• Placebo – Ashtray Heart
• Green Day – Jesus Of Suburbia
• Radiohead – Karma Police
• The Black Keys – Howlin' For You
• Jimmy Eat World – Your House
• The Bravery – Believe
• R.E.M. – Man On The Moon
• Kings Of Leon – Pyro
• Oasis – Live Forever
• Fall Out Boy – Dance, Dance
• Staind – Eyes Wide Open
• Sonic Youth – Kool Thing
• Jimmy Eat World – The Middle
• The Smithereens – A Girl Like You
• 3 Doors Down – Citizen/Soldier
• blink-182 – First Date
• The Goo Goo Dolls – Iris
• Black Taxi – Tightrope
• The Smiths – This Charming Man
• Green Day – When I Come Around
• R.E.M. – Imitation Of Life
• A Flock Of Seagulls – Telecommunication
• Jimmy Eat World – A Praise Chorus
• The B-52's – Love Shack
• Fireflight – Unbreakable
• A Flock Of Seagulls – Wishing (If I Had A Photograph Of You)
• The Black Keys – Everlasting Light
• Radiohead – Creep
• Evanescence – My Last Breath
• Plain White T's – Rhythm Of Love
• Dinosaur Jr. – I Know It Oh So Well
• Nine Inch Nails – Closer
• Temple Of The Dog – Say Hello 2 Heaven
• Neon Trees – 1983
• Alice In Chains – Check My Brain
• The Go-Betweens – Streets Of Your Town
• Gin Blossoms – Til I Hear It From You
• The Raconteurs – Salute Your Solution
• Nirvana – Aneurysm
• Neon Trees – Everybody Talks
• Sublime – Doin' Time
• The Goo Goo Dolls – Here Is Gone
• Fall Out Boy – Sugar, We're Goin Down
• Black Taxi – Friend
• Counting Crows – Hanginaround
• Fall Out Boy – I Don't Care - Single Version
• Green Day – Good Riddance [Time Of Your Life]
• Neon Trees – Animal
• Anberlin – The Unwinding Cable Car
• Concrete Blonde – Everybody Knows
• Fireflight – For Those Who Wait
• The Bravery – An Honest Mistake - CD Album Version
• Nirvana – About A Girl
• The Blackout – Higher & Higher
• Neon Trees – Your Surrender
• Chris Cornell – Sunshower - Great Expectations Soundtrack
• The B-52's – Bushfire
• Nirvana – Big Cheese
• Gin Blossoms – Found Out About You
• The Psychedelic Furs – Heaven
• Dishwalla – Counting Blue Cars (Tell Me Your Thoughts On God)
• The Posies – The Glitter Prize - Feat. Kay Hanley
• Fiona Apple – Criminal
• The Goo Goo Dolls – Slide
• Kings Of Leon – Closer
• Counting Crows – Accidentally In Love
• Chevelle – I Get It
• Meat Puppets – Backwater
• The Cure – Just Like Heaven
• Elvis Costello – Veronica
• New Politics – Dignity
• Echo And The Bunnymen – The Killing Moon
• The Wallflowers – The Difference
• Vampire Weekend – Oxford Comma
• Oingo Boingo – Dead Man's Party
• The Offspring – The Kids Aren't Alright
• Fastball – The Way
• Weezer – Island In The Sun
• Franz Ferdinand – Take Me Out
• Fine Young Cannibals – She Drives Me Crazy
• Morrissey – Suedehead
• Third Eye Blind – How's It Going To Be
• Toadies – Possum Kingdom
• Toad The Wet Sprocket – Something's Always Wrong
• Death Cab for Cutie – Soul Meets Body
• The Decemberists – This Is Why We Fight
• Deftones – Digital Bath
• The Black Keys – Tighten Up
• The Flaming Lips – She Don't Use Jelly
• Prodigy – Breathe
• The Heavy – Big Bad Wolf
• Florence + The Machine – Spectrum (Say My Name) - Calvin Harris Remix
• 22-20s – Why Don't You Do It For Me?
• Tonic – Open Up Your Eyes
• Shinedown – Sound Of Madness
• Temple Of The Dog – Say Hello 2 Heaven
• Fall Out Boy – Hum Hallelujah
• Hum – Stars
• Dinosaur Jr. – Rude
• Live – The Dolphin's Cry
• Vampire Weekend – A-Punk

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