Post-Grunge

post grunge rock musicPost-grunge, a musical movement that gained momentum in the mid-1990s, emerged as a direct descendant of the grunge explosion of the early ’90s. Bands like Nirvana, Pearl Jam, and Soundgarden had paved the way, and post-grunge took those raw, emotive elements and refined them. This subgenre, represented by acts such as Creed, Nickelback, and Foo Fighters, maintained the grittiness of grunge while incorporating a more polished sound. Post-grunge often featured anthemic choruses, introspective lyrics, and a radio-friendly accessibility that propelled it into mainstream popularity. While sometimes facing criticism for its perceived formulaic approach, post-grunge undeniably left an enduring mark on rock music in the late ’90s and early 2000s, influencing a generation of alternative and mainstream rock artists.

  • Arctic Monkeys

    News of the Arctic Monkeys’ U.K. success initially had to be viewed skeptically. They were yet another band who wore their Jam, Clash and Smiths influences on their sleeve. Toss in the White Stripes, Vines, Libertines and a scruffier take on Franz Ferdinand for mainstream accessibility. Yet even for the U.K., it looked as though…

  • Audioslave

    Breaking a new act is a crapshoot. To minimize the risk, record labels often sign musicians with proven track records. The combination of Soundgarden’s frontman with Rage Against The Machine (sans Zach de la Rocha) would seem like a sure bet. But Audioslave was one of those blue chip “marriages” that nearly blew apart before…

  • The Offspring

    The Offspring isn’t a bad moniker but it’s sure no Clowns Of Death. Now that’s a name! Guitarist Bryan “Dexter” Holland and bassist Greg Kriesel (Greg K.), both ex-Clowns of Death, started Manic Subsidal with singer Doug Thompson and drummer Jim Benton. Two things happened when Thompson and Benton bailed. First, Holland assumed singing duties…

  • Fall Out Boy

    Three years after Chicago’s Fall Out Boy formed Island Records provided an advance for the group’s major label debut “Take This To Your Grave.” ’05 release “Under The Cork Tree” led to an extensive tour. F.O.B. even won a Road Woodie (Best Tour) at the student-selected mtvU Woodie Awards held in New York. “Infinity On…

  • All Time Low

    Any band that starts out covering Blink 182 and takes their name from the lyrics of a New Found Glory song (“Head On Collision”) is pretty heavily steeped in Pop Punk. All Time Low started in ’03, while band members were still in high school. They hadn’t even graduated when their debut EP, ’04’s “The…

  • Three Days Grace

    Three Days Grace bassist Brad Walst and singer-guitarist Adam Gontier hailed from the small Canadian burg of Norwood. Drummer Neil Sanderson grew up twenty-five miles away in a town called Peterborough. Re-locating to Toronto Three Days Grace teamed with producer Gavin Brown. On the strength of “I Hate Everything About You” the group earned a…

  • The Black Keys

    Formed in Akron, OH, the one-time bowling capital of America, Blues-Rock duo The Black Keys (Dan Auerbach – guitar/vocals and Pat Carney – drums) were part of the early ‘00’s lo-fi movement (stripping away all the technical enhancements to get to a more organic sound). Oddly, they didn’t acquire their name from a piano (the…

  • Halestorm – 10 Best

     “As a kid, when a lot of my friends were into Backstreet Boys, I attached myself to Alice Cooper, Cinderella, and Van Halen,” Lzzy Hale, Halestorm frontwoman, said in an interview. Halestorm, essentially a melodic Metal outfit, regularly displays those influences. #10. Amen According to Halestorm frontwoman Lzzy Hale “the song is about personal freedom…

  • Creed

    Creed got slammed by critics but rather than ignore them, the reviews took root. Creed’s third full-length release “Weathered” hit the streets in ’01. The symbolic title, as in “weathered the criticism,” should have been a warning – even for a group with a pretty incredible track record. To add insult to injury, the critics…