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In the late nineties and early 2000's you still had independent artists who were creating their own music. Some good some bad and it challenged the pop 40. But also in the late nineties "alternative rock" literally became the mainstream. Listening to Suicidal Tendencies, Clash or Black Flag (oh and U-FUCKING-2 Bono is such a fucking political tool) on a college radio and discovering them in the mid to late 80's, was no longer was cool because every single fucking high school Betty was bopping to it in their Sweet 16 Mercedes/BMW/Caddie and it was played on "alternative stations" non-stop. Some of these stations which had broader reach than the "regular stations." The regular stations wanting to stay relevant incorporated some of what they were playing in order to keep ad revenue.
If you asked someone what they listened to, what kind of music, the answer would literally be "alternative rock," but the radio station they had on the dial was the same station that played Madonna and Cindy Lauper not two to five years earlier. So.... yeah. If you sat and thought about it it really didn't compute. However, during that era, the music industry was doing it's damnest to kill any independent music production and leveraged heavily against anyone that dared to challenge the Industry. See Tom Petty, Stone Temple Pilots, etc. You either played by their rules or you didn't get airplay. But, what was truly stunning about this was the completeness of the "trickle down" control.
So originally, what you only could hear on college stations, these stations quickly became a test bed for mainstream stations. Likewise, you had gansta rap/hiphop bleeding into the mainstream, and very quickly it was accepted because it was "counter" to the mainstream. However, the "rebellious" or "counter-culture" was quickly becoming mainstream. Because who didn't want to be cool? Or as they marketed it at that time "extreme." Extreme this extreme that. It was all "Super fucking cool" because it's
"XTREAM!!!!" Which of course that marketing slant was quickly adopted by the Industry and it was too the point where people were trying to shame you or what I called "out rock" you by naming obscure bands or owning "limited edition pressings" of some "alternative rock band." The number of vapid conversations I had during that decade. FUCK ME.
Here is a one act play about that time period.
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Title: Some People
Super Cool Cunt or Ultra Music Fag: ** Overhearing conversation and butting in** Oh so you like ____latest band played on air____? **Translation Oh so you think you're cool and like "alternative rock."
Me: Yeah they're pretty cool. **Translation Yeah, they're pretty cool
Super Cool Cunt or Ultra Music Fag: I saw them in concert. **Translation I am an Alpha Music Fag/Cunt.
Me: How was it? **Translation: How was the concert? They sound good? How was the crowd.
Super Cool Cunt or Ultra Music Fag: Oh you didn't see them? They were here last week/month at trendy night club/outdoor festival. **Translation: I'm cooler than thou. You don't rate at all.
Me: No, I had to work. **Translation: I have a job and it's more important than some band concert.
Super Cool Cunt or Ultra Music Fag: Oh that's a shame. It was fantastic. The concert was slamming... I go to them all the time... I see them every time they are in town.... I traveled 400 miles, 1000 miles, cross country to see them... etc. **Translation: You don't rate. I'm Alpha Music Fag/Cunt. **Translation of translation: I don't work and my mommy and daddy still give me an allowance. I'm a 7th year Junior at Posh & Trendy University.
Me: Must be nice. **Cyphering the nuance: Fuck. **Translation of nuance: Oh a Rich Fag/Cunt
Super Cool Cunt or Ultra Music Fag: Have you heard of _____. **Translation: I'm going to humiliate you.
Me: No. **Translation: No. Who?
Super Cool Cunt or Ultra Music Fag: Well they're awesome, one band member is from (obscure band that dropped off the scene that had one cool song everyone liked four months ago) and he/she joined up with (obscure band that dropped off the scene that had one cool song everyone liked four months ago) and they made this new band (which no one will care about in four months.) **Translation: Suck it, I'm way cooler than thou. I could kick your ass.
Me: Well that's great. **Translation: LOL no. It looks like your diet largely subsists of pot, the occasional other drug and coffee.
Super Cool Cunt or Ultra Music Fag: (10 minute blather about even more obscure band) **Translation: I'm rubbing your nose in it.
Me: Oh. **Translation: WTF are you even going on about. Why should I care?
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The Industry control seeped into small time, garage type bands also. The Industry was desperate for the next STP, Nirvana, Faggy Hot Chili Peens, etc. You would have an army of fresh BA Marketing hires with the ink still wet on their diplomas, hired in mass by the industry trying to seduce and sign these bands IF the band did this or that. Once they did often the band fell apart because at this stage, the following was as much as about the people in the band as the music. These new wannabe music executives didn't understand that. But, it worked out in their favor. What bands accepted the industry standards, got rich or some money and fame. What bands stuck to their guns, simply stayed small time. I saw this first hand.
Now look at the music industry. Take a look at the "artists," and their "talent." It's all homogenous and bland. Most of it pushing some sort of "message" or trying to lecture you to score douchebag points, which is totally retarded. See these famous Industry knob gobbling douchebags.
With these examples you can see why some bands from that era were just lesser copies of a sound that had really confusing lyrics, but had the right edge, sound, and look and the Industry punished you with their bullshit, because of the obvious investment they made in these knob gobblers.
And the end result of all this fuckery and douchbaggery is now there are two different music worlds: the ____metal type genres/the "true nigga gansta rap" and the Taylor Swift and Biggie Smalls watered down pop. Ironically, the "underground" which can't be called underground because the Industry has it's hooks into it too. It's the farm league for the Industry.
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