Young alternative/indie bands that sound similar to bands from the 80s/90s/00s

RJDG14 · 06-17-2017, 04:56 PM

I chose to have a browse around iTunes to see what current alternative/indie music I like, and couldn't find much, even though I like most equivalent music from the 90s and early 00s. I'll highlight the differences between typical songs by bands from the 90s/00s and bands from now:

Typical 80s, 90s and Early 00s alternative: (think of The Smiths, R.E.M., early Foo Fighters, Oasis, Ride and Idlewild)

Utilises hooks and fairly conventional chord progression and a steady rhythm, reminant of more melodic punk and post-punk
In most cases utilises guitars, drums and bass, with keyboard on some songs. You can usually hear what's what
Most songs have a verse/chorus/verse/chorus/instrumental/bridge or verse/chorus stucture
Vocals are typically sung in an American or British accent with a varying tone; double-tracking is fairly common, and on post-1997 stuff, subtle pitch correction is fairly common too, though neither are used heavily
Almost all albums will have subtle instrument performance errors occasionally, such as an instrument being a split second out

Typical 2017 alternative: (think of Imagine Dragons, Arcade Fire, newer Kaiser Chiefs, Queens Of The Stone Age)

Hooks are less common, chord progression tends to be more unusual and less predictable, and many songs utilise an unsteady rhythm that changes throughout the song
Still utilises guitar, drums and bass, but they've become more toned down and blended in the mix, making it hard to tell what's an instrument and what's a synth
Like melodies, song structure has become more unusual, which I don't like - it makes songs a lot harder to follow
Vocals have become more heavily doctored, often being quite nazel or dribbly and abruptly changing between whatever note the song is on. I don't mind subtle AutoTune, like what was common in the early 00s, but it's become a lot more obvious on most stuff (or have singing accents simply evolved like regular accents do?)
Instrument errors are much rarer, probably due to correction technology that is now employed

So what I'd like to know is what some modern, fairly young, bands are that sound more like the 80s/90s/00s examples I gave (the bullet points, not the band examples)? There was one I encountered called Total Babes (in particular their song We'll Come Around), but any others? I'd just like to know because most of the current bands do nothing for me, and I want to know some modern music that I can relate to.

OccultHawk · 06-18-2017, 05:01 PM

This is challenging.

One reason I'm tossing a couple names out there is just to bump this thread.

War on Drugs
Wild Nothing

Kings of Leon (are they even new enough)

???

OccultHawk · 06-18-2017, 07:22 PM

Is that to me or the OP?

Neapolitan · 06-18-2017, 07:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by OccultHawk

This is challenging.

One reason I'm tossing a couple names out there is just to bump this thread.

War on Drugs
Wild Nothing

Kings of Leon (are they even new enough)

???

I like Wild Nothing too. I thought they sounded more like Burning Heart who were influenced by My Favorite. I'm not sure of the Wild Nothing - Burning Heart connection, but I heard My Favorite toured Scandinavia and were popular and influential there.

I think Sulk sounds pretty close to the Brit-Pop of the late 80s early 90s.

SULK - Flowers

RB17 · 06-21-2017, 12:46 PM

Maybe Martha:

Or newer Charly Bliss, they sound very very '90s-like to me.

RJDG14 · 06-21-2017, 06:56 PM

SULK are probably my favourite of these 3 bands people have shared videos of - they remind me a lot of The Stone Roses and a little of Oasis. The other two sons had no memorable hook and the vocals were too distracting.

Now, just a question about music production: How come virtually everything released nowadays appears to have flawless production whereas the majority of alternative/indie rock from 20/30 years ago was a little unpolished sounding in places, a bit like hearing a good live performance? Live performances by newer bands seem much the same quality on average to performances 30 years ago by similar bands, so I doubt the average musician is any better now. Is this a technology thing?

Lastly, something I've found is that there's still a fair number of bands out there releasing music a bit like stuff from the 90s, but when it comes to melody most of these new songs (even by older bands) seem to be lacking the two/three/four bar power-chord hooks and stuff that music from the 80s through to the 00s often contained (eg: Learn To Fly or When I Come Around). This is the main element that makes music enjoyable for me. Have hooks like this gone out of fashion, or have artists had to stop using them to avoid copyright infringement due to the increasing litigiousness of older artists who came up with similar progressions first?

OccultHawk · 06-21-2017, 07:37 PM

Maybe all the good hooks are gone.

Production has changed so much since going digital.

RJDG14 · 06-21-2017, 07:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by OccultHawk

Production has changed so much since going digital.

Hmm... Well how come all the DDD CDs I own from the early 90s sound much like AAD releases from that era, just without any tape hiss at a high volume (if there was any in the first place). Even stuff from c.2000 (which will almost certainly be digital) doesn't sound AS overproduced as now.

OccultHawk · 06-21-2017, 08:01 PM

Now anybody with a laptop has infinite tracks

And I don't really know...

OccultHawk · 06-21-2017, 08:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by elphenor

The problem is you're a pleb RJ and have to have your "indie" spoon fed to you as popular music

Oasis is your idea of alternative

You sure are elitist for a commie anarchist

06-17-2017, 04:56 PM	#1 (permalink)
RJDG14 Music Addict Join Date: Jun 2015 Posts: 157	Young alternative/indie bands that sound similar to bands from the 80s/90s/00s I chose to have a browse around iTunes to see what current alternative/indie music I like, and couldn't find much, even though I like most equivalent music from the 90s and early 00s. I'll highlight the differences between typical songs by bands from the 90s/00s and bands from now: Typical 80s, 90s and Early 00s alternative: (think of The Smiths, R.E.M., early Foo Fighters, Oasis, Ride and Idlewild) Utilises hooks and fairly conventional chord progression and a steady rhythm, reminant of more melodic punk and post-punk In most cases utilises guitars, drums and bass, with keyboard on some songs. You can usually hear what's what Most songs have a verse/chorus/verse/chorus/instrumental/bridge or verse/chorus stucture Vocals are typically sung in an American or British accent with a varying tone; double-tracking is fairly common, and on post-1997 stuff, subtle pitch correction is fairly common too, though neither are used heavily Almost all albums will have subtle instrument performance errors occasionally, such as an instrument being a split second out Typical 2017 alternative: (think of Imagine Dragons, Arcade Fire, newer Kaiser Chiefs, Queens Of The Stone Age) Hooks are less common, chord progression tends to be more unusual and less predictable, and many songs utilise an unsteady rhythm that changes throughout the song Still utilises guitar, drums and bass, but they've become more toned down and blended in the mix, making it hard to tell what's an instrument and what's a synth Like melodies, song structure has become more unusual, which I don't like - it makes songs a lot harder to follow Vocals have become more heavily doctored, often being quite nazel or dribbly and abruptly changing between whatever note the song is on. I don't mind subtle AutoTune, like what was common in the early 00s, but it's become a lot more obvious on most stuff (or have singing accents simply evolved like regular accents do?) Instrument errors are much rarer, probably due to correction technology that is now employed So what I'd like to know is what some modern, fairly young, bands are that sound more like the 80s/90s/00s examples I gave (the bullet points, not the band examples)? There was one I encountered called Total Babes (in particular their song We'll Come Around), but any others? I'd just like to know because most of the current bands do nothing for me, and I want to know some modern music that I can relate to. Last edited by RJDG14; 06-17-2017 at 05:22 PM.

06-18-2017, 05:01 PM	#2 (permalink)
OccultHawk one-balled nipple jockey Join Date: Dec 2010 Location: Dirty Souf Biatch Posts: 22,033	This is challenging. One reason I'm tossing a couple names out there is just to bump this thread. War on Drugs Wild Nothing Kings of Leon (are they even new enough) ??? __________________ 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 Member of the Year & Journal of the Year Champion Behold the Writing of THE LEGEND: https://www.musicbanter.com/members-...p-lighter.html

06-18-2017, 07:22 PM	#3 (permalink)
OccultHawk one-balled nipple jockey Join Date: Dec 2010 Location: Dirty Souf Biatch Posts: 22,033	Is that to me or the OP? __________________ 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 Member of the Year & Journal of the Year Champion Behold the Writing of THE LEGEND: https://www.musicbanter.com/members-...p-lighter.html

06-21-2017, 06:56 PM	#6 (permalink)
RJDG14 Music Addict Join Date: Jun 2015 Posts: 157	SULK are probably my favourite of these 3 bands people have shared videos of - they remind me a lot of The Stone Roses and a little of Oasis. The other two sons had no memorable hook and the vocals were too distracting. Now, just a question about music production: How come virtually everything released nowadays appears to have flawless production whereas the majority of alternative/indie rock from 20/30 years ago was a little unpolished sounding in places, a bit like hearing a good live performance? Live performances by newer bands seem much the same quality on average to performances 30 years ago by similar bands, so I doubt the average musician is any better now. Is this a technology thing? Lastly, something I've found is that there's still a fair number of bands out there releasing music a bit like stuff from the 90s, but when it comes to melody most of these new songs (even by older bands) seem to be lacking the two/three/four bar power-chord hooks and stuff that music from the 80s through to the 00s often contained (eg: Learn To Fly or When I Come Around). This is the main element that makes music enjoyable for me. Have hooks like this gone out of fashion, or have artists had to stop using them to avoid copyright infringement due to the increasing litigiousness of older artists who came up with similar progressions first? Last edited by RJDG14; 06-21-2017 at 07:12 PM.

06-21-2017, 07:37 PM	#7 (permalink)
OccultHawk one-balled nipple jockey Join Date: Dec 2010 Location: Dirty Souf Biatch Posts: 22,033	Maybe all the good hooks are gone. Production has changed so much since going digital. __________________ 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 Member of the Year & Journal of the Year Champion Behold the Writing of THE LEGEND: https://www.musicbanter.com/members-...p-lighter.html

06-21-2017, 12:46 PM	#5 (permalink)
RB17 Groupie Join Date: Jun 2017 Location: Napoli, Italy Posts: 30	Maybe Martha: Or newer Charly Bliss, they sound very very '90s-like to me.

06-21-2017, 08:01 PM	#9 (permalink)
OccultHawk one-balled nipple jockey Join Date: Dec 2010 Location: Dirty Souf Biatch Posts: 22,033	Now anybody with a laptop has infinite tracks And I don't really know... __________________ 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 Member of the Year & Journal of the Year Champion Behold the Writing of THE LEGEND: https://www.musicbanter.com/members-...p-lighter.html