The Con

Alternative rock is a broad umbrella for guitar-based rock that emerged from the independent and college-radio scenes as a counterpoint to mainstream, commercial rock.

Indie (short for “independent”) began as music made and released outside the major-label system, where a DIY ethos shaped everything from songwriting and recording to artwork and touring.

Rock is a broad family of popular music centered on amplified instruments, a strong backbeat, and song forms that foreground riffs, choruses, and anthemic hooks.