PopularCulturalDiffusionofAlternativeRockResearch EvanHaysP4 MuchmusicfitsintothecategoryAlternativerockeventhoughitdoesntnecessarilyhavethis connotation. Alternativerockreallycametobeinthe1980sstartingoffincollegetownsandtheunderground scene. REM,whichbeganexperimentingwithAlternativeRockinthe80s,firstgainedpopularityin collegetownsastheyreceivedairtimeoncollegeradiostations. REMdidntactuallystartgainingsuccesscommerciallyuntilthe90safterAlternativeRock becamemainstream(ironic,isntit). TheAlternativeRockeraprecededtheeraofGrunge(Nirvana).

Thetwoerashadalotofclosetieswitheachother TheironyliesinthefactthatGrungewassoanticommercialisticandagainststridedawayfrom mainstream AfterstartingoffincollegetownsintheNorthWest(Seattle)itbecamepopularinBritain AlternativerockactuallyenteredthemainstreaminBritainbeforeintheUSandsomanybands wentEast. AlternativeRockiskindofavaguetermthatenvelopesmultipletypesofmusic. Thealbumswouldspreadtootherfollowersthatwouldbuildoffofthemcreatingnewbandsand newfollowers,whichthenbuiltahugeundergroundaudience. Diffusionofpop.cultureisthewayapopulartrendentersthemainstreamglobally throughhierarchicaldiffusionorcontagiousdiffusion. Whenalternativerockfirstcametobeinthelate1980s,bandssuchasREM,theRed HotChiliPeppers,andDaveMatthewsBandslowlygainedpopularitythroughcontagious diffusionfromcollegetowntocollegetown.Theyreceivedairtimeoncollegeradiostationsand playedgigsincollegetowns. Inbetweenalternativerocksoriginandtransitionintomainstream,Grungehadbecome extremelypopular.Itsironicbecausegrunge,whichwasstronglyagainstcommercialism,had closetieswithalternativerockwhichwouldbecomeextremelycommercialized. ThewayAlternativerockismanufacturedisabandtypicallyreleasesanalbumwhichis thenfollowedbyseeminglyendlesstouring. Intheearly90s,alternativerockmadeajumptoBritainwhereitquicklybecamepopular. Thepunkrockscenewasreallybigthereatthetime,andasthateraended,alternativerock (withitsintenseguitar,andcrashingdrums)wasanobvioussuccessorinthecountry.(British bandsincludeRadiohead,Coldplay,theSmiths,Oasis,andMuse).Thatisitstartedinthe underground/collegesceneinSeattle,relocatedtoBritain,enteredthemainstreamthere, relocatedbacktotheUS,andthenfinallyexplodedwithpopularityinthemainstreamhere. Asaresultmanybandsdidnthaveallthatmuchsuccessupfront.Theykindofbecame bigincollegetownsandintheundergroundscene,buttheinthemidtolate90s,almost overnight,theyhadenormoussuccess.Nowalternativerockispopularinmany,many,many countriesaroundtheworld.