# Classic alternative > Mediated Wiki article. Canonical URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Classic_alternative > Markdown URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Classic_alternative.md > Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Classic_alternative > Source revision: 1348789847 > License: Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/) {{Short description|Radio format}} '''Classic alternative''' is a [radio format](/source/radio_format) focusing on [alternative music](/source/alternative_music) from the late 1970s to early 1990s, with particular focus on the early days of [MTV](/source/Music_Television).[https://www.ajournalofmusicalthings.com/classic-alternative-becoming-new-classic-rock/ Is Classic Alternative Becoming the New Classic Rock? - Alan Cross' A Journal of Musical Things][https://www.sltrib.com/artsliving/music/2018/08/26/utah-people-still-love/ In Utah, people still love 'alternative' music. But what is that, exactly? - The Salt Lake Tribune][https://radioinsight.com/headlines/204350/wkkl-returns-with-classic-alternative/ WKKL Returns With Classic Alternative - RadioInsight] ==Typical genres== * [New wave](/source/New_wave_music): A major part of this category, especially early bands like [The Cars](/source/The_Cars), [The Police](/source/The_Police), [Blondie](/source/Blondie_(band)), [Devo](/source/Devo) and [Talking Heads](/source/Talking_Heads).[https://ww1.musicchoice.com/audio-channels/classics/rock Rock - Music Choice] * [Power pop](/source/Power_pop): Bands such as [The Knack](/source/The_Knack), [The Smithereens](/source/The_Smithereens)[https://www.collegeradio.org/10-legendary-bands-that-wouldnt-be-legendary-without-college-radio/ 10 Legendary Bands that Wouldn't Be Legendary without College Radio - CollegeRadio.org] and [The Romantics](/source/The_Romantics) are often included in this category. * [College rock](/source/College_rock): The major building block of American alternative rock, and thus artists in that genre are played often. The early works of [R.E.M.](/source/R.E.M.) (in particular), [The Replacements](/source/The_Replacements_(band))[https://newrepublic.com/article/123187/how-npr-killed-college-rock How NPR Killed College Rock|The New Republic] and [They Might Be Giants](/source/They_Might_Be_Giants) usually show up on classic alternative stations. * [Post-punk](/source/Post-punk) and [British alternative/indie rock](/source/Rock_music_of_the_United_Kingdom): Common on many classic alternative stations, and often added for variety. Artists include [New Order](/source/New_Order_(band)), [Public Image Limited](/source/Public_Image_Limited) and [The Smiths](/source/The_Smiths).[https://observer.com/2016/10/post-punk-101-what-is-post-punk/ Post-Punk 101: What Is Post-Punk?||Observer] * [Gothic rock](/source/Gothic_rock) and [dark wave](/source/dark_wave): Bands such as [The Cure](/source/The_Cure), [Joy Division](/source/Joy_Division), [Siouxsie and the Banshees](/source/Siouxsie_and_the_Banshees), [Bauhaus](/source/Bauhaus_(band)) and [Killing Joke](/source/Killing_Joke).[https://www.allmusic.com/style/goth-rock-ma0000002623 Goth Rock Music Genre Overview|AllMusic] * [Grunge](/source/Grunge_music): Sometimes played on classic alternative stations, but more often found on [modern rock](/source/modern_rock) stations. Includes artists such as [Nirvana](/source/Nirvana_(band)), [Soundgarden](/source/Soundgarden), [Stone Temple Pilots](/source/Stone_Temple_Pilots) and [Pearl Jam](/source/Pearl_Jam).[https://colemaninsights.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/07/Coleman-Early-Peek-at-Classic-Alternative-January-2004.pdf Microsoft Word - Coleman's Early Peek at Classic Alternative - January 2004–] * [Synthpop](/source/Synthpop): Bands such as [Duran Duran](/source/Duran_Duran), [Depeche Mode](/source/Depeche_Mode) and [Pet Shop Boys](/source/Pet_Shop_Boys) and songs like "[I Ran (So Far Away)](/source/I_Ran_(So_Far_Away))" by [A Flock of Seagulls](/source/A_Flock_of_Seagulls) and "[Take On Me](/source/Take_On_Me)" by [a-ha](/source/a-ha) are essential on classic alternative stations. * [Dream pop](/source/Dream_pop) and [shoegaze](/source/shoegaze): Bands such as [Cocteau Twins](/source/Cocteau_Twins), [My Bloody Valentine](/source/My_Bloody_Valentine_(band)), [Slowdive](/source/Slowdive), [Ride](/source/Ride_(band)), and [The Jesus and Mary Chain](/source/The_Jesus_and_Mary_Chain).[https://www.allmusic.com/style/shoegaze-ma0000004454 Shoegaze Music Genre Overview|AllMusic] Uncommon, and depends on the amount of post-punk played on the station. * [New Romantic](/source/New_Romantic): Bands such as [Spandau Ballet](/source/Spandau_Ballet) and [Adam and the Ants](/source/Adam_and_the_Ants). * [Ska revival](/source/Ska_revival): Bands such as [Madness](/source/Madness_(band)) and [The English Beat](/source/The_English_Beat). * [Indie pop](/source/Indie_pop) and modern [indie rock](/source/indie_rock): Artists including [Aztec Camera](/source/Aztec_Camera), [Sonic Youth](/source/Sonic_Youth) and [Orange Juice](/source/Orange_Juice_(band)).[https://www.allmusic.com/style/indie-rock-ma0000004453 Indie Rock Music Genre Overview|AllMusic] *[Punk](/source/Punk_rock): Bands including [Ramones](/source/Ramones) and [The Clash](/source/The_Clash). ==Background== Some stations with an "all-'80s" format have added elements of the 1980s and '90s classic alternative format to their regular playlist. Cox's [KHPT](/source/KHPT) in [Houston](/source/Houston) and [WPOI](/source/WTBV) in [Tampa](/source/Tampa%2C_Florida) are prime examples of all-'80s stations that heavily relied on artists such as [Peter Schilling](/source/Peter_Schilling), [The Cranberries](/source/The_Cranberries) and [New Order](/source/New_Order_(band)). KHPT flipped to a classic alternative format after its run as an all-'80s station. The same goes for [KJAQ](/source/KJAQ) in [Seattle](/source/Seattle), one of the first stations in the country to try this format. Digital cable music service [Music Choice](/source/Music_Choice) (originally DMX) provided a station labelled New Wave for several years. The station was later renamed "Retro-Active", and later Classic Alternative, all of which played seventies to eighties new wave, post-punk, synthpop, etc. After several years, the station filtered in 1990s (and even sometimes post-millennium) artists. However, an artist like [David Bowie](/source/David_Bowie) can often fit in classic alternative because he meets the criteria.Bill Virgin, "[http://www.seattlepi.com/ae/tv/article/Radio-Beat-It-sounds-like-90s-music-could-be-1128948.php Radio Beat: It sounds like '90s music could be the next big format on Seattle dials]"Damien Cave, "[https://www.rollingstone.com/music/news/nirvana-bump-bizkit-off-dial-20040130 Nirvana Bump Bizkit Off Dial - "Classic alternative" radio brings back the golden Nineties]" [SiriusXM](/source/SiriusXM) offers a classic alternative station, 1st Wave, which was launched in 2008 following the merger between Sirius and XM and replaced similar stations on both services.{{cite web |last1=Snider |first1=Mike |title=As Sirius, XM signals merge, customers are confused |url=https://abcnews.go.com/Technology/story?id=6276205&page=1 |website=ABC News |accessdate=10 August 2020 |language=en}}{{cite web |title=1st Wave artists defined 'alternative' by experimenting with new wave & punk music before it was cool |url=https://blog.siriusxm.com/discover-1st-wave-where-totally-rad-80s-alternative-music-is-forever-young/ |website=Hear & Now |accessdate=10 August 2020 |date=28 November 2017}} The format began to see wider adoption in late-2022 and 2023, particularly among stations and brands that have had a legacy in modern and active rock formats in their respective market. In December 2022, [WNNX](/source/WNNX) in Atlanta relaunched the heritage "99X" brand of sister station [WWWQ](/source/WWWQ) as a classic alternative station,{{cite news |last1=Venta |first1=Lance |date=5 December 2022 |title=WNNX Brings Back 99X |url=https://radioinsight.com/headlines/245799/bittersweet-stunt-symphony-for-rock-100-5-atlanta/ |access-date=5 December 2022 |work=RadioInsight}} while in July 2024, [Corus Entertainment](/source/Corus_Entertainment) extended its ''Edge'' brand—long associated with its heritage modern rock station [CFNY-FM](/source/CFNY-FM) in Toronto—to Calgary's [CFGQ-FM](/source/CFGQ-FM) using a classic alternative format (positioned as "Iconic Alternative").{{Cite web |last=Thiessen |first=Connie |date=2024-07-31 |title=Corus launches 107.3 the Edge in Calgary |url=https://broadcastdialogue.com/corus-launches-107-3-the-edge-in-calgary/ |access-date=2024-08-02 |website=Broadcast Dialogue |language=en-US}} In October, Corus then switched its Winnipeg active rock station [CJKR-FM](/source/CJKR-FM) to classic alternative,{{Cite web |last=Thiessen |first=Connie |date=2024-10-08 |title=Corus rebrands Power 97 as 'Winnipeg's Iconic Alternative' |url=https://broadcastdialogue.com/corus-rebrands-power-97-as-winnipegs-iconic-alternative/ |access-date=2025-01-30 |website=Broadcast Dialogue |language=en-US}} while CFNY followed suit in April 2026.{{Cite web |date=2026-04-13 |title=CFNY Goes Iconic Alternative |url=https://radioinsight.com/headlines/346195/cfny-goes-iconic-alternative/ |access-date=2026-04-14 |website=RadioInsight |language=en-US}} ==References== {{Reflist}} {{Rock music}} Category:Radio formats Category:1970s in music Category:1980s in music Category:1990s in music Category:2000s in music Category:2010s in music Category:Rock radio formats --- Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Classic alternative](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Classic_alternative) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Classic_alternative?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.